Fried Bread

Quick & Easy Naan Bread with Sourdough Discard

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We love eating naan bread! We tend to have either a type of curry, stirfry or butter chicken with rice for dinner once a week, and this is our favourite pairing with it.

In our home, my husband likes thin and extra buttery naan bread, while the kids and I enjoy it a little thicker. So whenever I make some, I try to roll some out a little thinner than others, so that everyone has some the way they like it best. And always lather with lots of butter…before and after frying!

Feel free to adjust the thickness of this naan bread recipe to your preference! The instructions below are for a 1/2 inch thickness palm sized naan.

I’ve played around with adjusting this recipe for a while now and am finally ready to share the delicious results. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

History of the Naan Bread:

India. This country has long been on my bucket list to visit, a culture rich in traditions, history and especially in food! Naan bread, curries, spices, butter chicken, samosas, saag paneer, tikka masala, tandoori chicken, and biryani. All so so good!

The word “naan” itself actually comes from the ancient Persian civilization meaning “bread baked on hot pebbles”. It is thought by some that naan bread started to become popular in India around the 1520s, after yeast arrived in India from Egypt. It was a delicacy reserved for the nobility, so think on that while you enjoy your dinner tonight, my noble friend!

Make it with Your Kids!

Any time I have something that involves using a rolling pin, or just dough in general, I love getting the kids involved in preparing it. They have fun rolling out and shaping their own naans. You could also get out the cookie cutters to cut out some fun shapes to fry up!

These were sooo yummy to make!

♫ Music by Matthew Compton

How to Make Naan Bread with Sourdough Discard

Supplies Needed:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (I have also made this with mixing in spelt and whole wheat flour, just add a few more tablespoons of flour to balance the dough consistency)
  • 1 teaspoon organic baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon white or raw sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup yogurt or whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard starter
  • 2-4 Tablespoons water (add as needed, a little more if using yogurt)
  • Flour for dusting when rolling out
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/2-1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (can also use dried parsley, but fresh is best)

Directions:

1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together.

2. Add olive oil, yogurt/milk, and sourdough discard. Mix well. Add 2-4 tablespoons of water as needed until it becomes a doughy consistency.

3. Knead for 2-3 minutes until it is a soft dough. Dust with a little flour as needed.

4. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes-1 hour.

5. Preheat skillet to medium heat. Melt butter in microwave or in a small pot.

6. Finely chop the parsley and set aside.

7. Form dough into a “log” and cut into 8 equal rounds.

8. Roll dough piece out on a flour covered surface until it is 1/4 inch evenly thick.

9. Brush melted butter and sprinkle with parsley on one side. Fry with the buttered side down on the pre-heated skillet. While it is starting to bubble and sizzle, brush the top side with more butter and sprinkle with parsley. It should take about 1-2 minutes until golden spots appear, then flip over for another 1-2 minutes until golden.

10. Keep warm in tinfoil until ready to serve. The steam will keep them soft and prevent them from drying out!

11. Makes 8 palm-sized naans. Store leftovers in sealed container in fridge for up to 5 days.

Additional Tips:

*Make sure your pan is not too hot or it will just burn and not cook through.

*The thinner you roll out the naans, the quicker it will cook.

*Add as much butter as you want! (Before and especially after!)

Serve with a curry, butter chicken, or other saucy and flavourful dish!

Made this Recipe?

I’d love to hear how your naan bread turned out! Feel free to tag Northbird using one of the links below if you are posting your tasty dinner to social media, or tell me in the comments below!

Other Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Check Out!

Hi, I’m Jessie!

I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

Read more about my story HERE.

Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

Recent posts from Northbird:

Quick & Easy Naan Bread with Sourdough Discard

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

A soft and buttery naan bread recipe using sourdough discard. One of our favourite pairings when we make a stir fry, curry or butter chicken!



By Jessica Burman © 2024 The Northbird Blog. http://www.thenorthbirdblog.com

Supplies Needed:

  • Mixing bowl and spoon
  • Skillet
  • Dish for melting butter
  • Cooking Brush
  • Spatula
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Rolling Pin


    • Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour (I have also made this with mixing in spelt and whole wheat flour, just add a few more tablespoons of flour to balance the dough consistency)
  • 1 teaspoon organic baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon white or raw sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup yogurt or whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sourdough discard starter
  • 2-4 Tablespoons water (add as needed, a little more if using yogurt)
  • Flour for dusting when rolling out
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/2-1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (can also use dried parsley, but fresh is best)


    • Directions:

    1. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt together.
    2. Add olive oil, yogurt/milk, and sourdough discard. Mix well. Add 2-4 tablespoons of water as needed until it becomes a doughy consistency.
    3. Knead for 2-3 minutes until it is a soft dough. Dust with a little flour as needed.
    4. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes-1 hour.
    5. Preheat skillet to medium heat. Melt butter in microwave or in a small pot.
    6. Finely chop the parsley and set aside.
    7. Form dough into a “log” and cut into 8 equal rounds.
    8. Roll dough piece out on a flour covered surface until it is 1/4 inch evenly thick.
    9. Brush melted butter and sprinkle with parsley on one side. Fry with the buttered side down on the pre-heated skillet. While it starting to bubble and sizzle, brush the top side with more butter and sprinkle with parsley. It should take about 1-2 minutes until golden spots appear, then flip over for another 1-2 minutes until golden.
    10. Keep warm in tinfoil until ready to serve. The steam will keep them soft and prevent them from drying out!
    11. Makes about 8 palm-sized naans. Store leftovers in sealed container in fridge for up to 5 days.

      12. Additional Tips:

      *Make sure your pan is not too hot or it will just burn and not cook through.

      *The thinner you roll out the naans, the quicker it will cook.

      *Add as much butter as you want!

    Nutrition


    Per 1 serving: 322 calories; 19.7 g fat; 38.1 g carbohydrates;
    3 g protein.

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    Sourdough English Muffins

    NorthbirdLeave a comment

    Find Northbird on social media:

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure HERE.

    Jump To Recipe Card

    Jump to Video

    Return to “Sourdough”

    I never knew until recent years that English Muffins were FRIED, not baked. I’m not sure why I just assumed they were baked (especially with the golden-brown tops and bottoms!)

    Anyway, since I began experimenting with developing my own recipe of this, we have eaten these quite often. Probably my favourite reason for making these so often through the summer months in particular, is that there’s no need to use the oven and overheat the kitchen. Definitely a bonus.

    Where do English Muffins Come From?

    According to the “Baking Hall of Fame”, a man named Samuel Bath Thomas emigrated from England to New York City (America) in 1874, and later in 1880 he opened his own bake shop in Manhattan, New York. It is thought that he first brought the fried bread recipe idea to America and made it popular.

    To this day, Americans call it an “English Muffin”, and the British simply call it a “Muffin”.

    Is an English Muffin the same as a Crumpet?

    No. English Muffins are more dense and have a more “bread-like” texture. They are hand-formed from dough. A Crumpet is spongier, lighter and has a thinner batter that is usually poured into a griddle base or mold. It is somewhat similar to a pancake, but typically smaller.

    Ways to eat English Muffins:

    These tasty fried breads are lovely when sliced through the middle, toasted, and spread with salted butter and jam. It also makes an easy lunch sandwich in the absence of sandwich bread.

    Perhaps one of the fast-food breakfast favourites that you might see in North America at a Mcdonalds, A&W, or Tim Hortons is a: Bacon, Egg and Cheese on an English Muffin”.

    One of our quick travel meals that we like to do is to make little mini pizzas out of sliced English Muffins. We spread pizza sauce, add pepperoni, other toppings and cheese. A quick bake then wrap in tinfoil to maintain heat makes it a tasty and warm meal on-the-go.

    New to Sourdough?

    Check out THIS POST on Sourdough Bread to see some tips and helpful info that I’ve learned for looking after and feeding a sourdough starter.

    How to Make English Muffins from scratch:

    How to Make Sourdough English Muffins

    Supplies Needed:

    Ingredients:

    • 3/4 cup of ACTIVE sourdough starter
    • 2 tablespoons of liquid sweetener (pure maple syrup or honey are what I use most often)
    • 1 + 1/2 cups of 2-3% milk (or sub plain yogurt and add 1/3 cup water)
    • 4 cups of all purpose flour (or light spelt or bread flour… add additional 1/4 cup as needed to make soft dough)
    • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
    • Cornmeal for sprinkling tops/bottoms

    Directions:

    1. Whisk together sourdough starter, liquid sweetener and milk/yogurt until no starter clumps remain and it is a frothy white liquid.

    2. Add flour and sea salt and mix into dough.

    3. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Add additional flour as needed to make into a soft dough.

    4. Cover and rest for 8-12 hours to long ferment at room temperature. It will more than double in size *See Note Below

    5. Roll out so that dough is about 3/4 inch thick (2.5 cm). Cut out rounds of dough 3-4 inches in diameter. (I just use circular tupperware to cut the dough)

    6. Place on parchment covered baking sheet and cover with a tea towel. Rest 1-2 hours (they will puff up during this time).

    7. Warm skillet on low/medium heat with lid on for 3-5 minutes (dry, no oil). Sprinkle the tops of the english muffins with cornmeal.

    8. Place 3-4 English Muffins in the skillet, top (cornmeal covered) side-down, and sprinkle cornmeal on the revealed bottom side. Secure lid and fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Flip over, cover and fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

    Note: The first batch may need some tweaking of the temperature and timing as every stove is different. Too hot, and it will brown without baking the inside.

    9. Cool for several minutes on baking sheets before cutting open. Makes 10-12 English Muffins (depending on the size of the dough circles!).

    10. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in an air-sealed ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Additional Notes:

    I usually feed my sourdough starter in early afternoon, then it is bubbly and ready to use by early evening when I mix up my dough. The long ferment takes place overnight, and the next morning all that is left is a roll out, cut, rest, and then fry: just in time for breakfast!

    Other Tasty Sourdough Recipes to Check Out!

    Hi, I’m Jessie!

    I’m a Wife and Homeschooling Mom living in a remote town in Northern Ontario, Canada. I love making wholesome meals for my family from scratch, homeschooling our girls and learning more about natural living.

    Read more about my story HERE.

    Subscribe to Northbird’s email list to get weekly posts on: tasty recipes, activity ideas for kids, natural living tips, and some genuine mom thoughts and encouragement!

    Recent posts from Northbird:

    Sourdough English Muffins

    • Servings: 10-12
    • Difficulty: Easy
    • Print

    One of my favourite go-to recipes for making sourdough without using the oven!


    I usually feed my sourdough starter in early afternoon, then it is bubbly and ready to use by early evening when I mix up my dough. The long ferment takes place overnight, and the next morning all that is left is a roll out, cut, rest, and then fry: just in time for breakfast!

    Supplies Needed:

  • Mixing bowl
  • Danish dough whisk or mixing spoon
  • Measuring cups
  • Teaspoons and tablespoons
  • 2 tea towels
  • 2 baking sheets
  • Skillet with lid
  • Parchment paper
  • Rolling pin


    • Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup of ACTIVE sourdough starter
  • 2 tablespoons of liquid sweetener (pure maple syrup or honey are what I use most often)
  • 1 + 1/2 cups of 2-3% milk (or sub plain yogurt and add 1/3 cup water)
  • 4 cups of all purpose flour (or light spelt or bread flour… add additional 1/4 cup as needed to make soft dough)
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • Cornmeal for sprinkling tops/bottoms


    • Directions:

    1. Whisk together sourdough starter, liquid sweetener and milk/yogurt until no starter clumps remain and it is a frothy white liquid.
    2. Add flour and sea salt and mix into dough.
    3. Knead for 3-5 minutes. Add additional flour as needed to make into a soft dough.
    4. Cover and rest for 8-12 hours to long ferment at room temperature.
    5. Roll out so that dough is about 3/4 inch thick (2.5 cm). Cut out rounds of dough 3-4 inches in diameter. (I just use circular tupperware to cut the dough)
    6. Place on parchment covered baking sheet and cover with a tea towel. Rest 1-2 hours (they will puff up during this time).
    7. Warm skillet on low/medium heat with lid on for 3-5 minutes (dry, no oil). Sprinkle the tops of the english muffins with cornmeal.
    8. Place 3-4 English Muffins in the skillet, top (cornmeal covered) side-down, and sprinkle cornmeal on the revealed bottom side. Secure lid and fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown. Flip over, cover and fry for another 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.

      9. Note: The first batch may need some tweaking of the temperature and timing as every stove is different. Too hot, and it will brown without baking the inside.

    9. Cool for several minutes on baking sheets before cutting open. Makes 10-12 English Muffins (depending on the size of the dough circles!).
    10. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in an air-sealed ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition


    Per 1 serving: 194 calories; 0.8 g fat; 42.8 g carbohydrates;
    4.5 g protein.

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