How to Heat Up Naan | 5 Great Methods

For my regular readers, you’ll already know the next day’s curry can taste amazing. However, what’s curry without the accompaniments? The next day’s naan doesn’t fare quite as well as some Indian dishes. But don’t worry, friends, the answer is here. Today I will show you how to heat up naan in 5 different ways and bring your fluffy flatbread back to its former glory.

What is the Best Way to Heat Up Naan?

The best way to heat up naan bread is to use the oven. You can stop the naan from overcooking and turning crispy using a low temperature. It is vital that you cover your naan (preferably in aluminium foil) to prevent it from drying out. Consider adding water to make it super soft!

The above is only a brief guide, and there are plenty of ways to reheat naan and get a close to perfect result. To see a detailed description of the above technique and learn other techniques for how to heat up naan, read on…

How to Heat Up Naan Bread | 5 Easy Methods

Right, let’s roll up our sleeves and dive in. Regardless of how well equipped your kitchen is, you are sure to find a method of heating up naan bread that will work for you.

Heating Naan Using the Oven

This is by far the best way to heat up naan bread. Most ovens allow you to accurately control the heat, meaning you can ensure that your naan bread is reheated evenly and all the way through.

You also have the advantage of wrapping your naan bread up. This means that it both heats and steams itself simultaneously, giving a lovely chewy and soft texture even if you are reheating it.

Why try it: -

• It’s hands-off and super convenient
• Even heating
• Great results

Things to watch out for:

• Avoid excessive heat. The aim is to warm, not cook
• It is best to cover your naan in foil
• Don’t use too much water, or your naan will turn sticky
• Mind your fingers when you unwrap the naan. That steam can burn!

How to Reheat Naan in the Oven

1. Preheat your oven to around 120 degrees Celsius
2. Take your cold naan and give it a sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of water
3. Place the naan on a large sheet of foil and wrap it tightly
4. Place the naan in the centre of the oven for around 10 minutes
5. Remove using tongs or oven gloves and serve immediately

Warming Naan in the Microwave

Nothing screams kitchen convenience like a microwave. The only limitation will be the size of your naan bread. If you struggle to make it fit, consider dividing it and giving it a ping in sections. Alternatively, cut it into quarters and stack it…

Remember, microwaves cook from the inside out, so you might need to adjust the cooking times if you employ this method.

Why try it: -

• It’s really quick
• It is really low effort
• Microwaves don’t tend to ‘crisp’ food, so you are certainly guaranteed a soft result.

Things to watch out for:

• Make sure your naan fits. If it stops the dish from turning, you’ll end up with a burnt patch
• Serve immediately, or your naan will end up super chewy
• Warming more than one naan means you will have to increase the cooking time
• Don’t use tin foil in the microwave (it will cause severe damage)

How to Heat Up Naan in the Microwave

1. Take a large plate and place your naan on top
2. Give your naan a sprinkle with a teaspoon of water
3. Place in the microwave, and turn to full power
4. Give it a ping for around a minute.

Reheating Naan in a Frying Pan

If you’ve read any of my articles on cooking great curry, you’ll already know that pretty much all you need is a good frying pan. The good news is that it is super versatile and can be used, not just for cooking Indian but also for reheating your naan! (Obviously, you’ll have to make sure it is clean and dry first).

Why Try It: -

• It’s by far one of the quickest methods of heating naan
• You can see the naan meaning you can get a perfect result
• You get the odd little crispy bit on your bread, delicious.

Things to watch out for:

• Avoid using too high a heat. The aim is to reheat your naan, not cook it!
• Make sure your frying pan is big enough to accommodate your naan; consider cutting it into smaller sections
• This method is great, but naan doesn’t tend to be as soft when reheated with a frying pan

How to Heat Naan in a Frying Pan

1. Place a large frying pan on the hob over medium heat
2. Place your naan in the pan and give it a brush all over with a little water
3. After a couple of minutes of cooking, flip your naan over. The water on the top side will come into contact with the pan and gently steam your naan from underneath.

The Steam Method

Are you ready for a little naan-hack?

This is a method I have used with great success, and it gives near-perfect results. It takes a little time, but if you have naan bread that is a little too firm, this technique will soften it right up… You are basically going to use your naan as a pan lid. It will catch all the steam, which will soak into the bread moisten it while also heating it simultaneously.

Why try it: -

• It enlivens even the hardest of naan breads
• It heats naan up super quickly.
• It’s pretty versatile; while many may not have a microwave, most people will have a pan

Things to watch out for:

• Don’t overdo it. A little steam is good, but go for too long, and your naan will turn soggy!
• Be sure to pick a pan that is slightly smaller than your naan. Go too small, and the centre will be heated while the edge stays hard (yuck!)
• This doesn’t work with really small naans or leftover sections of naan bread

How to Reheat Naan Bread using a Saucepan

1. Take a large pan that is slightly smaller than the circumference of your naan bread. Add a cup or two of water and then cover the top tightly with aluminium foil.
2. Poke holes in the foil and place the pan over high heat
3. Simply plonk your naan on top. No need to flip it.
4. Steam for around 3-5 minutes until your naan turns all soft and warm

Using the Grill to Heat Up Naan Bread

Few things in the world can’t be made better by a quick blast under the grill, and naan bread is no exception. If you are wondering how to heat up naan bread and want a quick and easy solution, it doesn’t get simpler than this

Why try it: -

• By grilling, you’ll get a great mix of crispiness and chewy softness
• It’s simple, and you can fit even large naans under the grill
• You can keep an eye on the naan as it heats, meaning great results.
• If your naan is a little too soft, you can just cook it for another couple of minutes.

Things to watch out for:

• Again, don’t use scorching hot temperatures. That’s a one-way ticket to cardboard town!
• You will have to flip your naan, so mind your hands
• Be sure to use a fair amount of water. Grills cook using direct heat, so it will evaporate moisture quite readily.

Heating up Naan Bread Using the Grill

1. Place your naan on the grill pan, and give it a liberal sprinkle with water
2. Turn your grill (or broiler if you are based in the US) to a medium setting
3. Place the naan under the grill for around 3 minutes on each side. Keep a close eye on it, as it can go from ‘warm’ to ‘crispy’ in seconds!

Reheating Naan | FAQ

Listen, knowing how to heat up naan bread isn’t rocket science. That said, there are one or two things that I get asked all the time. Here are the most common questions I often get asked: -

Do You Have to Heat Up Naan Bread?

You don’t have to heat up naan bread; however, you’ll get a better result if you do. A good naan should be warm, soft and slightly springy… It most definitely shouldn’t be cold and brittle. There are plenty of techniques you can use to produce this result.

It is perfectly safe to eat cold naan bread, so you needn’t let that be a concern.

I mean, think about it.

You eat cold bread whenever you have a sandwich, and a naan is simply a different form of bread, right?

How Do You Soften Hard Naan?

There’s nothing worse than hard naan. But there is a critical ingredient that you can use to make it a little softer. Namely, water. When raw naan dough cooks, it steams itself; however, this moisture dries out over time, hence hard naan. You can reinvigorate your naan by adding a sprinkling of water or reintroducing steam.

The techniques I’ve described above will all give you a soft and chewy naan. In order of which gives the softest naan, here’s a list: -

1. The oven method for reheating naan
2. Steaming your naan over a pan
3. Microwaving naan bread to warm it up
4. Grilling your naan
5. Heating your naan in a frying pan

Can You Reheat Naan Bread Bought from a Takeaway?

You absolutely can reheat naan bread bought from a takeaway. In fact, takeaway bought naan works particularly well when reheated the next day. The key to success is storing the naan properly, so it doesn’t dry out overnight. You can simply pop it back into the bag it came in or alternatively wrap it in kitchen film and keep it in the fridge.

The same can also be said of naan bread that you make at home too!

How Do You Keep Naan Warm for a Party?

If you are hosting an Indian dinner party, then you’ll want to keep the workload to the minimum and perhaps cook a few dishes ahead of time. Naan bread works really well when prepared in advance. It’s not so much the technique you use to keep it warm, but how you store it while you await your guests. Here’s a quick and easy guide to keeping naan bread warm for a dinner party: -

1. Put your oven on a really low light (around 60°C)
2. Wrap your hot naan tightly between two sheets of tinfoil
3. Place the naan at the bottom of the oven, where it will keep warm for as long as you need it to!

How to Heat Up Naan | Final Thoughts

Once you know how to heat up naan bread, you’ll be able to enjoy last night’s leftovers as much as you did the previous evening! With the five techniques I’ve listed above, you’ll be able to mop up all of that delicious curry sauce with a soft and chewy flatbread. Want to make naan bread from scratch, as well as an authentic BIR Indian curry? Check out my other guides for some more inspiration.