Tandoor ovens hit 900°F, which chars naan in 60 seconds flat while keeping stuffed cheese inside perfectly molten and unburnt.
Cheese Stuffed Garlic Naan
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our mouthwatering cheese-stuffed garlic naan! This fluffy flatbread is generously filled with melty cheese and topped with a fragrant garlic herb blend, creating a perfect balance of flavors. Whether served alongside your favorite curry or enjoyed on its own, this naan is sure to become a new favorite in your kitchen!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
Naan's story runs through Persia into Mughal kitchens around the 1500s, where tandoor ovens turned simple wheat dough into royal bread, but this mozzarella-stuffed version is pure 20th-century Italian-Indian street food opportunism—someone in Mumbai clearly met a pizza and decided Punjab's flatbread deserved a cheese pull too, creating a gloriously improper marriage nobody in Delhi or Naples asked for.
Regional Twist
Up in Punjab's Amritsar region, cooks ditch the mozzarella entirely for crumbled paneer mixed with green chilies, then slap the dough straight onto a clay tandoor wall instead of a grill pan, giving the garlic oil something properly smoky to cling to.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- ⅛ cup chopped parsley or cilantro (30 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (360 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded cheese (240 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (438 g)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
- ¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)
- 1 teaspoon yeast (5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon salt (5 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
620
Protein
17g
Carbs
82g
Fat
24g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Activate the yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast starts to foam.
- 2
Make the dough: Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with a spoon at first, then knead by hand or with a mixer for about 5 minutes until a soft dough forms.
- 3
Add the oil: Rub your hands with olive oil and knead the dough a few more times until smooth.
- 4
First rise: Cover the dough with a warm towel and let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 5
Shape the naan: Once risen, divide the dough into balls. Flatten them out add some of the mozzarella cheese in the middle close it up into a ball. Place them in a warm area again, covered, and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
- 6
Cook the naan: Heat a grill pan or regular pan over medium heat. Lightly oil the surface. Flatten each dough ball with your hands or a rolling pin. Cook each naan for 1–2 minutes per side, or until golden brown spots appear.
- 7
Make the garlic oil: In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, smashed garlic, and chopped parsley or cilantro.
- 8
Finish: Brush the hot naan with the garlic oil and enjoy immediately!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Proof your dough at 75-80°F (24-27°C) for exactly 1 hour because yeast fermentation slows below 70°F and accelerates above 85°F, causing uneven rise and flavor development.timing75-80°F for 1 hour
- ✓Use a 3.5:1.5 flour-to-water ratio (70% hydration) because naan requires higher moisture than sandwich bread to develop steam pockets; lower hydration produces dense, chewy bread instead of airy pockets.ingredient70% hydration (3.5 cups flour : 1.5 cups water)
- ✓Pre-infuse your garlic oil at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before brushing so volatile garlic compounds dissolve into oil; brushing immediately after heating causes harsh sulfur notes to dominate.timing20-30 minutes steeping
- ✓Cook naan on medium-high heat (around 400°F pan surface) for 90-120 seconds per side to achieve the Maillard reaction for browning before the interior dries out; below 375°F the naan steams instead of charring.technique400°F, 90-120 seconds per side
- ✓Place cheese filling 1.5 inches from the dough edge when stuffing because the dough expands 40-50% during the second rise; filling too close to edges will rupture through the surface.technique1.5 inches from edge
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Tandoor ovens hit 900°F, which chars naan in 60 seconds flat while keeping stuffed cheese inside perfectly molten and unburnt.
Cheese Stuffed Garlic Naan
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our mouthwatering cheese-stuffed garlic naan! This fluffy flatbread is generously filled with melty cheese and topped with a fragrant garlic herb blend, creating a perfect balance of flavors. Whether served alongside your favorite curry or enjoyed on its own, this naan is sure to become a new favorite in your kitchen!
The Story
Naan's story runs through Persia into Mughal kitchens around the 1500s, where tandoor ovens turned simple wheat dough into royal bread, but this mozzarella-stuffed version is pure 20th-century Italian-Indian street food opportunism—someone in Mumbai clearly met a pizza and decided Punjab's flatbread deserved a cheese pull too, creating a gloriously improper marriage nobody in Delhi or Naples asked for.
Regional Twist
Up in Punjab's Amritsar region, cooks ditch the mozzarella entirely for crumbled paneer mixed with green chilies, then slap the dough straight onto a clay tandoor wall instead of a grill pan, giving the garlic oil something properly smoky to cling to.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- ⅛ cup chopped parsley or cilantro (30 ml)
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (360 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(1)
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded cheese (240 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (438 g)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (15 ml)
- ¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)
- 1 teaspoon yeast (5 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 1 teaspoon salt (5 ml)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
620
Protein
17g
Carbs
82g
Fat
24g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Activate the yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until the yeast starts to foam.
- 2
Make the dough: Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix with a spoon at first, then knead by hand or with a mixer for about 5 minutes until a soft dough forms.
- 3
Add the oil: Rub your hands with olive oil and knead the dough a few more times until smooth.
- 4
First rise: Cover the dough with a warm towel and let it rest in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 5
Shape the naan: Once risen, divide the dough into balls. Flatten them out add some of the mozzarella cheese in the middle close it up into a ball. Place them in a warm area again, covered, and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
- 6
Cook the naan: Heat a grill pan or regular pan over medium heat. Lightly oil the surface. Flatten each dough ball with your hands or a rolling pin. Cook each naan for 1–2 minutes per side, or until golden brown spots appear.
- 7
Make the garlic oil: In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, smashed garlic, and chopped parsley or cilantro.
- 8
Finish: Brush the hot naan with the garlic oil and enjoy immediately!
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Proof your dough at 75-80°F (24-27°C) for exactly 1 hour because yeast fermentation slows below 70°F and accelerates above 85°F, causing uneven rise and flavor development.timing75-80°F for 1 hour
- ✓Use a 3.5:1.5 flour-to-water ratio (70% hydration) because naan requires higher moisture than sandwich bread to develop steam pockets; lower hydration produces dense, chewy bread instead of airy pockets.ingredient70% hydration (3.5 cups flour : 1.5 cups water)
- ✓Pre-infuse your garlic oil at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before brushing so volatile garlic compounds dissolve into oil; brushing immediately after heating causes harsh sulfur notes to dominate.timing20-30 minutes steeping
- ✓Cook naan on medium-high heat (around 400°F pan surface) for 90-120 seconds per side to achieve the Maillard reaction for browning before the interior dries out; below 375°F the naan steams instead of charring.technique400°F, 90-120 seconds per side
- ✓Place cheese filling 1.5 inches from the dough edge when stuffing because the dough expands 40-50% during the second rise; filling too close to edges will rupture through the surface.technique1.5 inches from edge