Soft, chewy, and packed with flavor, sourdough discard naan is an easy and delicious way to use up extra sourdough starter.

Three pieces of sourdough naan bread topped with chopped parsley and drizzled with melted butter, displayed on a wooden surface. The naan has golden-brown spots, suggesting it is freshly cooked.

You can make this naan with either discard starter or active starter, it doesn’t really matter! The difference is in the timing. Discard starter will still get “fed” from the flour in the dough, but it will take longer to rise since it hasn’t been recently refreshed. If using active starter, the dough will rise faster. After the dough has risen, you can pop in the fridge for a cold proof until you’re ready to cook them. This is optional but it allows the dough to develop extra flavor. It’s cooked in a hot skillet, brushed with olive oil while cooking, then finished with a garlic butter glaze.

If your discard is from a very new starter, it might not be strong enough yet to properly ferment the dough. If that’s the case, you can add a small amount of instant yeast to help the dough rise at a normal pace. You can do this if you’re short on time and want to cook the naan right away too.

Why you’ll love this sourdough naan

✔ A great use for sourdough discard
✔ Easy to prepare: If you give the dough a cold-proof, it makes it really simple to prep in advance.
✔ Brushed with olive oil: Keeps the naan soft and adds flavor while cooking because it helps the dough caramalize a bit.
✔ Garlic butter finish: Buttery, garlicky, the perfect finish.

Hands tearing a piece of soudough naan bread topped with melted cheese and sprinkled with chopped parsley. The naan has golden brown spots from cooking.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the naan

Sourdough discard or active starter – Whatever you’ve got going
Plain yogurt – Keeps the naan soft and chewy. If you use greek yogurt, add in a little extra water too.
Flour – All-purpose or bread flour both work.
Salt & sugar – Enhances flavor and balances acidity.
Olive oil – Brushed on the dough while cooking.

For the garlic butter topping

Butter – Real butter for the best flavor
Garlic – Lightly cooked in butter to mellow its sharpness.
Fresh parsley – I love the flavor and the pop of green against the yellow butter.

How to make sourdough naan

Here are some photos of the naan process.

A glass mixing bowl containing flour, sugar, a small pool of liquid, and a dollop of creamy white mixture, all on a light countertop.

1. Mix the ingredients

In a large bowl add the flour, yogurt, sourdough starter, oil, sugar and salt. If you’re using Greek yogurt which is less runny than regular yogurt, add a little water too.

2. Knead the dough

Mix into a thick dough and give it a knead for a few minutes until all combined in a ball. Cover the bowl and let it rise until bulked out by around 50%. It doesn’t need to fully double. This will take between 4-8 hours depending on room temperature and starter used.

Once risen, you can cook the naan, or cover the dough tightly and refrigerate until needed.

A ball of light-colored dough sits in a clear glass bowl on a marble surface. The dough has a rough texture, and flour is visible on the bowls sides.

A ball of dough is divided into six equal triangular portions on a light surface, ready for baking. A dough scraper is partially visible in the background.

3. Shaping

Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape into balls. If the dough has come from the fridge, let these rest for 5 minutes to slightly warm and make rolling easier.

4. Rolling

Roll each dough ball out into circle that’s about 3-4 mm thick (about 1/8 inch).

A person lifts the edge of a sheet of rolled-out dough on a marble surface. A rolling pin is visible in the background.

A round, puffy tortilla cooking in a gray frying pan with a slightly uneven surface. The tortillas surface is pale and bubbly, indicating its in the process of cooking on a stovetop.

5. Frying

Brush the top of a dough circle with a little bit of olive oil, and place oiled side down in a hot skillet. Brush the top side with oil too, and watch the big bubbles appear! After about 2 minutes flip the naan and cook the other side.

6. Resting

Place the cooked naan in a stack, covered with a clean kitchen towel to trap steam. This helps to keep them soft.

A stack of golden brown naan bread partially covered by a white cloth on a light surface. The naan has slight charring, indicating it was freshly cooked.

Garlic butter

Melted butter with small pieces of white garlic floating on the surface, in a shiny stainless steel pan.

Melt butter in a pan and add crushed garlic. Cook briefly to remove the raw bite, then stir in chopped parsley.

Close-up of sourdough naan bread being brushed with melted butter, garnished with chopped parsley. The naan appears golden-brown and freshly cooked, with a tactile, textured surface. A white brush is gently applying the butter on top.

Brush the hot naan with garlic butter and serve immediately.

Tips

✔ Use a very hot pan – A high heat creates the best bubbles and char.
✔ Brush with oil while cooking – This keeps the naan soft and flexible.
✔ Cook garlic before adding parsley – This removes the harsh bite of raw garlic.

Storing & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Freeze for later – Stack with parchment between each and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat on a hot pan for a few seconds per side, or warm in the oven at 300°F (150°C) or the microwave.

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