This grilled naan is filled with melting mozzarella and pesto, requires no yeast, and can be cooked in a skillet or outdoors! You can have it ready in an hour and vary the flavors of the filling.
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Cheese pesto bread
This appetizer recipe skyrocketed to the top of my starch-filled list. It is truly amazing and one you'll want to make often. We like to serve it alongside our favorite cocktail sausages and marsala olives with garlic.
This naan recipe is made with yogurt but no yeast, filled with melting mozzarella and green onion pesto and grilled on a skillet. Or outside on the grill or barbecue.
For all of you who are afraid of working with yeast or making bread, this dough is as easy as the pizza mix with baking powder that you can buy in the supermarket.
About naan
Naan means bread and is a flatbread that is very popular in Indian and other Asian cuisines. It is made with yogurt and yeast and baked in a tandoor or clay oven. But they can easily be grilled in a cast iron skillet or outdoor grill.
There are many types of naan and recipes.
Today we're focusing on this no-yeast recipe, made with yogurt and baking powder. It comes together in ten minutes and needs to rest for 1 hour. So take that extra time into account.
But even with the resting time, you can have warm cheese-filled naan bread in an hour and a half. So it's great to make it as an appetizer when grilling outside. It only takes about 30 minutes of actual hands-on time.
How to make stuffed naan
- Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and add wet ingredients (images 1 and 2). Start by mixing with a fork or wooden spoon until you have a rough mixture.
- Knead for about 5 minutes (with a stand mixer or by hand on a floured counter) until you have a slightly sticky but smooth dough (image 3).
- Shape into balls and let rest for 1 hour (image 4).
Fillings
- Cheese: use a cheese that melts well. Mozzarella (the one used for pizza is the best) is a good one, but whatever you use for your favorite grilled cheese sandwich will work.
- Pesto: You can go with not-so-traditional pestos like the one here - more ideas here for other Condiments & Sauces - and even use purchased ones.
- Grilled veggies are perfect too. Just remember you need the final filled bread to be flat to cook evenly. It might be a good idea to process or cut in small bits the vegetables first.
Pesto filling
The word pesto is very loosely used here, this was more a mixture of green onions, almonds, and parsley with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Maybe we should say paste?
Maybe, but pesto or paste will not change the awesomeness of the filled pieces of dough, grilled on the stove and eaten right there, almost hot to the touch.
Make your own fillings, most Mediterranean pizza toppings will go well, or something like this Chorizo Tomato filling. or the Sun-dried Tomato Pesto. The original recipe hails from this wonderful blog and uses garlic scapes, but I couldn't find any.
Use no more than a tablespoon for each piece of bread, it is enough. Using too much will hamper the correct cooking of the dough.
Type of skillet
In a very fortunate turn of events, I found a million-year-old steak iron that belonged to my grandmother.
Many electric gadgets appeared throughout the years, but it took many years for the faithful steak iron to be replaced. Nowadays, it's still sold and used, but not as much.
Grilling the filled naan is very easy; you don't need to use oil, so there's little or no smoke.
You can drizzle some right before eating the bread and maybe sprinkle it with coarse salt.
What's unavoidable is to use a good melting cheese, like mozzarella (the type we label pizza mozzarella), which is not fancy but buttery in flavor and great for melting. Swiss cheese also works.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Dough: make sure you take into account the resting time. The dough is somewhat sticky, so refrain from adding too much extra flour, It will be less sticky by the time you have to assemble the bread.
- Filling: Don't use more than 1 tablespoon of pesto and 1 or 2 thin cheese slices. If the final pieces of bread are too thick, they will not cook properly inside.
- Grilling: you can use a cast iron steak skillet, as I used, or a regular one, like the ones used for baking skillet cookies. And you don't need to butter or oil it. This bread produces no smoke while cooking. Or use an outdoor grill.
- Freezing: Unfortunately, these do not reheat well after freezing, probably because they're not yeasted.
Related recipes you might like:
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Cheese Naan (no-yeast)
Ingredients
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, you might need a little more
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup plain yogurt, natural, unsweetened
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- ¼ cup olive oil, + extra to brush the bread
- ½ cup pesto, any type works
- 7 ounces mozzarella cheese, or another melty one, cut into thin slices
Instructions
- In a large bowl or the mixer, mix 5 cups all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar.
- In a medium bowl mix ½ cup plain yogurt, 1 egg, 1 ½ cups warm water and ¼ cup olive oil. Mix and pour into a well in the flour mixture.
- With the dough hook start mixing at low/medium speed, until a smooth dough forms that sticks around the hook, about 5 minutes. If it is too wet, add a tablespoon of extra flour. If making by hand, integrate the ingredients inside the bowl and then knead until smooth.
- On a floured counter, divide the dough into 10 equal portions.
- Form buns and put them on a plate dusted with flour.
- Lightly brush the surface of each with olive oil, cover with loose plastic, and let rest for 1 hour.
- Divide each bun into two parts.
- Flatten half of the dough portions, and put 1 tablespoon of pesto in the center, spread it a little without breaking the dough, and put a piece of cheese on top.
- Cover with another piece of dough, joining the edges well and taking care that the filling does not escape.
- Turn on the skillet or grill, brush it with olive oil and add the bread.
- Cook slowly over low heat until the dough is dry and the loaves are golden brown.
- Repeat on both sides, allowing time for the dough to cook well.
- Eat right away.
Notes
Naan recipe from Feasting at Home
Pabs says
Que buena receta, pinta rico. !!,Lo voy a hacer y quizá le agregue pago que tengo en el freezer de acción de gracias! Saludos
Paula Montenegro says
Gracias por tu mensaje Pablo! Que tengas una buena semana.
Paula Montenegro says
I never knew you could be allergic to yeast. Hope you like this bread, it's amazing!
Jennifer says
I love pesto. I eat it in everything and on everything. Your sandwich looks amazing! Can't wait to try it out.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
oh my gawd, Paula. . this looks amazing! I definitely want to try this when I am in a working kitchen again! love that you used your grandmother's old steak iron . . that is fabulous. I love finding old things. . you definitely need to make these for your father's birthday party! Are you making food for the entire menu?
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
I love how versatile naan is...These panini (or naanini) are to die for, Paula!
Lora CakeDuchess says
I made naan once and am not sure why I haven't made it more often?:)Your sandwich is tantalizing at any hour of the day...I'm thinking even breakfast tomorrow. Fantastic, Paula!
Melanie @ Just Some Salt and Pepper says
Wow, these look amazing. Giving them a try as soon as I am able. I love naan, pesto and melty cheese. This is perfect.
Jamie says
Love love love this! I was waiting for you to publish this. Envious of the cool old steak grill, but I know a skillet will be great. And I love your naan! I have never made them but have been dying to! Fabulous! Fabulous all of it!!
Pink Patisserie says
Oh, that is simply my kind of meal.. Oozing, crispy bread and savory pesto, pretty much perfection. I too love to use old (vintage) tools in the kitchen. It's a lovely feeling..
easyfoodsmith says
Pesto filling and that gooey oozing cheese is making it look so so so tempting and Ahh.ma.zing! Brilliant post.
Steph says
Why have I never thought to use naan as bread fir a sammy. You. So. Smart!
Nazneen Hamilton says
An Italian take on naan...I love it! I've always thought naan can be so many things, though I just eat it straight up because I love it too much!
These look delicious and an excellent Twelve Loaves entry.
Nazneen
The Sketched Chef says
Oh my, this is just mouthwatering !
It looks breathtaking
Beth says
Oh my - what a brilliant post! I think you really achieved perfection here.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Paula, this post is perfection! Your photos are incredible - I love how they tell a story (a delicious, mesmerizing story). I've always wanted to make naan at home, but I don't have anything to grill it on. Time to buy myself a steak iron like yours. That melting cheese with the green onion pesto is calling my name! I can just imagine the satisfying crunch of biting into the sandwich, followed by the creaminess of the stuffing. Love this!
arthur-in-the-garden.com says
Beautiful!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
Oh Paula! I am SO trying this!! And, yay, another pesto to try (green onion almond pesto - yum!!)
thelittleloaf says
That looks seriously delicious - all my favourite flavours rolled into one bite!