Cheese naans are an integral part of Indian cuisine in our collective imagination... Yet they are not a true traditional Indian bread, but rather a version revisited in Paris! Origin, legends and ingredients: discover the history and recipe for cheese naan.

What is the origin of cheese naan?

Traditional naan

Originating from Central Asia, naan (or nân) is a traditional Indian bread. Round, flat and crispy, it pairs beautifully with all dishes and sometimes even substitutes for rice as an accompaniment.

Traditionally cooked in a tandoor (a type of terracotta oven shaped like a jar), naan varies by region. In the north of the country, you'll find naan bread made with wheat, while in the south it is prepared with lentil flour.

Originally plain, naan is now offered in many variations: spiced with herbs and spices, topped with coconut, raisins, pistachios, garlic, vegetables... and even cheese.

Cheese naan and its legends

Inspired by traditional Indian bread, the cheese naan recipe is a recent variant, created in the 1970s. According to legend, the cheese version was invented by the Gupta family (originally from Bombay) who opened the first Indian restaurant in France, named Indra…

Or perhaps it was the initiative of André Risser: a French man of Alsatian origin (residing in London in the 1950s) who brought naan to France and offered his cheese version at his Parisian establishment, Annapurna - also considered the first Indian restaurant in France…

Regardless of its true origin: cheese naan is a Parisian creation, which does not appear in traditional Indian recipe books. When visiting India, however, it is possible to order cheese naans - as these have been added to menus to satisfy tourists.

What are the main ingredients for making cheese naans?

For a successful recipe, everything starts with choosing the right ingredients! Among the main ones, you'll need to select:

1. Flour

To make naan bread, it is recommended to use standard wheat flour, to get as close as possible to its original texture—soft inside and crispy outside.

Nevertheless, it's also possible to adapt the recipe according to your preferences or dietary habits, using more specific flours, such as kamut (Khorasan wheat), spelt, or gluten-free flour. Whatever type of flour you choose, opt for a quality brand!

1. Cheese

Cheese naan can be made with different types of cheese. Your choice will depend on your taste preferences and the type of naan you want to make—with a pronounced flavor or milder? There are many recipes: mozzarella, Comté, Beaufort, goat cheese, Kiri, or Laughing Cow cheese.

1. Condiments

A cheese naan can be enhanced with (many) condiments to bring out the flavor of the dough and give it different, more or less aromatic tastes. Among the most popular ingredients, several pair beautifully with cheese, such as fresh chopped herbs or zaatar mix (a blend of spices and aromatics, with oregano, cumin, coriander seeds, anise, etc.).

1. Yeast

Good yeast is essential for successful naan. While it's possible to use baking powder, it is advisable to cook it with baker's yeast, which is better at making the dough rise! Many bakers sell small portions of yeast (or even the exact quantity you need).

What is the recipe for Indian cheese bread?

1. Portion and preparation time

- Portion: 6 Laughing Cow cheese naans

- Preparation time: 20 minutes

- Cooking time: 8 minutes per naan

2. Ingredient proportions

- 500 g wheat flour

- 125 g plain/Bulgarian yogurt

- 1 tsp salt

- 4 tbsp vegetable oil

- 1 tsp caster sugar

- 18 g fresh baker's yeast

- 2 pinches baking powder

- 180 ml room temperature water

- 12 portions of Laughing Cow cheese (2 portions per naan)

- crushed garlic and/or cilantro (fresh rather than jarred)

- ghee (clarified butter widely used in Indian cuisine, especially for brushing naan before serving)

3. Recipe in 4 steps

1/ Mix the flour, oil, sugar, salt, yogurt, yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer (equipped with a dough hook). Set for 10 minutes of kneading—gradually increasing the speed until the dough becomes smooth and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

2/ Cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 1.5 hours. Once it has doubled in volume: punch it down to release the accumulated air. Then divide the dough into six equal portions and shape them into six balls.

3/ After flouring your work surface, roughly flatten each ball with your hands, fill its center with two Laughing Cow portions, and seal each piece hermetically. Once each pastry is formed, gently flatten them with a rolling pin, being careful not to puncture the dough.

4/ In a well-heated skillet (without fat) cook your naan (4 minutes on each side), covering with a lid. Once well browned on both sides, remove from heat and serve garnished with ghee, garlic and cilantro.