Sit tight, ’cause this Cottage Cheese Naan Bread is about to become your new obsession. Not even kidding. The first time I tried making this, it was after a particularly rubbish day at work (you know the sort—printer jam, bad coffee, spilled tea on my only clean shirt). I wanted carbs. I wanted cheese. And I didn’t fancy running to the shop for yeast. So I mashed up what I had, prayed a little, and hey presto—fluffy, slightly tangy naan with a tender crumb that saved my mood. Now I make it almost too often. Sometimes I even pretend the cottage cheese is ‘health food’ just so I feel better about the third naan. You won’t judge, right?
Why do I keep making this?
I mostly whip this up on lazy Sundays when I’ve got a movie playing and the urge to eat something warm and pillowy. My family goes a bit bonkers for it—especially my youngest, who calls it ‘cheesy clouds’ (not sure if that’s flattery, but I’ll take it). It’s grand for dipping, or honestly, just as it is. Plus, if you ever tried making naan with yeast and ended up with something that could dent drywall, you’ll appreciate this shortcut version with cottage cheese. No yeasty faff. (Though I once tried swapping in ricotta… let’s just say, don’t do it. Too gloopy.)
Ingredients (and sub-inspiration)
- 1 cup cottage cheese (full fat is dreamy, but sometimes I use low fat if that’s all that’s left)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour works; my nan swears by a fancy bread flour, but any sort will do—I’ve even mixed in some wholemeal on occasion)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (if you run out, double the baking powder… actually, that turned out fine one time)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (I just chuck in a healthy pinch)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular—whatever’s lurking in the fridge)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional, but gives a touch more softness—I once used melted butter, not mad at it)
- Butter, ghee, or olive oil for brushing (I tend to go heavy here. No apologies.)
- Optional: sprinkle of nigella or sesame seeds (when I’m feeling fancy—or need to use them up!)
How I throw it all together
- In a big-ish bowl—or your trusty old mixing bowl—toss in cottage cheese, yogurt, and olive oil (if using). Give it a stir until it’s mostly combined. Sometimes I mash the cottage cheese a bit if it’s especially lumpy, but a bit of texture is all part of the fun.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Or just dump them straight in—I usually do when no one’s watching (don’t tell).
- Add the dry stuff to the wet stuff. Stir together with a spoon or your hand till it starts looking shaggy. I often finish by kneading it a few times in the bowl—worry less about form, more about everything coming together. If it feels dry, splash in a tablespoon of yogurt. Too sticky? Handful more flour.
- Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes. This is where I clean up a bit, or more likely, scroll my phone.
- Divide the dough into about 6 pieces (depends how big you like your naan—sometimes I go mini and make 8, they’re cute!). Roll each out on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Honestly, sometimes mine look more like Australia than a tear-drop. It’s the taste that counts.
- Heat a skillet or griddle pan till it’s hot—like nearly smoking. Cook each naan for about 1–2 minutes per side. You’ll want to see those bubbly spots. Occasionally mine blisters on one side and not the other, but it all disappears once slathered in butter.
- Brush each naan hot off the pan with liberal amounts of melted butter, ghee, or olive oil. Sprinkle nigella or sesame seeds on top if you fancy. Or don’t. (I forget half the time.)
Notes from the floury trenches
- The dough is forgiving. Some days it’s stickier, some days drier (weather, huh?). Just add a bit more flour or yogurt as you need.
- If you want really soft naan, cover the cooked breads with a clean tea towel to keep them steamy while you finish the batch. Learned that by accident once, and now I always do it.
- This dough isn’t fussy about precise measurements. Honestly, a little bit of everything seems to work as long as you don’t go wild.
Variant adventures (and a flop confession)
- I’ve mixed in chopped herbs (coriander, parsley) to the dough. Lovely.
- Try a dusting of garlic powder or minced garlic for extra oomph.
- Once, I took a wild swing and used feta instead of cottage cheese. Too salty for me, but maybe you’ll like it?
- And yes, cinnamon and sugar on top somehow just… didn’t work. Best left savory in my book.
What if I don’t have fancy kit?
Look, I use a basic frying pan for this—no tandoor, not even a cast iron most days. If you’ve only got a non-stick or even—gasp—a sandwich press, just go with it. It works. Rolling pin vanished? Wine bottle, mate.
How should I store it?
Well, I’m usually left with nothing to store by the end of dinner. But if you’re one of those lucky ones with leftovers, wrap them in foil and toss them in the fridge. They’ll keep a day or two, maybe three if you forget them at the back. They reheat decently on a pan; taste is even better the next day, but that could just be me talking myself into a breakfast naan.
What do I serve this with?
I love dunking it into spicy curry (dal is my go-to), or just slathered in more butter with a side of pickles. My aunt insists it makes a great base for open-faced sandwiches with tomato and onion—I’m not arguing.
Pro tips, learned the hard way
- I once thought I could skip the dough resting. Biiig mistake. The naan ended up a bit tough. Take that 20 minutes for a cuppa—it’s worth it.
- Don’t use watery cottage cheese; drain a bit if yours looks soupy. Soggy dough is no friend of mine.
- Crowding the pan is tempting, but they don’t cook right. They need room, like teenagers.
Casual Q&A: Friends have actually asked me–
- Can I freeze the naan? Sure thing. Stack with parchment between, pop in a bag, and freeze. Reheat in a pan or toaster. They’re actually… not half bad from frozen.
- Why use cottage cheese? Adds extra tender fluffiness and a little tang. Plus, there’s always a tub lost at the back of my fridge, taunting me to use it up.
- No yogurt—what else can I use? Actually, milk and a splash of lemon juice work in a pinch, or even sour cream (that was a surprisingly good batch once!).
- Do I need to rest the dough? Yes, trust me. Tried skipping, regretted it.
- Can I stuff it with things (cheese/chilies)? Why not! Go wild—just close it up and be careful, sometimes the filling escapes. But it’s always delicious.
I could go on, but honestly, making cottage cheese naan bread is as much about cheering up the cook as it is about feeding the crowd. Give it a go—let your kitchen be a bit messy, and if there’s flour everywhere, oh well. That’s half the fun.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese (full fat is dreamy, but sometimes I use low fat if that’s all that’s left)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour works; my nan swears by a fancy bread flour, but any sort will do—I’ve even mixed in some wholemeal on occasion)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (if you run out, double the baking powder… actually, that turned out fine one time)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (I just chuck in a healthy pinch)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek or regular—whatever’s lurking in the fridge)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional, but gives a touch more softness—I once used melted butter, not mad at it)
- Butter, ghee, or olive oil for brushing (I tend to go heavy here. No apologies.)
- Optional: sprinkle of nigella or sesame seeds (when I’m feeling fancy—or need to use them up!)
Instructions
-
1In a big-ish bowl—or your trusty old mixing bowl—toss in cottage cheese, yogurt, and olive oil (if using). Give it a stir until it’s mostly combined. Sometimes I mash the cottage cheese a bit if it’s especially lumpy, but a bit of texture is all part of the fun.
-
2In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Or just dump them straight in—I usually do when no one’s watching (don’t tell).
-
3Add the dry stuff to the wet stuff. Stir together with a spoon or your hand till it starts looking shaggy. I often finish by kneading it a few times in the bowl—worry less about form, more about everything coming together. If it feels dry, splash in a tablespoon of yogurt. Too sticky? Handful more flour.
-
4Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes. This is where I clean up a bit, or more likely, scroll my phone.
-
5Divide the dough into about 6 pieces (depends how big you like your naan—sometimes I go mini and make 8, they’re cute!). Roll each out on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick. Honestly, sometimes mine look more like Australia than a tear-drop. It’s the taste that counts.
-
6Heat a skillet or griddle pan till it’s hot—like nearly smoking. Cook each naan for about 1–2 minutes per side. You’ll want to see those bubbly spots. Occasionally mine blisters on one side and not the other, but it all disappears once slathered in butter.
-
7Brush each naan hot off the pan with liberal amounts of melted butter, ghee, or olive oil. Sprinkle nigella or sesame seeds on top if you fancy. Or don’t. (I forget half the time.)
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!
