There are a few rules, tips and tricks you’ll want to know before you jump ahead and start microwaving naan bread. So, before you toss naan bread into the microwave, make sure you follow our tips below:
To microwave naan bread, place it onto a microwave-safe plate then microwave on medium power for approximately 25 seconds per naan.
How to Microwave Naan Bread
This is how to go about reheating naan that you’ve got stored in the cupboard. If you want to reheat naan that is frozen then scroll towards the end of this article to discover how to defrost and reheat naan bread in the microwave:
- Place Naan onto a Plate
Place your naan onto a microwave-safe plate. You can place naan on top of one another if you wish to reheat more than one at a time. We would limit this to 3 naans, however. - Microwave on Medium Power
Use the medium power setting to heat the naan. You should run the microwave for 25 seconds per naan. So if you have 2 naans then go with 55 seconds, if you have 3 then it will be 75 seconds. We would recommend sticking with 3 maximum for the microwave, however. - Check
Now, check that the naan is warm and that they easily fold. They should have softened a little in the microwave. If they are not warm through, then give them all a flip and then give them a final blast for 15 seconds.
How to Microwave Naan Successfully
If you want to have the greatest success when microwaving naan bread, then make sure you follow these 3 essential tips:
- Brush with Ghee (Or Butter) – Once the naan bread is warmed through, give them a quick brush with some melted ghee, butter or even olive oil to give them that authentic flavour. You could also sprinkle over some freshly chopped coriander.
- Defrost then Griddle – Without using direct heat, you’ll never achieve those deliciously charred edges. You can defrost naan bread in the microwave then brush with butter before reheating fully in a griddle pan.
- Limit it to 3 Naans – You can reheat as many naans in the microwave as you want. However, if you place too many in the microwave, there is a chance that you will dry out the top naan before the others have warmed through. Limit it to 3 naan bread at a time.
- Don’t Bother – You’ll save time and if it’s a busy midweek day then there’s nothing wrong with microwaving naan bread. But, if you want perfectly cooked, charred and soft naan then warming them through in a pan is the best approach – unless you have a tandoor oven, of course!
Why You Should Microwave Naan Bread
As you can probably imagine, there are several advantages to using the microwave to reheat naan bread:
Quick and Easy
Ultimately, there’s never going to be a quicker, easier and cleaner way to reheat naan bread. All you need is a plate, less than a minute and a microwave!
Chances are, they won’t even make enough of a mess in the microwave to warrant cleaning it. A quick wipe with a damp cloth and you’ve done all the cleaning up!
Multiple Naans at Once
The other advantage of using the microwave is that you can reheat multiple naans in one go. Chances are, you will only be able to fit one naan in a pan at a time which means you need to wrap them to keep them warm while you reheat the rest.
If you’ve got a table full of hungry, impatient diners waiting to be served then the microwave can be a bit of a life saver.
Why You Shouldn’t Microwave Naan Bread
There are, unfortunately, some disadvantages to using the microwave to reheat naan bread:
No Char
One of the most iconic elements of naan bread is the char it takes on from being cooked on the wall of a tandoor oven. Obviously, it’s unlikely you will have this at home.
However, you can recreate this charring by brushing the naan bread with a little butter and toasting it in a griddle pan. By using a microwave, you will not get these charred edges.
Easy to Dry Out
You need to keep some moisture in naan bread so that it doesn’t become dry. If you were to get the timings wrong by just a few seconds you can go from having perfectly warmed through naan to having dry cardboard-like naan.
If you get it completely wrong then you can also end up cooking the starch which turns the naan chewy. You probably don’t want dry, chewy, rubbery and bland naan bread, do you?
Microwaving Naan Bread FAQs
If you still have a few questions about microwaving naan then these FAQs might help:
To defrost naan bread, the method is fairly similar to the method for reheating them. Place them onto a microwave plate then use the defrost setting (or low power setting) to defrost for 30 seconds. Check that they are thawed through. If they are not fully thawed, then give them a final blast for 15 seconds.
Microwaving filled naan bread such as Peshwari can be done using the same method above. They can be a little denser than a plain naan so after the initial 25 seconds, you may need to turn them over and give them another zap for 15 to 20 seconds to ensure they are warm through.
Yes, you can reheat naan bread in the microwave. Place it on a microwave-safe plate, microwave for around 30 seconds and then enjoy.
Yes, you can reheat naan bread from your local Indian takeaway. Brush it in oil and pop it into a hot frying pan for a matter of seconds before it has warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
Lewis is the founder and editor of Let’s Foodie alongside other food-related platforms including FreezeIt and SubstituteIt. He launched Let’s Foodie to provide aspiring cooks with one place to get the answers to some of the most commonly asked cooking questions.
