Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs and we can’t finish a meal before us. Naan bread is a common food that is so tasty, but so filling! As naan bread is in the carbohydrates food group, it fills us very quickly. It’s likely there will be leftovers. But when reheating food, it’s hard to get it as nice as it was the day before. Somehow trying to tick the boxes of getting the leftover naan to the right temperature, getting the naan to be crispy but not burnt, moist but not soggy, is a very challenging task.
To make sure good food doesn’t go to waste, we’ll be discussing how to reheat naan, and deciding which is the best method. All recipes and suggestions have had their fair trial and we have come up with the best ways of reheating naan bread no matter what cooking appliance you have.
Table of Contents
- How Do You Reheat Leftover Naan Bread?
- How To Reheat Naan Bread: Four Ways
- How To Reheat Frozen Naan Bread
- Reheating Naan Bread Is safe And worth It!
- FAQs
How Do You Reheat Leftover Naan Bread?
Thankfully, it’s safe to reheat naan bread!
Depending on how you’re storing your naan bread, leftover naan will on average last 3-5 days if left at room temperature.
If you are wanting to freeze naan bread, once placed in the freezer in a tightly sealed bag, it can last up to three months. It can be defrosted and heated at any time. It’s important to seal the bag when storing your naan bread as this will stop bacteria from getting in and spreading.
How To Reheat Naan Bread: Four Ways
There are four classic ways of reheating naan, which includes using either an oven, microwave, stove or air fryer. How long it takes to reheat naan bread is dependent on which way you reheat the bread.
Check out each cooking option to find the best method for you.
1. Reheat Naan Bread In A Microwave
How long does it take to reheat naan bread in a microwave oven? The answer is less than two minutes. That is a pretty speedy time to beat, meaning it is the most effective way to reheat naan bread.
Microwaving naan bread can work for frozen naan bread and room temperature naan bread. This method will not burn your naan or make it too soggy, meaning that it’s not only a speedy way to reheat your naan bread but it also provides good results.
If you would like to try reheating your naan bread using a microwave then follow our simple method to make sure you reheat your naan perfectly:
- Step 1: Cover your naan in a wet paper towel before placing into the microwave. This wet paper towel is used to keep the naan bread moist and prevent it from drying out and turning rock hard in the microwave.
- Step 2: Place the naan bread into the microwave and heat it for 40 seconds. While the naan bread is in the microwave, heat up a skillet to a high temperature.
- Step 3: After the 40 seconds, take the naan bread out of the microwave and place the naan down on the skillet. After a couple of seconds of heating, turn the naan bread to the opposite side for 20 seconds. This delicate handling of the naan will mean that the naan will remain nice and crispy, while also being soft on the inside. The constant turning of the naan bread will bring back the bubble or pockets of hair in the bread.
- Step 4: Serve up the reheated naan bread.
2. Reheat Naan Bread In An Oven
Reheating naan bread in the oven is the most common way. But when reheating in the oven it’s hard to balance the different factors, such as temperature and time, right. You risk your naan bread overly crisping up and drying out. When reheating naan bread in the oven sometimes you end up cooking the bread for longer, rather than just reheating.
Here is the best method to follow when aiming to reheat your naan bread in the oven and also avoid it drying out:
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Step 2: Prep your naan bread by spraying it with water on both sides or adding two teaspoons of water sprinkled on each side. This will add moisture to the naan bread and aim to prevent it from drying out as much as possible.
- Step 3: Cover the naan in tin foil to also help prevent the naan bread from drying out.
- Step 4: Place the tin foiled protected naan on a baking tray in the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 2-3 minutes. If you leave your naan bread in the oven for longer than 2-3 minutes you may burn it.
- Step 5: After 2-3 minutes, remove the naan bread from the oven and serve.
3. Reheat Naan Bread On A Stove
Even if you don’t have a microwave or an oven, you most likely have a stove. The stove method will be the method that applies universally to all, as it’s most likely to be the tool that everyone uses.
Reheating naan bread on the stove is very simple. It follows the same rules as the microwave oven method, but it involves slightly more effort. Many disagree with using a microwave due to microwaves making your food radioactive and releasing harmful radiation. Therefore reheating on the stove may be seen as better for your health.
And just like the reheating naan bread using an oven method, you do risk losing moisture and making the naan dry by reheating on the stove.
Reheating naan bread on a stove will not work for frozen naan bread.
To reheat naan bread using just a stove, follow this step by step method which will also aim to keep the naan bread moist at the same time as heating it up:
- Step 1: Heat up a skillet pan to a high heat.
- Step 2: Place the naan face down when in the pan and allow it to sit there for 15 seconds. Spray the side facing you with water to keep it moist.
- Step 3: Flip the naan bread over to cook on the other side. Leave the naan bread for 30 seconds to heat up to a high temperature. Spray the side facing you with water to keep it moist.
- Step 4: To add flavour to the naan and recreate the day 1 naan bread taste, brush some butter on both sides of the naan with a cooking brush. The butter should melt onto the naan bread, keeping it moist.
- Step 5: Once the naan is reheating to a high temperature, it is ready to eat.
4. Reheat Naan Bread In An Air Fryer
An air fryer is a very useful kitchen appliance that is compact and fits on your kitchen worktop. This popular appliance is able to replicate deep frying without dipping the food in oil. This is due to its fan producing hot air at a high speed.
Using an air fryer for reheating naan bread can work great. Your leftovers can taste just as good as when the naan was fresh. Out of all the reheating methods, this one by far requires the least amount of effort.
Want to know how to reheat naan in an air fryer? Follow these simples steps:
Step 1: Spray the air fryer basket with either oil or water. This is to ensure that the naan bread will keep its moisture and not dry out.
Step 2: Put your frozen or unfrozen naan bread into the air fryer at 410 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for no more than 4 minutes.
Step 3: Once the naan bread has been reheated, use a cooking brush to put some butter on each side of the bread to keep it moist.
How To Reheat Frozen Naan Bread
When trying to defrost naan bread quickly, a microwave will be your best bet. If you do not have a microwave, leave at room temperature for three hours to allow the bread to defrost.
If you do have a microwave, you can defrost and reheat your naan all in one, with it often taking less than two minutes.
To heat your frozen naan in the microwave, it is best to use a wet paper towel on the naan bread to make sure it doesn’t lose its moisture. Place in the microwave for 35 seconds.
Reheating Naan Bread Is safe And worth It!
Reheating naan is 100% safe. You can store and eat naan within three days of making a fresh batch. Heating up leftover naan bread with a microwave, oven, air fryer or stove are all effective ways of reheating. Using an oven to reheat your naan is the easiest way to burn your naan bread, so it may be worth giving the other three methods a go first. Now that you have several ways to reheat your naan bread, there’s no excuse for good food to go wasted!
FAQs
Can You Reheat Naan Bread The Next Day?
It is safe to reheat and eat naan bread the next day. Overnight, you can either store the naan bread in the fridge or the freezer. Make sure to wrap the naan bread in a bag so the air doesn’t dry it out. It is better to eat naan bread in the close days after it’s been made as it will change texture the longer it is left.
How Do You Reheat Flatbread In The Oven?
Naan bread is also known as flatbread due to the yeast raised dough. Pita bread is also known as flatbread. Pita is similar to naan bread with the main difference being that naan bread is commonly made either with a yogurt, milk or egg base which gives the bread a different texture.
So, how do you reheat flatbread in the oven? Well, if you’re talking about pita bread you can reheat in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Should I Put Leftover Naan Bread In The Fridge?
Yes and no. Most people do place their naan in the fridge and it can extend the naan breads shelf life by 3-4 days. Although when naan bread is refrigerated, the recrystallization of starch molecules within the bread starts to speed up. This recrystallization means that the naan bread will start to go stale.
If you want to eat your naan bread the next day, you can keep it in an airtight container or bag at room temperature.
Is Naan Bread Served Warm?
Naan bread is served best when it is warm and is served warm in restaurants and when purchasing a takeaway. The moist bread is soft when it’s hot and pairs better with curries.
If you would like to keep your naan bread warm it’s best to place it in an oven at 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Spraying the naan bread with water or butter will help the texture of the bread and wrapping the naan bread up in foil will keep in the heat.
If you are catering for a special event or simplifying hosting a special event, the next best thing to an oven is a heat lamp. Placing the naan bread, wrapped in foil under the heat lamp will keep it warm for a long period of time.
