Air Fryer Yogurt Dough Garlic Naan Bites
Two-ingredient yogurt dough is cut into bite-size pillows, air fried until puffed and blistered, then tossed in garlic butter and fresh cilantro. They taste like naan fresh from the tandoor, with no yeast and no rising time.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Wait
- 10 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Makes
- About 32 bites (4 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Use full-fat or 2% plain Greek yogurt. Thin or nonfat yogurt makes a sticky dough that needs much more flour.
- Self-rising flour already contains baking powder and salt, so you don't add either one.
- Your air fryer basket should hold about 16 bites in a single layer with space between them, so plan on 2 batches. Cook one batch at a time.
- Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro before you start, because the bites are tossed while hot.
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups (250 g) self-rising flour and 1 cup (240 g) Greek yogurt with a spatula until a shaggy, crumbly dough forms and no dry flour remains in the bottom of the bowl.
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Ready when: Dough clumps together and pulls away from the bowl, with a few dry bits remaining.
Tip: If the dough feels very sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If it's crumbly and won't hold together, add 1 teaspoon of water.
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a counter dusted lightly with flour.
- Knead for 2 minutes, folding and pressing, until it is smooth, soft, and just barely tacky.
- Shape it into a ball.
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Ready when: The surface is smooth and springs back slowly when pressed, without sticking to your fingers.
Tip: Don't over-knead. Too much kneading makes the bites tough instead of tender.
Rest the dough
- Cover the dough with the upturned mixing bowl or a damp towel and let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- This relaxes the gluten so the dough is easy to roll.
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Ready when: Dough feels softer and stretches easily.
Cut into bites
- Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches (30 cm) long and ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
- Cut each rope into 8 pieces about 1½ inches (4 cm) long, for 32 bites total.
- Toss the bites with 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large bowl until lightly coated.
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Ready when: Pieces are similar in size and lightly glossy with oil, with no sticking together.
Tip: Keep the bites even in size so they cook at the same rate.
Preheat the air fryerOven 380°F / 195°C
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 3 minutes while you make the garlic butter.
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Ready when: Air fryer shows 380°F (193°C) or the preheat signal turns off.
Air fry first batchOven 380°F / 195°C
- Arrange half of the bites (about 16) in a single layer in the basket with a little space between them.
- Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 6–7 minutes, shaking the basket once at the 3-minute mark, until puffed and golden brown with darker blistered spots.
- Transfer to a large bowl.
- Repeat with the second batch.
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Ready when: Bites are puffed, golden brown with darker spots, and sound hollow when tapped. A bite torn open is soft and cooked through with no raw, sticky dough.
Tip: Don't crowd the basket. Overlapping bites steam and cook unevenly.
Make garlic butter
- While the second batch cooks, melt 4 tablespoons (57 g) butter with the minced garlic in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Stir for 1–2 minutes, just until the garlic smells fragrant and is barely sizzling.
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Butter is fully melted and the garlic smells fragrant but hasn't browned.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown. It turns bitter quickly.
Toss and serve
- Put all of the hot bites in a large bowl.
- Pour the garlic butter over them, add the chopped cilantro, and toss gently until every bite is coated.
- Sprinkle with flaky salt and serve right away, warm.
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Ready when: Bites look glossy and evenly flecked with garlic and green cilantro.
Tip: Toss while the bites are hot so they absorb the butter.
Good to know
Tips
- Cut the pieces to the same size so they puff and brown at the same rate.
- For classic naan flavor, add ½ teaspoon nigella seeds or cumin seeds to the butter along with the garlic.
- Serve with curry, dal, raita, or mango chutney for dipping.
- If your air fryer runs hot, check the bites at 5 minutes. Darker spots are good, but they shouldn't burn.
Make ahead
"Mix and knead the dough up to 24 hours ahead. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate it, then let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cutting. You can also cut the bites and refrigerate them on a floured plate, covered, for up to 8 hours before air frying."
Storage & reheating
"Best eaten within 30 minutes of cooking. Store cooled bites in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in a single layer, then bag, for up to 2 months. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) air fryer for 2–3 minutes (4–5 minutes from frozen) until hot and slightly crisp on the outside."
Substitutions
- self-rising flour → 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour + 3 teaspoons baking powder + ½ teaspoon fine salt. Whisk them together first. The result is the same.
- plain Greek yogurt → Plain full-fat dairy-free yogurt, thick style. Use a thick yogurt. You may need an extra tablespoon or two of flour.
- unsalted butter → Ghee or vegan butter. Ghee gives a more traditional nutty flavor.
- fresh cilantro → Flat-leaf parsley. Use for anyone who finds cilantro tastes soapy. The flavor is milder.
