Brown Butter Garlic Naan (Print)

Soft naan toasted in brown butter, filled with melted mozzarella, garlic, and fresh herbs.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Bread

03 - 2 large naan breads

→ Herbs & Aromatics

04 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Seasonings

07 - 0.5 teaspoon sea salt
08 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma, approximately 3-4 minutes.
02 - Stir the minced garlic into the brown butter and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove the skillet from heat.
03 - Brush one side of each naan with the garlic-infused brown butter.
04 - Place one naan, buttered side down, on a cutting board. Evenly spread the mozzarella cheese over the naan, leaving a small border around the edges. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, parsley, and cilantro. Top with the second naan, buttered side up, pressing gently to seal.
05 - Heat the skillet over medium-low heat. Carefully transfer the filled naan sandwich to the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, pressing gently, until the cheese is melted and the naan is golden and crisp.
06 - Remove from the skillet, let rest for 1 minute, then slice and serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Brown butter transforms a simple sandwich into something that smells like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent fifteen minutes.
  • The crispy exterior and melted cheese center hits that textural sweet spot that makes people ask for seconds before finishing their first bite.
  • It straddles the line between familiar and unexpected, so it works for lazy lunches or impressing someone you actually care about impressing.
02 -
  • Don't rush the browning of the butter—that two minute difference between light brown and truly golden-brown is the entire reason this tastes better than a regular grilled cheese.
  • Medium-low heat is non-negotiable; medium heat will char the outside before the cheese melts, and you'll be left with a crispy shell and a cold center, which defeats the whole purpose.
03 -
  • Use a spatula to press gently while cooking—firm pressure helps the cheese melt faster and the bread make better contact with the skillet, but aggressive pressing squeezes the cheese out the sides.
  • If you're worried about the outside burning before the cheese melts, cover the skillet with a lid for the last minute of cooking on each side to trap steam and speed up the melting.
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