Stuffed flatbread filled with spiced mince meat cooked to perfection. Golden on top and soft and fluffy naan with beautifully spiced mince meat, these naans are an absolute treat !!
Keema Naan isn’t something you make every day, but it’s completely worth the time and effort. Soft, golden, and stuffed with spiced minced meat, it’s a satisfying, complete meal in itself—much like Biryani—so you don’t need to pair it with anything else. The leftovers are equally delicious and make a perfect lunch option.
Traditionally, Keema Naan is baked in a tandoor (clay oven), but most home kitchens don’t have one. To replicate that smoky, baked texture at home, we first cook the naan on a tawa (iron skillet) to crisp up the bottom, then transfer it to the oven to grill the top.
This technique ensures the naan cooks evenly while the spiced mince inside stays juicy and flavorful, resulting in a beautifully golden, aromatic flatbread that’s perfect for special occasions or weekend treats.
Ingredients for Keema Naan
For the Dough:
- Plain flour
- Instant yeast
- Sugar
- Yoghurt (for soft, fluffy dough)
- Oil
For the Keema Filling:
- Goat, lamb, beef, or chicken mince (lean/fat-free)
- Finely chopped onion
- Garlic & ginger
- Green chillies
- Fresh coriander/cilantro
- Spices: salt, red chilli powder, crushed red chilli, garam masala, coriander seeds, cumin powder, cumin seeds
How to Make Keema Naan
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Mix yeast, flour, sugar, yoghurt, and oil, then leave it in a warm place to rise for 2–3 hours.
Step 2: Prepare the Mince Filling
While the dough rises, prepare the mince. Combine meat with onion, garlic, ginger, chillies, coriander, and spices. You can stuff the dough with raw mince for softer naans, or pre-cook the mince if preferred.
Step 3: Assemble the Naans
Divide the dough into equal portions and roll slightly. Place the mince in the center, fold the corners to seal, forming a ball. Lightly roll into a flatbread. Use a skewer or wooden spoon to make indents, leaving about an inch around the edges.
Step 4: Cook the Naans
Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat an iron skillet, then place the naan on low heat until the bottom is lightly browned. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds. Transfer the naan to the oven under the grill to achieve a golden, cooked top.
Tips for Best Keema Naans
- Let the dough rise properly: For soft, fluffy naans, keep the dough in a warm place until it nearly doubles in size.
- Choose lean, fat-free mince: This ensures the filling cooks evenly without releasing too much water, which can break the naan.
- Check the mince consistency: The filling shouldn’t be watery; a thicker mixture keeps the naan intact.
- Make indents in the dough: Use a spoon or skewer to create small indentations—this helps the naan cook evenly and prevents it from puffing up too much.
- Use all the chillies listed: Each adds a unique flavor. Reduce quantities if you prefer less heat, but don’t skip any entirely.
Raw mince Or Cooked Mince Filling
Many people hesitate to use raw mince, worrying it might not cook properly or that handling the naan will be tricky. Rest assured, it works perfectly! The raw mince cooks thoroughly in the oven while staying juicy and soft inside the naan.
If you prefer, you can pre-cook the filling: sauté the mince in a little oil until the water evaporates and the meat is fully cooked. Let it cool before stuffing the dough. This method is also effective and easier to handle for beginners.
Watch How to Make Keema Naan | Stuffed Mince Flatbread
What to Serve with Keema Naan
The best thing about Keema Naan is that it’s a complete meal on its own—you don’t need any curry alongside it. To elevate the flavors, serve it with a cooling mint raita and some tangy pickles (achar) for the perfect balance.
Making Keema Naan Ahead and Freezing Option
Keema Naans are perfect for preparing ahead of time. You can make the dough and mince filling a day in advance, then simply assemble, roll, and cook when needed.
Leftover naans can be stored in an airtight container and reheated on a lightly oiled pan—they taste fresh again in minutes.
To freeze, let the cooked naans cool completely. Place parchment paper or cling film between each naan to prevent sticking, then wrap them in foil or plastic wrap. They can be frozen for up to a month. Reheat on a skillet or pan over low heat until fully defrosted.
Other Stuffed Breads to Try
If you try these Keema naan do let me know how it turned out for you ! Your feedback means a lot to me.
Keema Naan | Stuffed Mince Flatbread
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups Plain Flour
- 20 g Instant yeast
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ cup Plain Yoghurt
- ¼ cup oil
Mince Meat Filling
- 800 g Beef Mince See Notes
- 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
- 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Garlic
- 2 tbsp Finely Chopped Ginger
- 2 tbsp Finely Chopped Green Chilli
- 1 cup Finely Chopped Coriander/Cilantro
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1½ tsp Crushed Red Chilli
- 1 tbsp Corriander Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- Milk for brushing
- Melted Butter
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Dough
- In a small bowl, combine yeast and sugar with ¼ cup warm water. Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes until frothy.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, yeast mixture, yoghurt, and oil. Gradually add warm water while mixing until a smooth dough forms.
- Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place to rise for 2–3 hours. You can also use a stand mixer to knead the dough.
Mince filling
- In a bowl, combine beef mince with onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies, coriander, and all spices. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Refrigerate the filling while the dough rises.
Assembly
- Dust a clean surface with flour and knead the risen dough for 1 minute. Divide it into 8 equal portions.
- Roll each portion into a ball, cover with a clean cloth, and let rest for 20 minutes to rise slightly.
- Flatten each ball on a floured surface to the size of your palm. Spoon the mince filling in the center and wrap the edges to seal, forming a ball.
- Gently flatten the filled ball and place it sealed side down. Lightly roll it with a rolling pin, keeping the surface floured to prevent sticking. Don’t press too hard to avoid breaking the naan.
- Using a wooden spoon or skewer make indents all over the naan leaving an inch border on the sides.
- Preheat oven at 200° C. Turn on the grill/broiler and place the grill closer to the top.
- Heat an iron skillet or pan on high heat, once hot turn the heat low. Carefully lift the prepared naan and put in on the pan. Allow the naan to be cooked at the bottom. Brush the top with milk and sprinkle sesame.
- Use a wooden spoon or skewer to make small indentations all over the naan, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges.
Cooking Keema Naans
- Preheat the oven to 200°C with the grill/broiler on and position the rack near the top
- Heat an iron skillet or pan on high, then reduce to low heat. Place the naan on the skillet and brush the top with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds. Cook until the bottom is lightly browned.
- Transfer the naan to the oven under the grill and cook until lightly golden on top
- Remove and brush with melted butter.
- Serve immediately along with mint raita
Video
Notes
- Choice of Mince: Use lean beef, lamb, goat, or chicken mince. Fat-free mince works best to prevent excess water and keep the naan from breaking.
- Dough Tips: Yogurt in the dough ensures soft and fluffy naans. Let the dough rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size.
- Spice Adjustments: You can reduce the quantity of chillies if you prefer less heat, but don’t skip them entirely—each adds unique flavor.
- Raw vs Cooked Filling: Raw mince cooks perfectly in the oven, staying juicy. If preferred, pre-cook the filling by sautéing until water evaporates, then cool before stuffing.
- Cooking Method: Using the skillet/tawa first ensures the bottom cooks evenly, and finishing under the grill gives a golden top.
- Freezing & Storage: Assemble and cook naans, then freeze between parchment paper with foil or plastic wrap. Reheat on a skillet at low heat.
Awesome, i tried these naans out and they turned out beautiful. Everyone loved it !!
This was delicious, The naans turned out perfect, cant tell they are made in oven not tandoor !!
You can make the.most delicious keema naans at home, what else you could wish for. Living overseas i always craved for fresh naans from tandoor and this recipe brings that nostaligia home delicious naans from tandoor. Thankyou so much for giving this amazing recipe.
It makes me happy that this recipe brought back good memories for you. I feel the same 🙂 Thankyou for trying out these naans.
Amazing recipe. I was a bit doubtful if it would work in oven. But the naans were amazing,soft with beautiful browned tops.
5 star recipe *****, so easy with perfect tandoori texture and flavour. I have made this twice since making it first.
Thankyou so much for your appreciation.