Quick Answer: Can You Freeze Naan?
Yes, you can freeze naan, and it can last well in the freezer for 3 months or so. They are quite easy to freeze, and all you need to have are metal foil wrap and some freezer-safe air-tight containers or Ziploc bags. You could also freeze the naan bread dough.
If you have bought some extra naan bread and want to freeze and store them, here is the ultimate guide.
These methods and tips have worked wonderfully for me. So, let’s dive right into it.
How to Freeze Naan?
If you plan to freeze the naan bread for the long term, it is best to wrap them up and prevent freezer burns.
Materials
- Naan
- Ziploc Bags
Tools
- Aluminum Foil
Instructions
- Prep and Cool: Prepare the naan and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Wrap Them: Although you can stick the naan in the freezer, wrapping the naan in foil prevents freezer burns. So, wrap each piece or portion you would consume at a time in foil.
- Pack and Seal: Place the wrapped naan bread in a freezer-safe air-tight container or Ziploc bag and seal them. If you are using a Ziploc bag, try and squeeze out all the excess air before sealing.
- Label and Freeze: Add a label on the container or bag with the best-before date, and you are all set to freeze the naan bread.
Freezing Naan after Flash Freezing
Time Taken: 5 – 10 minutes
What you will need:
- Naan
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Ziploc Bags
You could also freeze the naan bread after flash freezing them if you are looking for a less hassle-free method.
Prep and Cool
Make the naan bread and let it cool down to room temperature before you start to freeze them.
Lay Them Out
On a baking sheet lined with paper, place the naan bread. Make sure that the pieces don’t clump together and are evenly spaced.
Flash Freeze
Leave the tray in the freezer for a couple of hours or overnight, and let the naan freeze solid.
Transfer and Seal
Put the frozen naan into a Ziploc bag (or even a freezer-safe air-tight container) and seal them. Make sure to squeeze out all the excess air before sealing the bag.
Label and Freeze
Add a label on the bag with the best-before date, and you can freeze it till you need it next.
How to Freeze Naan Dough?
Time Taken: 10 – 15 minutes
What you will need:
- Naan Dough
- Cling Wrap
- Freezer-Safe Air-Tight Container or Ziploc Bag
If you aren’t sure of which naan recipe you’d like to use, later on, you could always make the base dough and freeze them for later using this method.
Prep and Portion
Make the naan dough and divide it into portions that you would use to make individual naan bread.
Roll and Wrap
Roll the portioned dough into balls and using wrap them up using some cling wrap.
Pack and Seal
Place the wrapped balls of dough into a freezer-safe air-tight container or Ziploc bag and seal them. Make sure to squeeze out all the excess air in the Ziploc bags before sealing them.
Label and Freeze
Add a label with the best-before date and leave the bag or container in the freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Naan?
You can freeze naan bread for up to 3 months. But it is best to consume them sooner rather than later, even though the flatbread can last in the freezer for quite long.
Depending on the recipe, the naan bread can get chewy and dry or soft and soggy once they thaw. So, it is ideal not to keep the naan in the freezer for more than a month or so.
How to Store Frozen Naan?
You can store naan in any freezer-safe air-tight container or Ziploc bag. You could also store them in the freezer wrapped in metal foil. The key is to keep it covered and protected from freezer burns.
The best option would be Ziploc bags with individually wrapped naan in them. This way, you can keep them insulated from getting freezer burns and also not take up too much space in the freezer.
Unlike other breeds, the naan needn’t be individually wrapped and they won’t stick together. So, you can go ahead and skip the wrapping and freeze them in a Ziploc bag if you are in a hurry.
How to Defrost Naan?
Defrosting naan bread is easy as you can leave it on the countertop for a couple of hours, and it will thaw quite quickly.
You could also heat it on a pan or in the oven. You could also thaw it in the microwave if you are in hurry.
The naan can get quite dry once it thaws and is reheated. You could sprinkle a few drops of water on the naan when heating it to fix this problem.
If you are heating it in the microwave, place the naan on a piece of damp paper towel to soften it.
Can You Refreeze Naan?
Yes, you can refreeze naan bread, but it is best advised not to. The naan bread can get dry and chewy once it thaws, and repeated freezing and thawing will only make this get worse.
The best option would be to take out the pieces of naan, which you can consume in one sitting, and seal and freeze the rest.
In the case of the naan dough, it is best not to refreeze it either. Portioning it beforehand and wrapping them individually is a much better alternative.
Does Naan Freeze Well?
Naan bread freezes and well and is quite a hassle-free food to freeze. You can place them all in a foil wrap and leave it in the freezer, and it will still be as good as new three months later.
Freezer burns are the main reason why naan bread might not fare well in the freezer.
But you can resolve this issue by placing the wrapped naan bread within another freezer-safe air-tight container or Ziploc bag to give it added protection.
FAQ
Yes, you can freeze naan bread from the takeaway. You can follow the methods listed above – making sure to wrap them well and double bag them for extra protection.
They can last well in the freezer for up to three months, though it is best to consume them sooner rather than later.
Bottom Line
I hope this article helped you freeze and store naan bread.
If you have any doubts or would like to share some freezing tips or hacks of your own, it would be great to hear from you.
Feel free to share this article with all your friends and family who love Indian cuisine.