Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
There are so many different types of bread you can find at general American grocery stores these days. Of course, there are seemingly limitless types of white bread and whole wheat bread to choose from if you’re going the traditional sandwich route, but there’s also a proliferation of sourdough loaves and even baguettes if you’re looking for something a bit sturdier. You can even find different types of bread altogether. At some grocery stores, you might be able to get your hands on some lavash, and it seems like most larger stores have pita these days. But what about when you’re planning an Indian feast at home … or you just want to switch up your favorite flatbread recipes? That’s when you might be looking for some store-bought naan.
I sampled nine different naan breads from three local grocery stores in my area, and I’m ranking them, starting with my least favorite and making my way to the variety I thought was best. I evaluated these naans for both flavor and texture, with the most flavorful and moister, richer naan coming in near the top of the list, while blander, drier, and more stale-tasting varieties are ranked toward the bottom. Wondering which package of naan to buy the next time you’re at the store? This list will hopefully guide you in the right direction, no matter what kind of naan you’re looking for.
9. Whole Foods 365 Original Tandoori Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
Whole Foods is rarely the place to go when you’re looking for a more affordable buy, but compared to the other store-bought naans on this list, Whole Foods’ 365 brand really delivered some of the cheaper options with its two naan flavors. I tried both the Original Tandoori Naan and the Roasted Garlic Tandoori Naan. Unfortunately, neither of them was particularly good, but this plain version was definitely worse.
The main issue I picked up on here is just how stale this naan seemed to be. Inside the bag, it looked like the bread was nice and moist, and it’s true that it does have a bit of pleasant oiliness to it. But even after heating the naan, it was dense and had a sandy, dry texture that was a far cry from the better-ranked varieties listed here. Add to that an unpleasant, bitter flavor, and there’s no wonder why it ended up in the last spot in this ranking.
If you really don’t want to spend a lot of money on naan and you’re specifically looking for plain tandoori naan, then you might still consider this product as an option. But honestly, you might be better off just trying to make your own naan at home.
8. Stonefire Original Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
I’ve seen Stonefire at most of the grocery stores in my area, so it seems like it’s a pretty popular, well-distributed brand. If you don’t have a lot of different, well-stocked grocery stores near you, this may be one of the only brands you can find on grocery store shelves. While the brand’s Original Naan might not seem like a terrible choice if you don’t have much else to choose from, I still enjoyed this offering less than most of the other versions of naan I tried for this ranking. The flavor of the naan isn’t bad, per se, but there’s just not much of it there. Ultimately, it just tastes like any other bland flatbread you’d find near the sandwich bread section of the store.
Texture-wise, you’re also getting a relatively dense, dry piece of bread. You’ll definitely find more moisture here than you would from Whole Foods’ take on the product, but it’s missing the richness I’m looking for in naan, and it doesn’t feel like you’re getting a particularly high-end product. If you’re looking for a plain, non-garlic take on naan and there aren’t any frozen versions available, it’ll do the trick. But if you’re seeking packaged naan that tastes closer to something you’d eat at your favorite Indian restaurant, then you should try one of the better-ranked products on this list.
7. Stonefire Roasted Garlic Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
Now, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Stonefire’s Roasted Garlic Naan comes with a lot of the same problems as you’ll get from the original version. The texture, for example, seems pretty much exactly the same. Yes, it’s not the driest naan I tasted for this ranking, but I still consider it dry, considering that it lacks the moisture I found in the best-ranked varieties in this lineup. It’s also a bit too thick for my taste, which doesn’t allow for the ideal bread-to-entree ratio when you scoop up a bit of the main part of your meal and take a bite.
That being said, I do think that this flavor is a definite step up from the original. It’s not the most flavorful garlic naan on this list — you get just a hint of that garlic instead of the strong, powerful flavor you’ll find with some of the better options here. But if you’re looking for more of an understated garlic flavor, it’s not bad. That touch of garlic gives it just enough of a savory touch to make things more interesting.
I wouldn’t buy from this brand if I had another choice, but if you are going to opt for Stonefire’s naan over that of other brands, the roasted garlic flavor is a safe choice.
6. Whole Foods 365 Roasted Garlic Tandoori Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
After trying the original version of this product from Whole Foods, I was fully prepared to accept that adding garlic to the mix wouldn’t improve things much. However, I was surprised to find that Whole Foods’ 365 Roasted Garlic Tandoori Naan is actually much better than the original. Admittedly, I did think that this naan tasted a bit stale, but the bitterness was much less pronounced than it was with the other Whole Foods item. I also found that there seemed to be a little extra moisture here. I’m not sure if that comes from the garlic or if I just got a fresher package of this naan, but I’ll take it. Although I think this bread is slightly too thick and dense compared to the other higher-ranked varieties, the presence of a stronger savory flavor here seems to weigh out the negatives a bit more.
Something I was surprised to learn about store-bought naan is the fact that, in general, the frozen versions of it seem to taste fresher and more flavorful than “fresh” bread, and this naan falls into the latter category. Therefore, I probably wouldn’t seek it out again. But if you don’t have access to these frozen brands, then this naan might just be your best option.
5. Trader Joe’s Tandoori Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
Although Trader Joe’s Tandoori Naan is not my favorite selection of the bunch, I see how it can be a hit among some naan lovers. It doesn’t have any extra flavors or seasonings. Rather, this frozen naan has a versatile flavor profile that can work well with an exceptionally wide range of dishes and toppings. Even though this stuff comes frozen, it actually tastes very fresh once it’s warmed in the oven for a few minutes. It has that mostly neutral wheat flavor, of course, but it also features a slight, complex nuttiness that makes every bite a bit more interesting.
I do tend to prefer naan that’s a bit moister than what this Trader Joe’s selection has to offer. I found this particular naan pretty dry, which is why it’s not ranked higher on the list. But with that relative lack of moisture, you get a really nice fluffiness to the bread, which I actually quite enjoyed. And even though I usually like my naan on the thinner side, it felt like I was getting more bang for my buck with this slightly thicker (but still airy) version of the bread.
4. Truly Indian Tandoori Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
Out of all of the naan brands I tried for this ranking, I have to admit that I like Truly Indian the best. Not only is the brand’s bread especially fresh-tasting, but it also has a moistness, and that makes every bite feel like a little treat. That’s exactly what you’re getting when you try Truly Indian’s Tandoori Naan. This naan is thinner than most of the others on this list, but it’s also quite dense in the most delicious way. I especially like that the texture of the bread is so squishy, with a lusciousness you might not expect from a frozen product.
So, why is this naan not ranked higher on the list? Ultimately, it comes down to its lack of flavor, at least compared to the better-ranked versions. For plain naan, this stuff is excellent, with a subtle but enjoyable flavor that you can use for dishes that pack plenty of flavor on their own. It’s always nice to have the option for a neutral, carb-y base with your meal, and this tandoori naan delivers on that front. However, all on its own, it doesn’t taste quite as good as some of the more flavor-heavy options here. Still, though, I think it’s a solid option when you are looking for a product that can be used in a more flexible, versatile way.
3. Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
Yes, I did disclose that I generally like Truly Indian’s naan the best, generally speaking. However, that doesn’t mean that Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan doesn’t have its merits. Because this bread is packed with so much flavor, I like it even more than the plain Truly Indian tandoori naan. Texture-wise, this naan is basically identical to the brand’s tandoori naan. It has that fluffy texture with a nice degree of airiness to it. Although it’s still a lot drier than the Truly Indian varieties, I feel like the garlic version of this bread has a bit more moisture than the other TJ’s offering. That’s part of the reason it ranks higher in this lineup.
But I also appreciate that Trader Joe’s does not seem to be skimping on the garlic in this recipe. You actually get big chunks of garlic spread out all over the bread, offering quite a strong flavor that can instantly make your meal more delicious (if you like garlic as much as I do, at least). Although it’s not quite as good as the freshly made version, it’s close enough that I think it makes an excellent addition to basically any savory dish, from Trader Joe’s Indian-inspired dishes to sandwiches, wraps, and beyond.
2. Truly Indian Garlic Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
We’re getting into the really good stuff now. If you’ve gotten this far in this ranking, I think it should be pretty obvious that I really love garlic. Plus, you already know I’m a fan of Truly Indian’s naan. Therefore, it only makes sense that the brand’s Garlic Naan would end up near the very top of the list. Like the Trader Joe’s version, you get a lot of garlic on this bread — there are little chunks of it spread out over the top of the naan, so you’re not just getting a cheap sprinkling of garlic powder in the mix. Instead, this is a recipe that’s really infused with flavor.
But Truly Indian’s version of ultra-garlicky naan wins out over the Trader Joe’s version because this one has the perfect texture as well. The naan is surprisingly moist, with a richness that makes it taste almost restaurant-quality. Add in the springy texture of the bread, and this naan is the clear winner on the store-bought garlic naan front. Yes, there’s one variety of naan that beats even this delicious bread specimen, but if you’re just counting the more standard types of store-bought naan you see at the grocery store, this selection might just be the best bet for all the garlic lovers out there.
1. Truly Indian Tikka Masala Naan
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
After trying Truly Indian’s garlic naan, I assumed that nothing would beat it. But then I took a bite of the brand’s Tikka Masala Naan, and everything changed for me. This is a product I never knew I was looking for, but now that I’ve tasted it, it might just be one of my all-time favorite frozen food products.
It’s the same stretchy, squishy naan I experienced from Truly Indian’s other flavor offerings, but this version has a light spread of tikka masala sauce on top. There’s not so much sauce that it’s soupy — rather, it forms more of a slightly wet paste on top of the bread. It may be unconventional, but I’m absolutely here for it. You get just the right amount of rich, earthy flavor from the sauce without it overpowering the flavor of the naan itself. And that texture ensures every last bite is perfect.
I really debated where this offering should rank on this list, since it’s true that this product isn’t quite as versatile as any of the others here. I probably wouldn’t even pair it with a tikka masala, for instance, since it’s already working with those flavors so heavily. But ultimately, this is a really clever and creative way to create frozen naan, and I absolutely think that ingenuity is something to celebrate. Now, catch me piling elaborate chopped salads onto the remainder of my tikka masala naans before the package runs dry (and I have to re-up).
Methodology
Samantha Maxwell / Tasting Table
I tried to find different flavors of several different brands of naan available at a few different grocery stores in my area. I took both flavor and texture into account while creating this ranking, with a preference for bolder and fresher flavors as well as moister and squishier textures. In the case of the highest-ranked naan on the list, I also considered novelty — the tikka masala naan ranked as highly as it did both due to its quality and the product’s creativity.
Ultimately, I judged each naan variety on how it tasted on its own, not how I thought it would perform with other ingredients or flavors incorporated into a dish. I warmed all of these naans in the oven before tasting them on their own, without any other added seasonings or additional ingredients.
Dining and Cooking