Nan barbari is a classic Persian bread that’s easy to make. With a nice crust and soft inside, this recipe results in a tasty homemade bread suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
We are here to show you the beauty of Persian cuisine and today I’m going to show you how to make barbari, a delicious Iranian bread topped with sesame seeds. Barbari for us Iranians is what simit is to Turkish people. You can serve barbari as a part of a Persian appetizer platter or simply enjoy it on its own with some Persian yogurt and cucumber!
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Yesterday I decided to make some barbari and I thought to myself, why not have you guys tag along and enjoy the therapeutic process of making bread with me?
The bread turned out beautiful. A bit crispy on the outside and so fluffy and soft on the inside. With a hint of saltiness, the bread paired perfectly with a simple block of cheese and some walnuts.
And then came the flood of messages from everyone asking for the recipe and I was so excited to see such enthusiasm over a Persian recipe! I mean, homemade bread is fun and all, but this one is definitely a favorite.
So I jumped on the opportunity and turned my little kitchen victory into a complete blog post for you to make this bread at home.
What is nan e barbari?
Also known as noon barbari, this is a classic Persian bread. Naan means bread in Farsi and barbari refers to the Hazara people in Khorasan province. Nan-e-barbari looks like flatbread, but a bit thicker. It’s always topped with sesame seeds and sometimes nigella seeds as well. In Iran, you can get it daily from bakeries all around the country. It’s usually long and oval, with stripes on top and a nice golden color that comes from the topping called “roomal.” Needless to say, barbari is also vegan.
About this recipe
This is a simplified barbari recipe that you can make at home with pantry staples. Just like manakish zaatar and pita bread, the dough is quite forgiving and comes together easily. The traditional barbari dough could be a bit hard to work with since it’s very sticky and transferring it to the oven could be challenging. So I put together this easy recipe to give you the same tasty bread without a hassle.
As for the topping (aka “roomal”), it’s simply a combination of flour, water and baking soda that’s simmered for a few minutes to form a glaze and then brushed over the bread.
Ingredients
All purpose flour
To make barbari, you need all purpose flour. You can also use half whole wheat and half all purpose flour if desired.
Salt
You need 7 grams of salt for this recipe. This bread has a bit of a salty taste so don’t skip the salt. It also helps with the texture of the bread.
Sugar
To activate the instant yeast, you need some sugar. You can simply use granulated sugar.
Instant yeast
Make sure the yeast you use is not expired or old. Instant yeast works very well. You can also use active dry yeast, which should be dissolved in the water you'll use for this recipe.
Butter
You only need 15 grams of butter which is roughly one tablespoon. This bread doesn’t call for much fat but is still very tender and soft.
Preparation instructions
Make the dough
Place flour, salt, sugar, instant yeast and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Start mixing on low speed and slowly add in the water. Keep mixing until the dough comes together. Turn the speed to medium and keep mixing for 10 minutes until the dough starts coming off the bowl and not sticky anymore.
Turn the mixer off, lift the dough hook and remove the dough from the hook. Place it in the mixer bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Divide and rest
After 10 minutes, place the dough on your working surface. Divide the dough in half and gently form into two balls. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough sit for another 30 minutes to rise.
Make the topping
Mix flour and water in a small saucepan. Add baking soda and bring to simmer. Cook for a few minutes until it thickens a bit. Set it aside and let it cool.
Form the dough
After 30 minutes, it’s time to shape the dough. Place one of the balls on parchment paper. Flatten the dough using your hand into an oval shape. Using your fingers (but not thumbs) make indentations on the bread. Brush with the glaze and top with sesame seeds. Transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
Bake in the oven
Preheat the oven to 440°F and uncover the breads. Wet your fingers a bit and make the indentations in the breads again. Once the oven is hot, bake the barbari in the oven for about 18 minutes until the top is golden.
Serving suggestions
Nothing beats warm barbari with some cheese, walnuts, cucumber and tomatoes for breakfast. You can also serve it alongside kotlet (Persian meat patties), kuku sibzamini (Persian potato patties) or kuku sabzi (Persian herb frittata) for a complete meal or as an appetizer with some kashke bademjan (Persian eggplant dip).
Notes and tips
- Traditional barbari uses the glaze mentioned in the recipe. However, you can simply whisk an egg and brush that over the dough.
- Store the bread in a gallon size resealable bag for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in a toaster or microwave.
- With this recipe you can make two large barbari breads or four small ones.
- If you have a kitchen scale, don't forget to use it when making bread. Otherwise, make sure you're measuring everything carefully.
- If you don’t own a stand mixer, you can simply mix everything with your hands and then knead for 10 minutes until the dough is not sticky anymore.
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Step-by-Step Recipe
Easy Persian Barbari Bread
Ingredients
- 500 gr All purpose flour (4 cups)
- 7 gr salt (1 ½ tsp)
- 5 gr granulated sugar (1 tsp)
- 15 gr unsalted butter (1 tbsp)
- 7 gr instant yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
- 320 ml warm water (1 ⅓ cup)
Glaze
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Place the flour ,salt, sugar, butter and yeast in a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Turn the stand mixer on and set it on slow speed. Add the water slowly while the mixer is running.
- Once the dough comes together, turn the speed to medium and knead for 10 minutes.
- The dough will come together and will not be too sticky. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Place the dough on a floured surface and divide it into two. Shape into balls and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze by mixing all the ingredients in a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and bring it to simmer. Keep stirring until it thickens. This would take about 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- After 30 minutes, Place one of the balls on parchment paper. Flatten the dough using your hand into an oval shape. Using your finger (except the thumbs) make indentations on the bread. Brush with the glaze and top with sesame seeds. Transfer the parchment paper to a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
- Turn the oven on and preheat to 440°F. Once the oven is hot, uncover the baking sheet and place the bread in the oven. Bake for 18 minutes until golden and cooked. Let it sit for 10 minutes before you slice it.
Video
Notes
- You can serve barbari alongside kotlet (Persian meat patties), kuku sibzamini (Persian potato patties) or kuku sabzi (Persian herb frittata) for a complete meal or as an appetizer with some kashke bademjan (Persian eggplant dip).
- Brbari is perfect for breakfast with some cheese, tomato, cucumber and walnuts.
- Traditional barbari uses the glaze mentioned in the recipe. However, you can simply whisk an egg and brush that over the dough.
- Store the bread in a gallon size resealable bag for up to 3 days. You can reheat it in a toaster or microwave.
- With this recipe you can make two large barbari breads or four small ones.
- If you have a kitchen scale, don't forget to use it when making bread. Otherwise, make sure you're measuring everything carefully.
- If you don’t own a stand mixer, you can simply mix everything with your hands and then knead for 10 minutes until the dough is not sticky anymore.
Jack-Cypress
I have never made bread before, let alone something so simple that connects me to a part of myself that i nor my mother has ever gotten to know. It was so good, it was also very simple to make even as a low middle class poor person in America, (i used an egg wash and ate it with cream cheese).
Q.
I used this recipe to make Barbari bread for my breakfast this morning and it came out splendid. My Afghan dad was thoroughly impressed that I could make bakery-quality barbari and asked me to walk him through the recipe because he was in such disbelief. My boyfriend, who was born and raised in Iran, told me I would make the perfect wife based off the bread alone. This recipe was truly the highlight of my day!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Glad you all liked it!
Nishat
This bread was perfect for my Persian brunch! It came out light and fluffy. I ran out of regular all purpose flour so I subbed the remainder with gluten free AP flour and it still turned out beautifully. I served it with Kuku Sabzi and Iranian puy lentils with spiced yoghurt and poached eggs. It was the perfect bread for dipping into eggs and mopping up juices. Next time I will definitely add garlic and chilli to the glaze as someone else suggested. Thank you for a perfect recipe!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
P
Made this 2 times …. Once with whole wheat flour and butter - that was a bit dry but I am fairly sure I messed something up. Second time, made it with AP flour and olive oil…also added some pepper, salt and garlic flakes to the glaze and it was literally the most delicious thing ever. Stuffed my face at midnight lol.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Happy to know you enjoyed the recipe. The one with whole wheat flour turned drier because of the type of flour you used. You can try half whole wheat and half all purpose, it'll probably be better!
Sana
Loved the bread. The recipe is perfect.
combees auzaud
I have made this bread more than times and always use Olive oil and comes out perfect.
Nez
This is great news!
Nez
Is there a non-dairy substitute I can use instead of the butter? 😊
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
You can use 1 tbsp olive oil 🙂
Nez
Thank you so much, I can't wait to make this bread!! 🥳
Snoop
Hi, this looks great. Roughly how thick is the bread after you've shaped it? I've never seen or eaten it, but it looks fabulous and am keen to try it.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
It's about 1/2 inch thick 🙂