Navajo Fry Bread Recipe โ€“ Crispy, golden, and perfectly pillowy, Navajo Fry Bread is a beloved classic! Whether enjoyed on its own with a drizzle of honey or piled high with savory toppings as a Navajo taco, this fry bread is true comfort food.

Navajo fry bread topped with ground beef and other taco toppings on a black plate.

Why We Love This Navajo Fry Bread Recipe

I absolutely love making Navajo Fry Bread! Itโ€™s so easy to make, and the crispy, golden exterior with a soft, pillowy inside is so irresistible! Whether you drizzle it with honey for a sweet treat or pile it high with toppings for a Navajo taco, I can guarantee it wonโ€™t disappoint.

For me, the best part of making fry bread at home is the process. Mixing the dough, stretching it out by hand, and watching it puff up in the hot oilโ€”thereโ€™s something so satisfying about it! Plus, I can control the texture, making it extra crispy or keeping it soft and chewy, depending on what Iโ€™m craving.

And letโ€™s talk about the toppings for Navajo tacosโ€”this is where it gets really fun! You can serve it with ground beef, beans, shredded lettuce, fresh pico de gallo, olives, jalapenos, sour cream. The options are endless! Itโ€™s one of those meals thatโ€™s easy to customize and always a hit with my family.

No matter how you serve it, this Navajo Fry Bread is pure comfort food. Itโ€™s simple, delicious, and a recipe youโ€™ll want to come back to again and again. If youโ€™ve never made it before, trust meโ€”youโ€™re in for a treat!

large stack of Navajo fry bread on a black plate.

Ingredients You Need

For the Navajo Fry Bread:

  • All-purpose flour โ€“ for the fry bread dough
  • Baking powder โ€“ to make the bread light and fluffy
  • Salt โ€“ to add flavor
  • Hot milk โ€“ to make the bread soft and tender
  • Oil โ€“ for frying

For the Navajo Tacos:

  • Ground beef โ€“ or ground turkey
  • Onions โ€“ chopped
  • Garlic โ€“ minced
  • Spices โ€“ chili powder, ground cumin, salt, smoked paprika
  • Red kidney beans โ€“ canned, drained
  • Diced tomatoes โ€“ canned
  • Chopped green chiles โ€“ canned

How to Make Indian Fry Bread

  1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Heat the milk and water together. Then slowly add the hot liquid mixture to the dry ingredients a little at a time while mixing with your fingers until it forms a ball that pulls away from the side of the bowl. If needed, add more flour to the dough if it is still too sticky.
  3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.
  1. Then heat your oil to 375 degrees F.
  2. Meanwhile, cut the dough into 10 equal balls. Then flatten them and slowly pull the edges (or roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface) until it becomes a 6 to 7-inch disk (the thinner the better). Make sure to make all 10 disks so they can rest before frying.
Pulling of the easy dough to make tortilla shapes
  1. Make a tiny hole in the middle of each disk, so the dough doesnโ€™t balloon up as it fries. Lay them out in a single layer so they donโ€™t stick together.
  2. Gently lay one dough disk in the hot oil pressing down with tongs so the oil goes over the top of the dough. Fry until golden brown around the edges, then turn over and cook until the color matches, usually 20-30 seconds per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

How to Make Navajo Tacos

  1. Make a quick chunky ground beef taco meat, with beans and green chiles.
  2. Then spoon it over the Indian fry bread and top with your choice of toppings like shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, sliced black olives, and sour cream.

Pro Tip: If you are really short on time you can make easy Navajo Fry Bread with pre-made dough, such as frozen rolls or pizza dough. Follow the thawing directions on the package.

Get the Complete (Printable) Navajo Fry Bread Recipe + Navajo Tacos Recipe Below. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Navajo Fry Bread is extremely versatile. In New Mexico and Arizona, it is often made for any meal from breakfast to dinner, snacks, and desserts.

You can top it with cinnamon sugar, honey, butter, fruit, eggs, cheese, and more. Our Navajo Fry Bread is so simple and inexpensive to make you will want to try it with many different toppings! These are a few ideas for toppings:

For Navajo Tacos:

  • Shredded lettuce
  • Pico de gallo or salsa
  • Diced red onion
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sliced black olives
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Avocado slices
  • Sour cream
  • Queso fresco
  • Hot queso dip
  • Lime wedges

For Dessert Fry Bread:

  • Honey and powdered sugar
  • Cinnamon sugar
  • Nutella and banana slices
  • Berries and whipped cream
  • Peanut butter and honey
  • Caramel and sea salt
  • Apple pie filling and ice cream

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does these tacos last?

Naturally, they are the best right after they are made, but Navajo bread can be stored for a day or two at room temperature in an airtight container. After they are fried, they start losing their structural quality pretty quickly, so you may need to reheat them in the oven.

Can I freeze this recipe?

You can freeze the dough for this recipe, but it takes a little extra work to do so. Lay the separated dough balls on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or wax paper, about 2 inches apart. Place the sheet pan in the freezer for as long as it takes for the exterior of the dough to freeze solid. Then take them out and wrap them separately with plastic wrap and store them in a heavy-duty freezer bag.

When you are ready to use the dough, switch the dough balls to the fridge the night before and unwrap them while they are still cold. Before frying, allow them to become room temperature then roll them out or pull them into the disk shape. Then continue with the recipe as written.

Can I use an airfryer?

Yes, you can. Spray the air fryer with nonstick cooking spray and cook one at a time in an air fryer at 375 to 400 degrees F for just a couple of minutes each.

What kind of oil can I use?

As for the oil, peanut, or vegetable oil works great but shortening, lard, or other types of oil may be used as well. Make sure you use an oil that is good for high-heat cooking.

Indian tacos served on a black dish.

Looking for More Indian Recipes? Be Sure to Try:

Get the Complete (Printable) Navajo Fry Bread Recipe + Navajo Tacos Recipe Below. Enjoy!

navajo tacos + fry bread recipe
Print Recipe
5 stars (20 reviews)
Leave a Review ยป

Navajo Fry Bread Recipe (Indian Tacos) + VIDEO

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Crispy, golden, and perfectly pillowy, Navajo Fry Bread is a beloved classic! Whether enjoyed on its own with a drizzle of honey or piled high with savory toppings as a Navajo taco, this fry bread is true comfort food.
Servings: 10 pieces

Video

Ingredients

For the Navajo Fry Bread Recipe:

For the Navajo Tacos:

Optional Taco Toppings:

Instructions

  • For the Navajo Fry Bread: Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Heat the milk and water together. once hot, slowly add in the hot liquid a little at a time, mixing with fingers until it forms a ball that pulls away from sides of the bowl.
  • Add more flour or water as needed to form a dough that is not too sticky. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Pour 1 inch of oil in a large skillet. Set a thermometer on the edge of the skillet and heat to 375 degrees F.
  • Meanwhile, cut the dough into 10 equal pieces. Flatten the balls and gentle stretch out the edges while turning to form a 6-7 inch disks. The thinner the better. (You could also roll them out on a lightly floured board, but pulling the dough is more fun.) Roll them out all at once, so they have a little time to rest before they go in the fry. Restretch them right before placing in the oil if needed.
  • Make a tiny hole in the middle of each disk, so the dough doesn't balloon up as it fries. Lay them out in a single layer so they don't stick together.
  • Gently lay one dough disk in the hot oil pressing down with tongs so the oil goes over the top of the dough. Fry until golden brown around edges, then turn over and cook until the color matches, usually 20-30 seconds per side. Place on paper towels to drain. Repeat until all the dough disks are cooked. *For lighter more flexible fry bread fry quickly, but if you want them crunchy, fry a little longer per side to golden-brown.
  • For the Navajo Tacos: Set a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet. Break the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Once it starts releasing its fat, add in the chopped onions, garlic, and all pieces. Continue cooking the meat until it is well browned. Then mix in the kidney beans, toamtoes, and green chiles. Simmer another 2-3 minutes. Then turn off the heat.
  • Once the Indian Fry Bread and Taco Meat are ready, start building tacos. Scoop the taco meat onto the fry bread. Then top with shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, and any other topping you like. Serve warm.

Notes

Cinnamon Navajo Fry Bread
Enjoy the fry bread as-is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Then sprinkle it over the hot fry bread!

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco, Calories: 385kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 15g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 561mg, Potassium: 579mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 303IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 115mg, Iron: 4mg
Course: Appetizer, Dessert
Cuisine: Native American
Author: Sommer Collier
Making this recipe?Follow us on Instagram and tag @ASpicyPerspective so we can share what youโ€™re cooking!

Share This Recipe With Friends!