Delicious Homemade Fry Bread—aka “Navajo Tacos” or “Indian Bread”—pillows of dough, fried until crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Make it a meal by adding sweet or savory toppings!
If you’ve had Fry bread, then you know just how amazing it is! This recipe is NO-FAIL and is perfect served with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, guacamole and salsa!
What is Indian Fry Bread/Navajo fry bread?
Have you ever had Indian Fry Bread before?
It’s also known as a “Navajo Taco,” but we typically just call it “Fry Bread.” We’ve also called them “Pop Overs” too – lots of names for lots of goodness, and especially popular here in Arizona and New Mexico.
If you haven’t had these before you know how amazing they are! The recipe I’m sharing today is one we’ve used since I was little, passed on from my grandma and great grandma.
Everyone in my family eats them a bit different. We usually serve them up with hamburger and beans and let everyone add their own toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, salsa and guacamole.
Others in my family pour honey over them and a few also like to add powdered sugar and just eat it as is. No matter how you eat, no one can deny they’re DELICIOUS!
How to Make FrY Bread
This recipe for Indian fry bread only requires FOUR ingredients! And chances are you probably already have all of these on hand.
- Flour
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Water (warm)
MAKING DOUGH BALLS: Sift flour, salt, baking powder together and place in a medium bowl. Add hot water. Mix with your hands until dough forms (dough should be a little sticky). Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
While dough is resting, add oil to a large sauce pan that is about 1-2 inches deep and heat on MED-HIGH heat (it should be about 350 degrees when ready to fry).
Break off the pieces of dough into golf-ball sized balls (about 1.5” wide).
ROLL OUT& FRY. Using a pastry roller, roll dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 6-7 inches in diameter (the dough should be thin).
Fry each piece in hot oil until dough is golden brown and poofs up (about 20 seconds), and then fry on the other side keeping it in the oil. Set on a paper towel lined plate to drain oil.
NOTE: As always, anything fried is best served fresh, so keep than in mind. 😉
ToppinGs + Tips
TOPPINGS. If you want to eat it like a Navajo Taco and pile ground beef, beans, and other toppings on, check out the recipe card below for instructions on making the toppings! Some of our favorite toppings include:
And if you want to keep things simple, you can enjoy it like many of those in my family and, just add powdered sugar to it. 😉
- To help your bread to remain flat, instead of curling up on the edges to form a bowl shape, tear a small slit in the center of each piece right before frying.
- Make sure your oil stays at a consistent temperature. If the temp is too low the bread will be tough. If it’s too hot the outside will burn before the inside cooks through.
- Keep the fried bread warm in the oven set at 200°F
MAKING ahead of time
Fry bread is one of those foods that are best freshly made, so we don’t recommend making them ahead of time. However, you can mix up the dough and store in the fridge or freezer until it’s time to fry.
Dough in the fridge: Cover bowl with plastic wrap or transfer dough to a ziplock bag. Store for 1-2 days. Some bakers even recommend chilling the dough for a few hours before frying.
Dough in the freezer: Fry bread dough freezes well. Once your dough has been mixed portion it into 3 inch balls and flash freeze. To flash freeze line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Place dough balls ½ inch apart. Freeze for 3-5 hours.
Once they’ve begun to freeze, place each ball into a separate plastic baggie, then place all the balls into an airtight freezer safe container. Label and store for up to 1 month.
When you’re ready to fry, remove the desired number of balls. Leave each ball in the baggie and thaw in the fridge overnight. About 30 minutes before fry time, remove the dough from the baggie and let the dough come to room temperature. Fry according to recipe directions.
RECIPE FAQ
Here are our top tips for storing fry bread:
- Counter top at room temperature: Wrap the bread loosely in plastic wrap or an unsealed ziplock bag. Store for 1-2 days.
- How to freeze? Freezer: Once the bread has cooled pat each piece with a paper towel to remove any excess oil or water. Wrap each piece with plastic and store in an airtight freezer safe container. Freeze for 3-4 months.
- How to reheat? To reheat fry bread: heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap each piece of fry bread in aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. If you’re in a hurry you can throw it in the microwave.
Are elephant ears the same as fry bread? Though similar, there is a difference. Fry breads are thick, about 6-8 inches in diameter and topped with anything from powdered sugar to beef tacos. Whereas elephant ears are thin, bubbly, about 10-16 inches in diameter and traditionally only topped with cinnamon and sugar.
Personally, I like adding all the hearty ingredients like hamburger and beans and pile that baby up high with all the fixings. Top it off with some salsa, and it’s like heaven on a plate!
For more recipes, check out:
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Taco Quiche
- Cream Cheese and Chicken Taquitos
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Mexican Lasagna
- Steak Fajitas
- Carne Asada
Fry Bread Recipe
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
Topping
- 2 cups pinto beans soaked overnight
- 1 lb hamburger
- lettuce
- sour cream
- tomatoes
Instructions
Bread
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder together and place in a medium bowl. Add hot water. Mix with your hands until dough forms (dough should be a little sticky). Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- While dough is resting, add oil to a large sauce pan that is about 1-2 inches deep and heat on MED-HIGH heat (it should be about 350 degrees when ready to fry).
- Break off the dough into golf-ball sized balls (about 1.5” wide).
- Using a pastry roller, roll dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 6-7 inches in diameter (the dough should be thin).
- Fry each piece in hot oil until dough is golden and poofs up (about 20 seconds), and then fry on the other side keeping it in the oil. Set on a paper towel lined plate to drain oil.
Topping
- Put soaked beans in crock pot, cover with water. Cook on low until tender (for 4-6 hours). 2 hours before beans are done, toss in 2-3 slices of chopped bacon. *You know beans are done when they start breaking up. You can also use beans from the can for an easier version.
- In the meantime. Cook up 1 lb of hamburger. Once beans are done, toss in hamburger.
- Spread beans over your fry bread and add desired toppings.
These are delicious! We love making Navajo tacos. They are easy and always a favorite. So good with powder sugar or honey on the fry bread too!
This fry bread is so good! We love it when we make Navajo tacos!
I do my fibroid differently although I understand this basic but I used to make 400 to 600 pieces of fry bread every year for my ceremonials. These are the ingredients that I use you should try it.
Ingredients:
1) Self-rising flour (Shawnee’s best)
2) 1 tbsp sugar
3) one can evaporated milk
4) water
5) oil
I eyeball the amount of flour into a bowl bye how many I plan to make then I put one tablespoon of sugar in the flour then I eyeball the evaporated milk and water together into the meat and try to keep it half and half as best I can need my dough then I cover it and let it sit for 30 minutes and I come back I’ll roll them up into a ball handles at a time round them up into a circle and put a small dot in the middle not a finger dot but just a small Dot with a small opening to keep oil from seeking in bread and then I put it on the fire and cook to both sides of golden brown they usually come out very tasty and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Let’s just say I never had any complaints!
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I’m sure it’s delicious!!
I like making Indian fried bread Your recipe is so simple my daughter who doesnt like cooking can make it. Having fun with kids recipe adding jelly to it.
I’m so glad you enjoy the bread. And that your kids are getting involved too. So awesome!
What temp should the oil be
About 350 degrees
Plain flour or self rising flour ?
Plain flour works great for this one!
Can this be made in an air fryer if the dough is brushed with oil?
I haven’t tried making these in the air fryer, but I suppose it could! You’ll have to let us know how they turn out if you do make it in the air fryer.
I haven’t tried this yet, but I see breakfast possibilities. How about putting cinnamon a sugar on it and teaming it with your coffee or tea. I also see it with fresh fruit and whipped cream. Or top it with Reuben fixings for a Reuben Sandwich (open face). You’ll miss the Rye bread, but will be just as good.
I love all of those ideas! Such a creative way to use the fry bread.
1st. Indian Taco (that is what they called them in Ok.) I had was at the Oklahoma City State Fair about 30 years ago and they where fantastic.
The recipe was listed in the local paper and I have been making them ever since. They are so easy to make
I do make up a batch of homemade chili and use that to put on my Fry Bread Tacos along with all the other toppings. ( I do make my chili a bit thicker when putting on Indian Tacos)
Dang, now I’m craving for one. I just may have to put this on my menu for next week.
Enjoy your day and have a wonderful weekend.
Thanks for sharing! Yes, sounds like a great meal for the menu, for sure!
So you don’t use any seasoning in the beans? Just brown beans and hamburger?
Yep!
DELICIOUS 😋 and EASY My kids gave our tacos 🌮 a 10/10⭐️ Reminds us of our local favorite restaurant in our town! ❤️
I followed the recipe exactly. I’m not going to add as much salt next time.
Thanks for giving the recipe a try and for the feedback!
Oh my gosh, i forgot to lay my bread dough out this morning. I found this recipe and thought “how can I mess that up” 🙃 Well, im not sure what I did wrong. My finished product was a light golden brown. They wernt puffing up and turned out so hard we couldn’t chew them. Im sure this was my mistake. Just thought I would share. 😁
your recipe is the closest to what my grandma and mom used to make when I was growing up. I have already made this once and will continue to use your recipe. Thank you. If I had a way to post a picture I would..