Table of Contents
We have enjoyed Fry bread our entire lives thanks to our mom, grandma and great-grandma. They’ve made this main dish for as long as we can remember.
Fry Bread (also called Navajo Tacos, Indian Fry Bread or Pop Overs) originates from southwestern Native Americans and is especially popular in Arizona and New Mexico.
This recipe is one we’ve used since we were little, passed on from my Great Grandma Bean Burro (yes, that’s what we called her). We’ve tweaked it over the decades to be even more fool proof but still just as delicious. We love serving it with refried beans, all the toppings and salsa and guacamole.
Why We Think You’ll Love it:
- Sweet or Savory. It can be made sweet with honey or powdered sugar or savory with beans and all the toppings.
- Simple. Just follow this recipe – it’s NO-FAIL and you get amazing bubbles every time! Plus, it only uses 4 ingredients!
- Freezes. The dough and the bread both freeze well, which is a BONUS!
Fry Bread Ingredients and Substitutions
FRY BREAD:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
BEANS:
- 2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed and drained – or 1- 16 ounce can pinto bins, rinsed and drained
- 2-3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
TOPPINGS: Shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocado, shredded cheese (and some of our favs: Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo)
How to Make Fry Bread
- DOUGH. Sift the 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon baking powder together in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup hot water.
- Mix with your hands until dough forms (dough should be a little sticky). Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- PREP. While the dough is resting, add oil to a large saucepan that is about 1-2 inches deep and heat on medium-high heat (it should be about 350°F when ready to fry).
- SHAPE. Break off the pieces of dough into golf-ball-sized balls (about 1½ – 2 inches wide). Using a pastry roller or rolling pin, roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface to about 6-7 inches in diameter (the dough should be thin).
- FRY. Fry each piece in hot oil until the dough is golden brown and poofs up (about 20 seconds). Continue to fry on the other side, keeping it in the oil. Set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain oil.
Warm. Keep the fried bread warm in the oven (set at 200°F).
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- PRO TIP: Watch the Oil Temp! 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.
- Sweet Fry Bread: Some in my family pour honey over them, or slather on butter and jam. A few also like to add powdered sugar and just eat it as is.
- Savory Fry Bread: Most of the family eats it savory. We usually serve them up with cooked hamburger and beans, and let everyone add their own toppings:
- Tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, Salsa, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo. Dressings like Cilantro Ranch or Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette are great too!
- You could even top them with a delicious, scoop of Chili.
The Beans + Toppings
- Place 2 cups of rinsed, dried beans in a slow cooker and cover with water. Cook on low for 4–5 hours, or until beans start to become tender.
- Add bacon pieces and ground beef to the slow cooker and continue to cook on low for an additional 1–2 hours, or until beans are fully tender. (To make the bean topping using canned beans, combine canned beans, cooked ground beef, and cooked bacon and cook in a slow cooker on low for 2 hours. Set aside.)
Fry Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
Bean Topping
- 2 cups dried pinto beans, rinsed and drained or 1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained)
- water
- 2-3 slices bacon, chopped and cooked
- 1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained
Bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup hot water, (130 degrees F)
- vegetable oil, for frying
Other Toppings
- shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocados, shredded cheese
Instructions
- Place rinsed dried beans in a slow cooker and cover with water. Cook on low for 4–5 hours, or until beans start to become tender.
- Add bacon pieces and ground beef to the slow cooker and continue to cook on low for an additional 1-2 hours, or until beans are fully tender. (To make the bean topping using canned beans, combine canned beans, cooked ground beef, and cooked bacon and cook in a slow cooker on low for 2 hours. Set aside.)
- Make the bread: Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add hot water and mix with your hands until a dough forms (dough should be a little sticky). Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Fill a large saucepan with 1-2 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat to about 350 degrees F.
- Break off golf ball–sized pieces of dough and roll into balls about 1½ inches wide.
- Using a pastry roller and working on a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a thin circle 6-7 inches in diameter.
- Working in batches, fry each dough piece in hot oil until the dough is golden and puffs up, about 20 seconds, then flip and fry on the other side for 10-20 seconds more. Set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Keep the fried bread warm in the oven while frying the remaining pieces.
- Spread beans over fry bread, top with any other desired toppings, and serve warm.
Video
Notes
Soak the beans. To lessen the amount of gas in the beans, soak dried beans in a large bowl of water for 8-12 hours (or overnight). Drain and rinse beans before use.
Serving suggestions. We feel this fry bread is best served with beans, but for a sweeter version, you can also skip the savory toppings and serve it with powdered sugar and/or honey. Make ahead. Mix up the dough and store in a resealable plastic bag for 1-2 days in the refrigerator or portion the dough into 3-inch balls and flash freeze. When ready to fry, remove from the refrigerator or freezer and let the dough come to room temperature. Fry according to recipe instructions.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Though similar, there is a difference:
>> Fry Bread is thick, about 6-8 inches in diameter and topped with anything from powdered sugar to beef taco ingredients.
>> Elephant Ears are thin, bubbly, about 10-16 inches in diameter and traditionally only topped with cinnamon and sugar.
To help your bread remain flat (instead of curling up on the edges and forming a bowl shape), cut a small slit in the center of each piece right before frying.
Fry bread is best when fresh, so we don’t recommend making it ahead of time. However, you can mix up the dough and store it in the fridge or freezer until it’s time to fry.
>> Dough in the fridge. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the dough to a Ziploc 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.
Fry. 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.
Store cooked bread. Wrap the bread loosely in plastic wrap or an unsealed Ziploc bag. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Freeze cooked bread. Once the bread has cooled, pat each piece with a paper towel to remove any excess oil or water. Wrap each piece with plastic wrap and store it in an airtight freezer container. Freeze for 3-4 months.
To reheat fry bread. Heat the oven to 350°F. Wrap each piece of fry bread in aluminum foil and bake until heated through about 15 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, throw it in the microwave.
Complete the Meal:
- MAIN DISHES: Quesadillas, Chicken Tacos, Empanadas, Cheese Crisp
- SIDES: Cilantro Lime Rice, Canned Refried Beans, Crock Pot Pinto Beans, Homemade Tortilla Chips
- DESSERTS: Arroz on Leche, Tres Leches, Easy Tres Leches, Chocolate Tres Leches
More COLLECTIONS: Mexican Dinner Ideas, Sunday Dinner Ideas, Easy Dinner Ideas
My fave recipes. Thanks for great recipes.
I am so glad to hear that!! Thank you for sharing that!
Hi there. When you say hot water for making the fry bread how hot should it be?
I let it come to a boil, then use it 🙂 Hope that helps!
Great
A good basic recipe. A couple of suggestions: for many people, it may easier to divide the dough evenly using a knife or a pastry cutter, instead of pinching off pieces. And I pat them out mostly to size and shape by hand, then give a final thinning with a rolling pin.
I tried to make this, mine wasn’t dough. It was wet and could not be rolled out or put in a ball? We added more flour but ended up running out.
The first recipe that was easy to read, understand and follow. Thank you for helping me find this one, very difficult to find.
I tried this recipe because I thought it was a recipe to a food I had a long while ago with an unknown name.
I doubled the recipe to make a huge batch. (Instead of 2 cups of flour I did 4, instead of 2 tsp of salt, I did 2 etc etc). The texture and color were spot on, but the taste…. it was salty. The bread I had in the past was an ever so slight sweet taste.
I will definitely make this again but would add 1 tsp instead of 2 and maybe a small bit of sugar. The saltiness wasn’t so bad that it was inedible but I couldn’t eat it plain it had to had something else on top or with it to balance out the saltiness.
Thanks for sharing what you did!!
I have been trying to make fry bread for years but it never turned out quite right. I used about 100 different recipes over the years, to no avail. I started using your recipe a few months ago and followed your recipe and developed my own techniques. It has turned out absolutely incredible the last 3 or 4 times so I have it down to an easy process. It is so amazing – feather light, soft, with big bubbles on top. Not to mention a great taste. If fry them in beef tallow and that makes a big difference, I think. So thank you SO much for this recipe…except that now I’m addicted and have to make them all the time!
I’m native and this how I make frybread. Self rising flour and water. Mix them until slightly sticky. If its too wet add more flour, too dry add more water. Then fry. No need to poke a hole or cut into perfect pieces pieces. Also these look like waffles. Never in my life have I had frybread curl up into a bowl while frying.
Thanks for sharing how you make fry bread!
Thank you very much for this recipe. My family loves Fry Bread.
What goes in the oven that was preheated to 200 degrees?
You can keep the fry bread warm in the oven until all of the bread is fried and until you are ready to serve.
I was so excited to find this recipe and can’t wait to try it! When I was in high school in the 80’s the lunch ladies used to sell these once a week. They came with honey butter and for some reason everyone called them scones. No idea why.
Delicious, wonderful and so easy to make!!❤️ This is definitely a crowd pleaser with my family. ❤️ I give this recipe five stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Yummy as always
Very delicious. Thank you for this recipe. Extremely simple, but so much potential. My mom used to make it for me and I was able to share it with my kids. We do cinnamon and sugar, but my son added some chocolate syrup for extra sweetness.
Is 130 degree water, correct? After 10 minutes I goop that could only be scooped with a spoon. It was completely unmanageable. I weighed all the other ingredients. Or maybe a cup was just too much water?
Yes, you want hot water. I’d say if that’s the case, add a bit more flour. You want it a little sticky, but if it is a totally goopy, unmanageable texture, then add a bit more flour until you can work with it.
This fry bread was delicious and so simple to make. I ordered a “Navajo chicken sandwich” at a restaurant recently and my husband said he wanted to eat it for dinner last night. I thought it was going to be quite the challenge but it was not. I made this fry bread recipe exactly as written and then baked chicken and made a really simple chipotle aioli, topped with avocado, onion, lettuce and tomato. It was delicious and so simple to make.
After dinner I fried up four more disc of fry bread and we topped with cinnamon sugar and chocolate sauce.
Yummy!! That sandwich sounds amazing! So glad you found the recipe!
I’m Blackfoot, and always check out other recipes to see if they are similar. This is the exact recipe for fry bread I was given by my family and have been using forever!
I’ve seen “frilly” fry bread versions but you have to remember that back then, things had to be kept to the basics because that’s all they had.
Great recipe, and thank you for the tips on storing the dough for frying later! My question is: how many fry breads should I be getting out of this recipe that is supposed to serve 8 people? I just want to make sure I plan for enough ingredients.
I typically make 8 fry breads from this recipe. You could make more smaller breads, but I like to make 8.
When you click the print icon on the recipe and it brings up the page to select what is to be printed, the ingredients are blank.
Sorry, the ingredients are there, I just didn’t scroll down far enough. Derp.
Oh wonderful!! I’m glad you were able to see them!
I used this recipe a couple of times and after the 10 minute resting. I put it in Saran wrap, rubbed with oil and refrigerated it until it was time to make tacos later so you can save it a bit and make it ahead.
Do you sift the flour before or after measuring? Your recipe says to sift the salt and baking powder too but the video looks like you don’t sift them?
So good!! Used leftover taco meat but followed recipe otherwise. Combine with a reading of Codetalkers for an enriching experience.
Thank you for sharing all these cool recepies!
“Cuisine: Indian”
Wtf?
The Feather not the Dot lol
Native American Indian
I tried this multiple times, some with weighing the flour, 1 with scooping flour into the measuring cup. Every time the dough comes out more like a thick batter. I know I can add more flour, but I’m having to add almost a cup more just to get the dough to be able to be handled. Do you have any tips for me?
I have the same issue. Adding a lot more flour.
Altitude, temperature and more can affect how much flour is needed. The dough should be a little sticky but if it’s really sticky, then yes, you’re doing the right thing adding more flour.
Hello Kristyn,
A good friend of mind made this fry bread which I loved. I always requested when I visit her, I ask her for the recipe tonight she gave it to me she sent me your link . I was wondering if I can put it in the air fryer. I can’t have any fry food I have cancer but before that rarely ate fry only your fry bread. I am part middle eastern we make flat bread and different ones with feta chesse at your convenience if you can let me know about air fryer or if you try to make in an air fryer I love to eat the way it is. Thank you for a delicious fry bread recipe I love making my own bread I know the Native American Indians make there version of it.
Yes, you should be able to cook this bread in an air fryer too. I have never personally tried, but I think it would work fine!
This recipe is AMAZING. In fact, it’s so delicious that I have made it twice. Over the last couple of years I have struggled immensly with food allergies. I am allergic to wheat. I substituted GF Namaste flour and they still turned out perfect. I can’t stop eating them. I wish I could share a picture! Perfectly golden.
Oh this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing. I’m glad the fry bread has been a hit!
This recipe is totally foolproof and perfect! You’ve saved me hundreds of dollars from no longer going to the local fry bread restaurant 4 times a week!
I see the ingredients but no measurements?? How much of each ingredient do I use?
If you click on “jump to recipe” at the top of the page, it will take you to the recipe card with all of the ingredients, measurements and instructions on how to make it. Hope that helps!
This bread is quick and tastes great. We use powdered sugar and cardamom for breakfast or snack. A little sautéed garlic and butter makes ir great for Italian. Also roll it flat, fill it with your favorite spiced meat, fold and fry. Yum!!!
Sounds so tasty! Thanks for sharing!
I’m so excited to try this! Looks great. I have wanted to try making fry bread ever since watching the movie “Smoke Signals.” Thanks for this.
You’re welcome!! Hope you enjoy!
I love this fry bread..in fact I always have to eat the first one myself while I’m cooking the rest…quality control, you know! 😆😉
I make tacos, tostada’s and dessert tacos with these, but I enjoy them just as much just plain!
This has been a great experience and they came out good
🌟
Going to make it to serve with ham hocks and pinto beans. Friend never has had it
My mom used to make this . We would always put peanut butter on them.
Made half the recipe tonight, and wow! So easy, and DELICIOUS! I had some chicken picadillo leftover from dinner, and tipped them with that. Insanely easy, crazy good! I’ll be making a while batch today, as they’re already gone 😁
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed the fry bread! Thanks for sharing!
My grandma always made us fry bread as a treat when I was growing up.
That’s awesome!
Indian fry bread was a childhood favorite. Can’t wait to eventually try this recipe
Really easy and yummy. However, I had to add about a half cup more of flour to get the right consistency. I had Fry bread as a child but never made it myself and this recipe does not disappoint. I plan to continue making it. It was really yummy. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the fry bread!
Finally, someone got the recipe right — the Navajo way. It’s the most basic bread you can make, except for maybe cooking it without the oil. But then, who doesn’t like things fried in oil? The only caveat would be that the Navajo still use lard to cook theirs. Also, Navajos work the dough with their hands instead of a rolling pin.
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Perfect recipe and easy to make .. have already used this recipe 4 times and it gets easier to get the hang of making the fry bread.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe!
We love this so much! Thank you! It’s become a staple in our house. We are vegetarians, but we’ve substituted plant-based proteins for the meat, and have done things like vegetarian sloppy joes, faux fish, and peanut butter/jelly fry breads with this recipe. So good!
Thanks for sharing what you have done! I love all the vegetarian options!
Brush the freshly fried bead with melted butter mixed with garlic powder for a great version of garlic bread!
This was easy to make and YUMMY! I struggled a bit getting the battery to hold together getting it to the oil but I got it done and so tasty!
We absolutely love Lil’ Luna recipes n tips! My adult nephew n I love creating n cooking together! Ww just finished making the Navajo fry bread, after trying many others, Lil’ Lunas us by far the best! Fluffy, tasty, quick n easy! Thank you for being a part of my family’s delight!
Oh you’re welcome! This makes me so happy! I’m so glad you love the recipes!
I made these with cup 4cup gluten free flour and they were perfect!
Yay! So glad to hear they turned out well for you. Thanks for sharing!
I loved this recipe. I even put some aside to sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Hi, I love this recipe but please change Indian to Native. As a Native American from the Bad River tribe it is very insensitive to use the word “Indian” as a non-native. We are not from India, all of this confusion started when C Colombus through he had sailed to India and not America. Please change this thank you.
Thank you for the feedback!
I agree with Anna. The name of this recipe needs to be changed to Native. It’s not fry bread from India, it’s Native fry bread.
These turned out great. I am making for a second time today. Thank you.
First time making Indian fry bread tonight and this recipe was perfect! My hubby and I loved it so much. 100% recommend!
I love this recipe and my family well too thank you
I forgot to tell you that my mom and later me, always shaped the Dough Gods with out hands . If they get a little sticky, just pat your hand on the counter where there is still flour left. Thank you so much for sharing, now I can start up again .
I forgot to tell you that my mom and later me, always shaped these Dough Gods with our hands and finger. Just dip you hand in the flour on the counter if it get sticky. I am so darn happy that you shared this, so I can start up again.
My mom fixed what we all called “Dough Gods,” at least twice a week. We lived way out in the dessert in AZ in the 50’s
on sandy/dirt roads, far from the store. We all loved these while still warm with just butter on top . But these ideas you have sound wonderful. My favorite task was to pop any big bubbles that rose on top of the dough Gods. This brings back such wonderful memories. We ate these our whole lives, and they were so very good . I don’t think they had powdered milk in them though, as some recipes call for. I also made these while my kids were growing up, and they still ask for them .Your recipe sounds perfect, and she did also fry them in lard . Thanks again .
They turned out perfect. It was nice making them homemade so you can make them smaller. Also refrigerated extra dough for tomoorows lunch. Happy Husband
SUPER SPORT DELICIOUS KIND OF RECIPE MY HOPEFULLY ONE DAY MY BEST RŔDFRIEND.. HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY !!! THANK YOnU KINDLY SIR, GREAT JOB BROTHER MAN !!! LOOKS GREAT !!! GREAT JOB MAN !!! I Will Try To Be Good As Well BABY GURL !!! SUPER EXCITED FOR YOU MY BESTIE AND LOVER GURL 💕 SPECTACULAR BEAUTY MY GORGEOUS GURL 😍 EXCELLENT PICTURE OF YOU’RE VIDEO BABY GURL !!
Thank you!!!
So fun to make! Beautiful dough and a keeper recipe. I didn’t have beans but will get some for the next time. I’ll add powdered sugar to some of the left-over bread and sugar/cinamon would be good, too! Nice to know extra bread can be frozen, too. Thanks so much for sharing recipe:)
Thank You Lil Luna for sharing I love learning about how my NA family lived but wished I learned in my early years so I could have taught my children, thank you I’m going to make this my mouth was getting watery just watching lol.
Perfect!
Every tribe has their own recipe for frybreads. This is the Navajo tribe frybread recipe. Looks great. Also just wanted to say thank you for not making the title of “Indian” as a Native American myself…we don’t like the term Indian. Indians are from India. We’re from America, that’s why we’re called Native American.
The cuisine field is incorrect. This is not from India, this recipe is Native American.
It’s amazing how adding a name like the one here draws a crowd of wows on this recipe that I’ve enjoyed all my life. My NATIVE AMERICAN friends can’t recall such a meal. Except for a couple of changes, my family loves this quick meal, as we use raw pizza dough from my local grocer, rolling it out and frying it up then adding our own individual favorite toppings. Everyone, enjoy!
First try not as pretty as shown and a little tough, will try again and hope for better results, nothing like my mother used to make but will try again.
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! I’d say start with less flour and then add more as needed. Sometimes too much flour can result in tough dough.
The hot water is key to dough elasticity. It makes the dough easier to work.
Great recipe.😋
Should the type of Cuisine be changed to Native American?
I agree if it’s an Native American meal it should be recognized and given credit to where it was 1st created read the story 😥❤️.
I made this following the recipe. Never made this ever now I want to make it all the time
Thank you for sharing your way to make fry bread I am looking forward to trying it I make pinto beans all the time but usually with a smoked ham hock in the instapot I will have to try them with hamburger or deer burger
I’m going to try it as a pizza dough
I love as is, but I have been searching for a long time to find a perfect pizza dough. I’ll be using olive oil with garlic to spread before topping, then bake.
Wish me luck.
Looks good, I will try it!
great yummy!
Just tried this! The easiest and best recipe for fry bread I have ever tried! It rolled out so well and looks delicious! I used organic artisan bread flour. Perfect. 😊Thank you!
How did you get yours to roll out easy, mine wouldn’t, it was too sticky even after adding more flour
Maybe I can help. First, double check you measured precisely and followed the instructions, especially using hot water, active baking powder (there’s a way to check), and letting the dough rest (covered) for at least 20 minutes. It’s going to be sticky, but don’t give up. Mix the dough, initially, with a fork if you don’t want to use your fingers. That’s what I did.
Make sure you’ve floured your hands well, pinch off enough dough to form the golf-ball size. Flour your hands/fingers as much as you need to as you form the rest of the balls. (Some dough will stick to your fingers. Just flour your fingers and pull the dough off your fingers, adding it back into the ball you just made or to the next one.) The dough balls are going to remain very soft and they should have a light coating of flour on them from your hands as you shaped them.
Make sure you have a medium-floured surface. Flour your rolling pin and place the first ball on the floured surface. Roll once, flip the dough over, roll once, flip dough, roll once, and so on until you have a 6″ or so circle. (Circle doesn’t have to be perfectly round. Dough stretches nicely, anyway, by the time you get it to the hot oil.) If dough starts to stick to pin or to the surface while you’re rolling, just sprinkle a bit more flour on rolling surface or rub more on pin (keep pin free of any stuck-on dough) or even do a very light dusting of flour over the dough before each roll.
I’d recommend rolling all the dough balls out before frying any of them, layering with wax paper between. That’s what I’m going to do the next time I make these. My first time, I rolled out two and then started frying the first one. As one fried, then, I began rolling out the third and so on. If you do it this way, don’t forget about the one that’s frying, lol! I didn’t forget, but almost:)
Great and easy recipe! Figure 2 fry breads per person/3 for heavy eaters. I have teenage boys and they loved it all!! We experimented with the powdered sugar with the leftover frybreads and that was great too. Thanks for a fun recipe to add to our weekly favorites!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the fry bread. It’s a favorite over here for sure! And that powdered sugar topping is so yummy, isn’t it?! 🙂
About how many breads does each batch make?
It honestly depends on how big you make the bread, but I’d say 6-8 individual breads per batch/recipe.
Love your website ☺️
Thank you!! So glad you found us here!
Thank you for posting this! My six year old son who is allergic to most things can eat these just fine. We love them! ❤️❤️❤️
Oh you’re welcome. I’m so so glad to hear that!
Love it
I would like to have the recipe so I can practice making it , iis there any way I could get a book about baking anyway?
Looks like yumidication to me
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..
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
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. 😁
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!
DELICIOUS 😋 and EASY My kids gave our tacos 🌮 a 10/10⭐️ Reminds us of our local favorite restaurant in our town! ❤️
So you don’t use any seasoning in the beans? Just brown beans and hamburger?
Yep!
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!
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.
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.
Plain flour or self rising flour ?
Plain flour works great for this one!
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
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!!
This fry bread is so good! We love it when we make Navajo tacos!
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!
I love these!! It is fun to make these at home. Brings the fair right to your home
This turned out great and was pretty easy to put together ! Instead of bacon I put ham in and cooked in crockpot and I put a little bit of taco seasoning in my hamburger added salsa and cilantro and cheese ! Not a lettuce person but that’s what is good about this recipe you can add or take away
Yes, you can definitely customize it a bit! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing what you did!
These look so good, however I have always been intimidated by frying. Given the importance of keeping the frying temperature consistent and not frying at too low or too high of a temp, can you advise me as to what the best temperature is for frying? Thank You in advance for your help!
Frying can seem intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, it’s so fun! And so tasty! 🙂 I’d suggest heating the oil to the 350-365 degree range.
Where did you get the small roller? I need that in my life 😅
It’s so handy! You can find it on Amazon.
Yummy! I’ve been told that the Dineh people (Navajo) make the hole in the center to let out the evil spirits. Also, they really like to use the Bluebird brand of flour if you can find it.
Oh that’s really cool! I didn’t know that. Thanks for sharing!
How many fry bread would you say this recipe yields?
This recipe is for about 6 servings…. but the number of fry breads depends on how large you make the bread. You could roll them out smaller and have a couple each or you could make them larger and only have one. Whatever your preference is!
First time making it and we enjoyed it very much I’m making it again for tonight this is going to be a recipe that I make again and again
That makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much for trying the recipe! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I’ve tried this recipe twice and I like the bread. My dough is always really sticky. I use the exact amounts according to the recipe. Is there a way for it to be not so sticky?
Weather and location really can affect baking, so you could try adding a little more flour in until it isn’t quite so sticky. You don’t want to use too much or the fry bread will be dense, but you could add it tablespoon at a time until it is a better consistency and see if that helps!
Hi! I thought I followed the directions snd measurements correctly, but my dough is so sticky it will not form into balls. It’s sticks to everything. Any suggestions? Thank you!!!
I would suggest adding in a little flour until the dough doesn’t feel so sticky. You don’t want too much flour, but weather/altitude/etc. can affect the amount of flour needed, so if you feel like it’s too sticky, add small amounts of flour (1-2 tbsp) at a time until you get a better consistency.
To anyone who has never made these….the dough is a fine recipe, but PLEASE take a tape measure and see what a1/2 an inch really looks like. Its MANY times thicker than these should be. If you look at the video you will see that they MIGHT be 1/16 of an inch, paper thin, by they time they are fried.
Thanks for your feedback!
That’s a great point and I agree. Mine were not as thick as recipe suggested and turned out great. 👍
One/third of my screen is adds. Several are distracting videos. Others change. They pop up in your text. I do not know whether to click for your links in fear that I will be linking to an ad site.
Can’t stay.
Made my first Indian fry Bread ❤️ Instead of ground beef, I substituted it with ground turkey. It was still delish
Ground turkey sounds like a great alternative to ground beef. I’m so glad it turned out well for you!
Tasty bread but was somewhat tough. Tell me how to make it better. Thank you
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out the way you had hoped. Sometimes bread turns out tough when it is kneaded too much. Once you mix the ingredients together to form the dough let it sit for 5 minutes and then you can form it into the dough balls. Hope this helps!
I need to know how much of each ingredient so that I know how many fry breads the recipe will make. I feel it is important to give complete directions
The ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. They are
2 c flour
3/4 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 c warm water
This amount of ingredients should make 6 fry breads. Hope this helps!
What kind of oil to use to fry?
I usually use vegetable oil for frying. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
The ads in you site have pushed me away. To many recipe sites to deal with it.
I will look in to that. Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
This sounds yummy, could you substitute another kind of flour? Almond possibly?
You could try substituting almond flour or Bob’s 1 to 1 flour. The taste might be slightly different because of the type of flour you are using but I think it’s worth trying out. Let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear!
Is this all-purpose flour?
Yes it is. 🙂 I hope you enjoyed the recipe!
have you tried rolling it out thinner, putting burger, cheese, and beans on it, close it over, like a half moon, seal then fry? then top with lettuce…
I have not tried it that way but it sounds divine! How did it turn out?
Your site has way too many pop up adds. I’ll find this recipe somewhere else.
Is there any way to make this gluten free? I remember making this when my kids were small, all grown and gone now. I now after all these years can no longer have gluten. Big change is all I can say
You can use one of a variety of brands of flour substitutes. I don’t know if you have a brand that you like more than others but you can experiment with different types of gluten-free flours to see which one tastes the best to you. Some gluten-free flours are almond based, rice based, bean based, etc. so the taste and texture will be a little different than regular flour. I would probably try Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour as a substitute first to see how you like it. Hope this helps!
Super ez!
Came out perfect!
Went with the poke, prod & stretch method in leu of using a rolling pin.
Sounds like a great method! I’m so glad they turned out perfect for you!
Love this – is pretty much the recipe that I have used for our large family get togethers – but on a larger tripled recipe for a large group. Seeing some of the comments – I think some do not understand the feel of the dough – not to sticky, not to dry. I never roll mine out but rather use my floured hands to pat them out. My daughter-in-law of spanish descent makes them from my recipe, but as she is used to making fresh tortillas – she always rolls them out and over works them making them thick and hard. But the family still loves them!!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks so much for sharing your tips on the feel of the dough. That is so helpful! Thanks for trying it!
Fantastic. Used chicken instead of beef!
Beef would be a great option too! I’m so happy you liked it. Thanks for sharing!
So yummy and so easy to make!
Glad you think so 🙂 Thank you!
We make these (Navajo tacos to us) almost weekly! This recipe is so much easier and faster than trying to whip up bread dough go fry! So yummy!
Love this recipe! We have it on repeat at our house
Such a fun new idea for Taco night!! My daughter requests these all the time! Make sure to save one to dip in cinnamon and sugar!
We loved it
Some don’t realize or know to flour their hands prior to making the balls. May want to add that! Awesome simple recipe! My whole family loved it! I’m making more this morning with powdered sugar! Thanks for the recipe!
Glad to share 🙂 Happy your family loved it! Thank you!
I love Indian bread. On this recipe it doesn’t say if it is self rising flour or all purpose, could you please let me know what one to use? Thank you.
I use all-purpose flour 🙂 Hope you like it!
I made this for the first time and my family loved it ! It was easy ! And I will make this again @
Yay!! Happy you liked it! Thank you!
Try it as bread for cold roast beef sandwiches. Traditionally it would be eaten with left over mutton while herding sheep. Its called a sheep herders sandwich. My mom served them at our restaurant in 4 corners area of Utah. So so good with warm bread, you’ll never want just a plain ol’ cold beef sandwich again.
I will have to try that! Thanks for sharing that!
Can someone help me figure out why mine come out crunchy rather than soft?
JusT made THIS. I was looking for a recipe my mom called hoecake when i was growing up.
she said she just mixed flour & water & fried it in bacon grease. I followed your recipe but added baking soda since i’m Out of baking powder. TURNED OUT PERFECT-very much like my mom’s hoecake. i will be trying this as navajo tacos & a sweet treat as well-also with molasses. yum!
sorry for allcaps-won’t let me change whether i have caplocks on or off!
Glad you found this recipe 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
I think as others said not enough flour. To sticky. I will make them next time with 21/2 to 3 cups flower. Then add flour as needed to finish after sitting for 30 minutes. I did make these and had to add flour to make the product workable. I have also read that not to knead this dough A LOT (like bread dough with yeast)as it can make it more chewy. I used all purpose flour next time I will use bread flour also see if there is much difference.
Did make navajo tacos tonight and everyone liked them. made some extra fry6 breads for tomorrow and added some SUGAR to the dough. These will be for snacking tomorrow. I know these are best eating fresh so see how they hold up overnight.
The flavor was wonderul, however, our Fry bread turned out heavy. Please help!
They are thicker, not a thin bread, but you could try adding a little more water & see if that helps.
The ads/videos on this site are ridiculous….you are unable to even read the recipe…its absolutely ridiculous. Why have a website when your not even able to read as your getting bombarded from every corner of the screen. MOVIN ON!!
Sorry to hear this is a bother to you. Ads on our site help bring revenue which enables us to be able to continue to provide free content and recipes for our readers. We hope you may reconsider and try a recipe or two, but understand if this isn’t for you. Thanks!
Your ratios are definitely off, but after adding sufficient flour, they turned out great.
There is something wrong with the ratio of the INGREDIENTS. As written the dough was too wet to handle. I had to work more flour into it before i could roll it out.
The ratio is definitely off. You could add a little at a time until the dough forms. I am navajo. Experience is a good teacher. It’s not supposed to be a sticky dough. It should pull away from the bowl. Mixing and kneading help to develop the gluten, which gives the dough a more workable texture. The more experienced bread makers dont use rolling pins, we shape it by hand. The oil should be hot enough to cook it in seconds to a golden brown, but not so hot that it burns. It will just soak up oil if sat longer than 10-15 seconds per side. Also, a lot of do season our beans. This is close, but not how I would it. Kudos for effort.
I Fixed Ththis recipe for the InDian tacos. They tasted good but they Were a little sticky. I rolled them out TO 1/2 inch thick but they WERE a little dense. Is there something I can do differently so that they won’t be so dense?
They shouldn’t be too sticky & they are a little on the dense side. Not sure what to do to make them less dense. If you add less flour, they will be more sticky & hard to roll out. Maybe they can be thinner?
Wow…this fry bread is soft, airy, & so good!! My kids love it with honey or powdered sugar! It’s an easy recipe that can be used for so many meals!
I haven’t made these forever! Now I remember why I love them so much! Every one of my kids LOVED them! Will be making them again soon!
I only made the fry bread (i make different chili topping).
i am from New Mexico and this fry bread tastes just like the fry bread we ate on the pueblos.
thank you!!
alot of other recipes add sugar for the taco and it never tasted authentic.
thank you!!
You are so welcome! Thank you for saying that!! It is a family favorite 🙂
I will give it a 4 since i haven’t actually made it yet but it looks Right tO me. My mom married A native american fellow. A famous artist, by the way. We would have fry bread often. My mom would give Us a dime or a QuaRTeR (I hOnestly don’t remember since it’s been more than 6o years. Yikes!) while we were at pOw wows and i would come back with a fry brEad the size if my head! With powdered sugar. Oh so good and fresh. Im going to make this for my grown kids tomorrOw. Wish me lUck!
Good luck & that’s awesome! Hope this is as good!
Where are your measurements for the dough?!?
They are in the recipe box 🙂
I would love to make this since my husband and I love Navajo Tacos. But he is on a no/low salt diet. I have no salt baking powder but is there a way that i can make without the salt or at least cut back on it?
You can cut it out or cut it back for sure. It’s totally up to your preference 🙂 Enjoy!!
I absolutely love Navajo tacos, and can’t wait to make this.
YOu make it sound so easy! I have to try this asap!
This bread turned out fantastic! The whole family loved it.
Wow this bread looks so light abd fluffy, and i love you used almost like a tostada.
Oh yum! Now i have to make this fry bread.
Can you use a deep fryer instead? Wasn’t sure if the consistency would be the same
I have not tried, but I would think that would be ok 🙂
we loved this fry bread!! it was so easy & soft. my kids loved it with honey or powdered sugar. Adding all the meat & toppings made it very filling & so delicious!!
One of our favorite meals. The fry bread is so easy to make. If you dont want the tradiTional meat on top you can do powdered sugar or honey. Either way its so yUmmy!
I made these last week for my family and everyone loved them! We made Navajo tacos with 4 of them, and the final two we topped with some melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Will definitely be making these again!!
Yes, we always need to make cinnamon sugar ones or powdered sugar. Thank you so much!!
Everything looks so good makes me want to try them all.
You should 🙂 I’d love to know what you think! It is all so delicious! Thank you!
I need a break for something deliciously change. Please send me recipes!!!
I’ve got delicious ones on here. I hope you find some to try!
Thanks Much❤️️❤️❤️️❤️❤️️❤️
You are so welcome! Thanks for stopping by!
How much sugar to use when making my dough?
There isn’t sugar in the dough 🙂
They are good with Wojapi, like the Native Americans do!! Wojapi is a cherry pudding the Lakota’s made!!!!!
What kind of flour do you use? Self raising is what I have.
Do I see a sauce drizzled on yours? What all did you top yours with?
We sometimes make this Cilantro Ranch dressing – https://lilluna.com/recipe-tip-deal-of-the-week-cafe-rios-creamy-ranch-dressing/, but if we don’t have time to make it we just use salsa and sour cream. Personally, I like to top mine off with beans/hamburger, lettuce, cheese, avocados, olives, and tomatoes.
I put sugar in my frybread when I make indian tacos.
I’m going to make these tonight. You don’t add any taco seasoning to the ground beef? These look great!
You can add taco seasoning if you’d like but there’s no need to. 😉
I am so sorry. I wish I knew what happened. Thanks for trying them.
Person; Be nice or say nothing at all
Can’t wait to try this! I have never heard of this!