Fry Bread Recipe

4.99 from 693 votes

Fry bread or "Navajo Tacos" are crispy pillows of dough with a soft inside. Complete it by adding sweet or savory toppings!

Prep Time20

Cook Time4 5

Rest Time10

Total Time4 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings:

Author: Lil' Luna

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°F
vegetable oil for frying

Other Toppings

shredded lettuce, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, sliced avocados, shredded cheese

Instructions

Make the bean topping: 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°F. Fill a large saucepan with 1–2 inches of oil and heat over medium-high heat to about 350°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

Perfect frying. Make sure your oil stays at a consistent temperature of about 350°F. If the temp is too low, the bread will be tough. If it is too hot, the outside will burn before the inside cooks through.
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.

Nutrition