Recipe For Indian Fry Bread

Authentic Navajo Fry Bread

Some people say that Indian fry bread does not have yeast. I might have believed that until I saw a Native American chef make her fry bread with yeast. The truth is, there are just as many versions of Indian fry bread as there are kitchens.

Both versions of this recipe are equally delicious. So, you choose: with or without yeast. If you love working with yeast or if you want to freeze part or all of the dough, I recommend using the recipe that includes yeast.

On the other hand, if you want a fast and easy fry bread recipe, use the quick version that uses baking powder. It only takes 10 minutes to gather the ingredients and mix the dough. By the time you heat the oil and cook the dough, you will have fry bread in under 25 minutes.

Frybread Recipes From Various Tribes

Old Fashioned

• 1/2 cup shortening

• 1 cup warm water

DIRECTIONSMix flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add in the shortening and water. Add only enough water to make dough stick together. Knead dough until smooth, make into fist-sized balls. Cover them with a towel for 10 minutes then pat them out into circles about the size of a pancake. Fry in hot cooking oil in cast iron skillet until brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels, serve with jam.

Traditional

• 1/2 cup cornmeal

DIRECTIONSDissolve yeast in warm water then add salt and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes covered with a towel. Add flour and oil to liquid mixture. Mix and put on floured bread board and knead until mixture is smooth. Put dough in a greased bowl, cover with towel and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from bowl and put on bread board, knead in the 1/2 cornmeal. Make dough into 2 balls rolling each into 12-inch circles 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch squares and drop into hot cooking oil. Fry 5 to 6 pieces at a time for only a few moments. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with white powdered sugar.

Blackfeet

• 1 1/2 cups warm water

DIRECTIONSMix all dry ingredients thoroughly. Add water. Knead until soft, then set aside for one hour. Shape into small balls. Flatten each ball into a circle with or rolling pin or by hand. Fry in a skillet half-full of oil until golden brown on both sides.

Cherokee

• 2 tsp. baking powder

Chickasaw

• 1/2 cup warm milk

Pumpkin Fry Bread

Creek

• 1 tbsp. baking powder

Navajo #1

Can Fry Bread Be Made Ahead Of Time

Fry Bread is best served hot and out of the fryer. We do not recommend frying these up ahead of time. However, you can make your dough the night before, cover your bowl with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge overnight rather than on the counter for 2 hours. In the morning, take out your bowl and leave it on the counter to get to room temperature. Then proceed with recipe.

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Cut And Roll The Dough

Add enough cooking oil to a large pot so it is about 1 inch deep. Set the heat to medium. The desired frying temp is right around 350F/176 C.

While the oil is heating cut the dough into 6 to 8 pieces. I normally use my dough cutter, but you can certainly use something else to divide the dough.

Then shape the dough pieces into a ball and finally roll them out thin, pretty close to the same thickness as a tortilla. Maybe not quite as thin.

NOTE: A Sopapilla is very close to Indian Fry Bread, although traditionally those are square or rectangle and puffier than Navajo fry bread. Just one example of a similar recipe from another culture.

Can You Make Indian Fry Bread Ahead Of Time

Indian Fry Bread Tacos are one of those simple food that are best enjoyed when fresh off the pan. So I highly discouraged you from making it ahead of time, however, you can mix up the dough in advance and store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

To store in the fridge. Cover the dough ball in a plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 1-2 days.

To freeze the dough. This dough freezes well, too. In step #6, after tearing about 2-inch sized of dough balls, flash freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the balls 1/2 inch apart and freeze for 3-5 hours or until hard enough to touch. Then once frozen, transfer them into an airtight container, label, and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to use, thaw the dough balls overnight in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before rolling them out. Fry according to the directions in the recipe box below.

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Authentic Indian Fry Bread Recipe

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Authentic Indian Fry Bread Recipe is a classic Navajo recipe that is so easy to make and completely delicious. The dough is deep fried until golden brown and covered in savory toppings to make Navajo tacos, or sweet toppings like powdered sugar and honey.

Fry Bread is very common in the American southwest and it can be served up sweet or savory. No need to seek it out at a restaurant though, because its surprisingly easy to make at home.

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How To Make Indian Fry Bread Made Easy

Yummy Indian Fry Bread is a flat dough bread fried or deep fried in oil. This simple recipe is made with only a few ingredients and can be served in various ways for a sweet or savory approach. Honey, jam, powdered sugar or topped with fruit is a favorite dessert but don’t forget about Navajo Tacos where you pile on your favorite savory toppings for a full meal.

Indian Fry Bread Recipe Published March 2019 ~ Republished July 2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Thanks for using my links! See my Disclosure Policy here.

Frybread can be called so many things. I grew up calling them Scones but had roommates who called them Navajo Taco Bread or Indian Frybread. Fry Bread is a Native American Bread that has been carried down from generation to generation and made with simple ingredients of flour, water, salt, and a little hot water.

Growing up I was served scones as a treat with powdered sugar and honey and oh how I loved them. Never knowing how amazing this delicious Fry Bread could be with savory toppings, I only knew the sweet taste of these scones.

Of course, as I got older and being offered a Navajo Taco my eyes were opened to the possibilities!

As much as I love Indian Fry Bread as a sweet treat, I also love when paired with mouth-watering beef in a taco sauce piled high with my favorite toppings. How do you prefer your Indian Frybread? I’d love to hear!

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Other Taco Recipes You Will Love

Fry Bread batter is a four ingredient bread that fries up crunchy and crispy on the outside while light, tasty, light and tender on the inside.

• Total Time:35 minutes plus resting time

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sliced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 12 sliced green onions

Versatile Indian Fry Bread

Navajo Fry Bread is extremely versatile. It can be made for any meal from breakfast to dinner, snacks, and desserts.

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!

For variety, use it in place of bread or tortillas. You can also try making it gluten-free or whole grain.

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How To Make Homemade Indian Fry Bread

Bread, Recipes

Do you ever get a hankering for something different, something yummy, something simple, but oh so good you’ll immediately eat the first batch and then whip another? Oh, and it absolutely must be frugal, real food ingredients, easy, and be so scrumptious your picky eaters will ask for second. You do? Awesome, because I’ve got just that very recipe on how to make homemade Indian fry bread.

Be warned, you may want to make two batches at once or double the recipe.

I’ve heard rumors of Indian fry bread. How it makes the best tacos and puts those elephant ears at fairs to shame. But I’d never had it before. And what’s a pioneering today mamma to do? Make up a batch of homemade Indian fry bread herself, that’s what.

I went recipe hunting. Which let me tell you, there were many to choose from. My criteria was it had to be as close to traditional ingredients as I could find. A lot of recipes called for powdered milk, shortening and yeast.

Store bought yeast in the little packages has only been around since the 1940’s, not what I’d call a traditional ingredient in this form. We don’t use GMO and hydrogenated fats in our home, so any shortening recipes were kaput. Most folks don’t make homemade powdered milk and I happen to like fresh ingredients. That took a lot of options off the farm table.

Mix together the dry ingredients.

Add in the water just until the dough holds together.

Using your hands, pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball.

How To Make Navajo Tacos

If you want to make Navajo Tacos you would use your favorite taco fillings or honestly the ingredients for a 7-layer dip would be used quite a bit, and place them right on top.

Usually, beans are used either whole beans or refried beans. Those would go on top first followed by other toppings like ground beef, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, black olives, etc.

Of course back in the 1860s they didnt have all those extra toppings. These are sold all over the reservation near me, so good.

You can also find them at theme parks, and other places.

A sweet variation, and one of my favorite ways to eat the traditional Navajo Frybread, is to drizzle a little honey on it and then dust with powdered sugar.

You can put any of your favorite pancake or waffle toppings on it as well. Savory or sweet, it is up to you.

Enjoy!

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Ways To Serve Fry Bread:

Try serving this Indian fry bread with our chipotle pork chili beans. You can ladle some chili right on top of the flatbread or use the bread to sop up the thick stew.

You can also use this fry bread as a soft, thick taco shell. Try it with blackened shrimp tacos or fish tacos with slaw. Top it with Sriracha fry sauce, mango salsa, or corn salsa.

Are Navaho Tacos Similar To Mexican Tacos

For the most part, yes! They use the same toppings, but Navaho tacos are made with a shell of crispy fry bread while Mexican tacos use corn or flour tortillas.

Sometimes when Im too lazy to make all the taco fixings I slather on my Beef Queso dip and call it a day. Enjoy!

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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.

Gather The Fry Bread Ingredients

In order to make traditional Native American or Indian fry bread, you need just a handful of easy to find ingredients:

• Water milk can be used as well, but it isnt traditional. I always use filtered water, because my tap water is gross.
• Lard/Oil/Shortening Sometimes a little bit of the fat is added to the dough as well.
• Oil for frying Use your favorite type of frying oil.

Tools

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What Is The Difference Between Indian Fry Bread And Sopapillas

I feel like sopapillas are a little more well known, but what is the difference between the two?

Sopapillas are more of a decadent, dessert, type of bread that is light and fluffy. They also tend to be made smaller and have a square shape.

Fry bread is a thicker, dencer, crispier bread that is used in entrees. It is also made in a bigger portion and in a circle.

You can find a little more information about the difference between fry bread and sopapillas by Craving Home Cooked!

What Is Indian Fry Bread

You might not have heard of Indian fry bread before, so what exactly is it? Its a type of fry bread that is fried or deep-fried in oil, shortening, or lard.

To make Indian Fry Bread Tacos, you can top each flat bread with beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and your other favorite toppings.

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Traditional Indian Fry Bread

Traditional Fry bread is a flat dough bread, fried, that magically puffs like little pillows of happiness! Made with simple ingredients, this delicious authentic fry bread can be eaten alone or with various toppings like butter & honey, jam, or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

I can honestly say this recipe is a dream come true! Its not only super easy to make, but if youre a bread loving carb-a-vore like myselfthe only thing better than freshly baked homemade breadis Fried Bread!

What. Could. Be. Better? Oh I dont knowmaybe slathering it with lots of butter and then drizzling it with loads of honey!

I had never had Native American Fry Bread until we moved to Utah. Its a huge favorite at County Fairs, and the local Pow Wow event held each year by the local Native Americans, here in our beautiful State.

The first time that golden disc hit my taste budsit was LOVE!

A true deep immediate abiding love! I love bread of any kinds. I try to keep our relationship a little distant, otherwiseone of us would blow- up like the Good Year Blimp!

I assumed Fry bread would be difficult. Its notin fact its pretty easy to make and only takes a few minutes to whip up! There are multiple versions of fry bread, from yeast to sweet breads. Everyone has an opinion about this recipe, and what is original or traditional. No disrespect is intended. This is the recipe I found works best for me and is delicious.

How Do You Make Fry Bread

In medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly stir in warm water with a fork and mix until dough comes together. Cover with wrap and let rest at least 1 2 hours. This is a sticky dough so you will need to flour your hands and the working surface. Pull off a piece a little smaller than a golf ball. Roll into a ball as best you can, then pat it out like a mini pizza. You can also roll them out. They should be a little more than 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Dont worry if they are not all round or the exact same size.

In a heavy pan heat 1-2 inches of oil to 375 degrees. Fry until the bread is golden brown and puffs up. Then turn and fry the other side until golden brown. Roll and fry as you go that way if you want them thinner or thicker you can adjust accordingly. Remove to paper towels to drain and cool enough to handle.

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How To Make Traditional Indian Fry Bread For Navajo Tacos

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.

If you want to add a little fat to the dough itself you can add it now to the dry ingredients and use a pastry blender or a fork to blend it in. But this is completely optional.

Next, add about 3/4 cup of water to the dry ingredients and mix it in. I like to use my pastry blender, but a wooden spoon works great.

Add more water as needed so the dough is just slightly sticky.

Next, add a bit of flour to your work surface and knead the dough for 3 to four minutes until it gets smooth. Add additional flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. But only a little at a time, we dont want to add too much flour.

Once done, place a clean kitchen cloth over the dough and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours. It is important to let the gluten in the flour relax.

How To Make Indian Fry Bread

• Mix the dough. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
• Add water. Slowly pour in the hot water and mix constantly with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside for an hour or in the fridge overnight.
• Divide into 12 pieces. Once the dough is done resting, divide it into 12 equal-sized pieces, and stretch out thin without tearing it. It doesnt have to be perfectly round.
• Heat oil for frying. Choose a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot, or use a deep fryer. Fill the pot at least 3-inches high and heat the oil to 350.
• Fry the dough. Drop each thin piece of dough, one at a time, into the hot oil and let it puff up and turn golden brown, then flip to brown the other side. Using metal tongs, pull the piece out of the oil, letting the excess drip off, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

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