Fry Bread (Navajo)
intro
Crisp, golden, pillowy traditional Navajo fry bread, a beloved Indigenous Southwestern staple perfect for sweet or savory toppings.
Ingredients
Steps
Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (12g) baking powder, and 1 teaspoon (5g) fine salt until fully evenly combined, about 30 seconds of mixing.
Mix and knead dough
Pour 3/4 cup (180ml) of 105°F (40°C) warm water and 1 teaspoon (5ml) vegetable oil into the dry ingredient bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, lumpy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead gently for 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, adding up to 1 extra tablespoon of flour if needed to prevent sticking.
Let dough rest
Form the kneaded dough into a single smooth ball, place it back into the mixing bowl, cover the bowl with a clean cotton kitchen towel, and let it rest at room temperature (68-72°F/20-22°C) for 15 minutes to relax gluten for easier rolling. Use this rest time to prep your frying setup to cut down on total cook time.
Portion and shape breads
After resting, divide the dough into 4 equal portions (about 110g each). Roll each portion between your palms into a smooth ball, then use a floured rolling pin to roll each ball into a 6-inch (15cm) wide, 1/4-inch (6mm) thick flat circle. Poke a small 1/2-inch hole in the center of each flattened dough round to prevent uneven puffing during frying.
Heat frying oil
When 10 minutes remain on the dough rest timer, pour 4 cups (960ml) of vegetable oil into a deep heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, and heat over medium stove heat until the oil reaches 375°F (190°C), measured with a clip-on candy thermometer. Adjust heat as needed to hold this steady temperature, as oil that is too cool makes greasy bread and oil that is too hot burns the exterior before the interior cooks.
Fry until golden crisp
Carefully lower one dough round into the hot oil using a slotted metal spoon. Fry for 90 seconds on the first side until deep golden brown, then flip and fry for 60-90 seconds on the second side until evenly puffed and golden. Transfer cooked bread to a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain for 1 minute, repeating with remaining rounds and ensuring oil returns to 375°F between batches.
Tips
2.Monitor oil temperature closely with a thermometer: if oil drops below 350°F (175°C), bread will absorb excess oil and turn greasy, while temperatures above 400°F (205°C) will burn the crust before the center cooks.
3.Serve fry bread warm: top with honey, powdered sugar, or cinnamon for a sweet snack, or load with seasoned ground beef, beans, lettuce, cheese, and salsa for classic Navajo tacos.
OMG this fry bread is SO good! I made it for our family taco night last night and everyone went back for seconds. Even my super picky 7 year old ate two pieces plain before I even got the taco toppings out. So easy to throw together too, no fancy ingredients needed!
Game changer! I brought a big batch of this to our neighborhood potluck this weekend and people were begging me for the recipe before I even left. Served it with honey butter on the side and it was gone in 10 minutes flat. Will absolutely be making this again for every gathering from now on.
Perfect easy recipe for meal prep! I make a double batch on Sundays and it reheats beautifully in the toaster oven all week. Great for quick breakfasts with a little jam, lunch tacos, even a sweet late night snack with cinnamon sugar. 10/10, no notes.
Made this over our camp stove on our last trip out to the desert and it hit so different! Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy inside, exactly the fry bread I remember getting at roadside stands when I was a kid. So simple to make even with limited camp kitchen supplies.
I made these last night and they were amazing! Quick question though, can I use all purpose flour next time if I don’t have self-rising on hand? I ran out halfway through mixing and borrowed a cup from my neighbor but I don’t wanna bug her again next time haha.
My grandma used to make fry bread similar to this when I was little and this recipe is the first one that’s ever tasted exactly like hers! I cried a little when I took the first bite, it brought back so many good memories of summer cookouts at her house.
I had these at a friend’s house last week and they were incredible! Has anyone tried making this with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I have celiac and have been missing good fry bread so bad, I’d love to know if it works before I test it out!
Bro this recipe is so easy even I can make it and I burn toast 90% of the time. Made it for my roommates last night after we got home from the game and we demolished the whole batch in like 15 minutes. Put powdered sugar on some, taco meat on others, chef’s kiss.
Pro tip: slather these warm with honey butter and a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt. I’m not even exaggerating when I say it’s the best thing I’ve eaten all month. My husband thought I bought them from a food truck until I told him I made them from scratch!
Help! I tried making these last night and my dough was super sticky, I ended up adding way too much extra flour and they came out really dense. What did I do wrong? I really want to get this right because they tasted good even dense!
My kids loved it! I set up a little fry bread taco bar for our weekly family dinner with ground beef, beans, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and even a sweet option with cinnamon sugar and honey for dessert. The kids kept saying it was the best dinner ever, we’re adding this to our monthly rotation for sure.
Wait a second, this tastes exactly like the fry bread I get from the Navajo taco truck by my office! I thought they had some super secret family recipe, turns out it’s just this straightforward? I’m shook, I can make this at home whenever I want now? Life = changed.
I had fry bread for the first time at a festival last month and I’ve been craving it ever since! Has anyone tried making these in an air fryer? I try not to deep fry stuff super often for health reasons but I’m obsessed with fry bread and would love a slightly lighter version if it works!