Frybread Breakfast
intro
Crispy, pillowy golden frybread piled high with fluffy eggs, savory sausage, melted cheddar, and bright salsa for a warm, hearty, satisfying start to the day.
Ingredients
Steps
Mix frybread dough
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon (12g) baking powder, and 1 teaspoon (5g) fine table salt until evenly combined. Pour in 3/4 cup (180ml) warm whole milk (105°F / 40°C) and 2 tablespoons (28g) melted unsalted butter, then stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, soft dough forms with no dry flour pockets; do not overmix, as this will make the frybread tough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to relax gluten.
Cook breakfast sausage
Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat (350°F / 175°C) for 2 minutes until warm. Add 1 lb (450g) bulk breakfast sausage, breaking it apart into ½-inch crumbles with a heatproof spatula as it cooks. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is fully browned, crispy at the edges, and has no remaining pink spots. Transfer cooked sausage to a paper-towel lined plate to drain excess grease, and set aside.
Fry the frybread rounds
While the sausage drains, heat 2 cups (480ml) vegetable oil in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C) on a clip-on candy thermometer. Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions (about 115g each), then pat each portion into a 6-inch wide, ¼-inch thick round, poking a ½-inch hole in the center of each round to prevent uneven puffing during frying. Carefully lower one dough round into the hot oil at a time, frying for 1.5 minutes per side until deep golden brown and crispy on both sides. Transfer fried bread to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain excess oil, and sprinkle each hot round with a tiny pinch of fine salt.
Scramble the eggs
Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of rendered sausage grease from the used cast iron skillet, then return the skillet to medium-low heat (325°F / 160°C). Crack 8 large eggs into a medium bowl, add a pinch of salt (about 1/8 tsp), and whisk until completely smooth with no streaks of separate egg white. Pour the whisked eggs into the heated skillet, then cook, stirring gently with a silicone spatula every 10 seconds, for 3 to 4 minutes until soft, fluffy, moist curds form with no runny liquid remaining. Remove the skillet from heat immediately to prevent eggs from turning rubbery.
Assemble base toppings
Place one warm frybread round on each of 4 dinner plates. Top each frybread evenly with ¼ of the fluffy scrambled eggs, ¼ of the drained crumbled sausage, and ¼ cup (28g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese; residual heat from the eggs and sausage will melt the cheese into a gooey layer in 1 minute. Top each portion with 2 tablespoons (30g) mild tomato salsa, spreading it slightly over the cheese.
Garnish and serve
Sprinkle each assembled frybread with 1.5 teaspoons (1.5g) of chopped fresh chives for a bright, mild onion flavor. Serve immediately while the frybread is still crispy and all toppings are hot, as the bread will become soggy if left to sit with toppings for more than 5 minutes.
Tips
2.Always use a thermometer to check frying oil temperature: oil below 375°F (190°C) will make frybread absorb excess grease and turn soggy, while oil above 375°F (190°C) will burn the bread exterior before the center cooks through.
3.Customize toppings to taste: swap breakfast sausage for crumbled bacon, roasted veggies, or black beans for a vegetarian version, or add a dollop of sour cream or hot sauce for extra flavor, always adding cheese while toppings are hot for the best melt.
OMG this hearty frybread breakfast was an absolute hit at our neighborhood potluck last weekend! I made a double batch, topped half with eggs and bacon for the savory folks and a drizzle of honey for anyone who wanted a sweet twist, and every last piece was gone in 15 minutes. It’s so easy even my teen who burns toast helped mix the dough! 10/10 will be making this again for our next camping trip.
Game changer! I’ve been making frybread my whole life but never thought to load it up with all the breakfast fixins like this. Cook time was spot on 30 minutes even when I fumbled a little flipping the bread, came out crispy on the outside, fluffy inside. My husband said this is better than the diner breakfast we drive 20 minutes for on Sundays. Already added the ingredients to my weekly meal prep list!
Super easy and cheap to make in my tiny dorm kitchen! I didn’t have a fancy rolling pin so I just flattened the dough with a clean soda can, fried it up in my little countertop skillet, and topped it with microwaved scrambled eggs and shredded cheese. Way better than the sad dining hall breakfast, saved me so much money this week. Only thing is I burned my first piece a little ‘cause I had the heat too high oops
SO good! I prepped a batch of these on Sunday and kept the fried bread in an airtight container, then just warmed it up in the toaster oven each morning before adding eggs and avocado for a quick grab-and-go breakfast. Held up perfectly all week, no sogginess at all. Perfect for busy work mornings when I don’t have time to cook from scratch. Will be a regular in my rotation!
Made this for my kids before their early soccer practice Saturday, and they loved it! I added a little green chile on top for a kick, paired it with some hash browns, and even the kids’ coach asked for the recipe when he dropped them off. Super filling, kept them full through their whole game no mid-practice snack runs needed.
This was so easy to throw together for my out-of-town guests this week! I was worried frybread would be fussy but the instructions were super straightforward, came out perfect on the first try. Only note is I used whole milk instead of what the recipe called for because that’s what I had on hand, and it still turned out fluffy and delicious. Everyone raved about it, asked for the recipe before they left!