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The perfect combination of airy, soft, and chewy, you NEED this homemade fry bread in your life! It’s so versatile. You can enjoy it as-is, or use it as a canvas for all kinds of tasty sweet and savory creations.
My favorite way to enjoy fry bread is with a little cinnamon honey butter, but it’s also great as a base for Navajo tacos! Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, fry bread does it all!
Navajo Fry Bread
If you’ve never tried it before, fry bread is a tasty food tradition from Native American communities, especially the Navajo. It’s super easy to whip up at home with just flour, baking powder, salt, water, and oil for frying. You flatten the dough and cook it until it’s crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. When they’re being fried, they puff up and become deliciously light and airy. You’re in for a treat!
I love fry bread so much. Not only is it super simple to make, but you can enjoy it in lots of different ways! Craving something sweet? Give it a dusting of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. It’s also great served with honey butter or caramel sauce. And if you’re wanting something savory, load ’em up with taco fixings, pulled pork, sloppy joe meat, buffalo chicken, the options are endless. Let’s take a look at the ingredients that make this iconic Native American recipe!
Fry Bread Ingredients
As if you needed any more reasons to make this tasty bread, it uses the most simple ingredients. So simple, you probably have them all in your pantry right now! (Exact measurements are in the recipe card below.)
- All-Purpose Flour: This is your go-to dough maker. It’s the main ingredient that gives fry bread its structure and chewy goodness.
- Baking Powder: Makes your fry bread all fluffy and light, like a delicious cloud.
- Salt: The flavor booster! Salt adds that extra oomph to your fry bread and keeps it from tasting bland. Even if you’re going to use sweet toppings, don’t skip the pinch of salt.
- Hot Water: Turns the ingredients into a smooth dough.
- Vegetable Oil for Frying: This oil is what turns your fry bread dough into crispy, golden deliciousness.
Homemade Fry Bread Recipe
Grab those ingredients and let’s make some tasty homemade bread! Even though the bread is fried in oil, don’t let that intimidate you. The process is super straightforward and you’ll end up with light, fluffy bread each and every time!
- Dry Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then whisk by hand to combine.
- Add Water: Pour half the water into the bowl and using a dough hook, mix the dough on medium speed, gradually add more of the water until all the water has been added.
- Rest: Once everything has come together and the dough is smooth, remove it from the mixing bowl and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rest 45 minutes to an hour.
- Shape: When the dough has rested, divide it all into 2 inch rounds. Place the rounds on a floured surface and roll them all out about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. You can either roll them with a rolling pin or flatten and stretch them using your hands.
- Fry: Add the vegetable oil to a skillet and heat it up over medium high heat. When the oil is ready, begin frying the frybread one bread at a time by carefully placing them in the oil, frying for 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove Excess Oil: The bread should puff up and be a golden brown color. When they are done, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
- Enjoy: Allow them to rest a little before serving.
Don’t Overwork Your Dough!
Be gentle when handling the dough. Overworking it can lead to tough bread. (And we want it light and soft!) Just knead it enough to bring the ingredients together.
Can Fry Bread Be Made in an Air Fryer?
Yes! Just keep in mind that it won’t end up quite as golden and crispy. Work in small batches. Add your dough to your air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Cook for 10 minutes at 330 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping halfway.
Cooking Tips
Here are a few simple ways to make sure your fry bread turns out perfectly!
- Make sure your oil is hot enough (around 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit) before adding the dough. You can test it by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil; it should sizzle and bubble.
- Fry in Small Batches: Avoid overcrowding the frying pan. Fry one or two pieces of dough at a time to ensure they cook evenly.
- Drain Excess Oil: After frying, place the cooked fry bread on paper towels to absorb any excess oil. No one likes soggy fry bread!
Fry Bread Topping Ideas
- Navajo Tacos: Top fry bread with seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream for a delicious Navajo taco.
- Powdered Sugar and Honey: Sprinkle warm fry bread with powdered sugar and drizzle honey over it for a sweet and simple treat.
- Fruit and Whipped Cream: Serve fry bread with fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and sliced bananas, topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream. It doubles as a tasty breakfast!
- Biscuits and Gravy: Pour creamy sausage gravy over your fried bread for a southern-inspired dish with a twist.
Storing Leftovers
As long as it’s in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap, fry bread will stay good at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can Fry Bread Dough Be Frozen?
Yes! Shape into balls, wrap with parchment paper to keep them from sticking to each other, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for 1-2 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw overnight and then bake as directed.
More Quick and Easy Bread Recipes
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Fry Bread
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups hot water
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, baking powder, and salt whisk by hand to combine.
- Pour 1 cup of water into the bowl and using a dough hook, mix the dough on medium speed, gradually add more of the water until all the flour has absorbed water and the texture is a slightly sticky dough that clings slightly to the sides of the mixer. I ended up using 1 3/4 cups water.
- Once everything has come together and the dough is smooth, remove it from the mixing bowl and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let the dough rest 45 minutes to an hour.
- When the dough has rested, dump it onto a lightly floured surface and divide it all into 2 inch rounds. Roll them all out about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. You can either roll them with a rolling pin or flatten and stretch them using your hands. use more dusting flour as needed.
- Add the vegetable oil to a skillet and heat it up over medium high heat. When the oil is ready, begin frying the frybread one bread at a time by carefully placing them in the oil, frying for 2-3 minutes per side.
- The fry bread should puff up and be a golden brown color. When they are done, remove them from the oil and place them on a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.
- Allow them to rest a little before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Dear Alyssa!
LOVE your site… THANKS for the Sourdough Starter Recipe! How about showing us a couple of Sourdough Recipes to go with it? Thanks again! Linda.
Hi Linda!
You could always make some homemade sourdough bread of course, or try these delicious sourdough pancakes!
In Panama they have something same like this fried bread, except they are called Hojaldras. Same recipe. It’s eaten for breakfast with egg or a “hot dog” stew and a Panamanian tortilla (totally different from the Mexican). It’s about 1/2 or 1/4 inch thick and is made with corn. I can’t find the corn, think is called hominy corn, is dry corn that has been pounded down in pieces. Goya makes it but it’s not in Miami FL.
Just made this today with leftover roasted chicken. It was amazing, followed the stovetop version. Only thing I did differently was adding 1 small yam and some spinach at the end. This is a keeper. Thank you for sharing!!
I made these and they were TO DIE FOR SERIOUSLY. Already planning to make them again.
I did some with cinnamon sugar and butter, a chicken bacon cheddar ranch combo, and then a Greek version with chicken and tzatziki sauce. SO GOOD.
The first time I tried gluten free flour because I have a sensitivity, but it ended up grainy and mehh. Not puffy. Second time around 😍😍😍😍😍
Chicken and tzatziki sounds amazing!! I’m so happy you liked the recipe!
I add a splash of vanilla.
This recipe is a reminder to me of my poor youth. Mom used to make a bread, actually more from a batter, with the addition of a cornmeal and skillet fried/baked, to make something of a “Gordita” style bread that could be folded without breaking. She then used whatever we had as leftovers to make homemade tacos. We never had much growing up, but I’ll say this, mom’s inventiveness made sure we had some o the best meals a person could put on the table for their family. Thank you Rachel.
I been making flat bread for over 60 years been making almost the same recipe . For my mom was Cherokee and growed up on this stuff been making her recipe for years I appreciate seeing these recipes being put out with this is the only basically bread that I eat thank you
So in the Caribbean “fry breakfast you call it has been around for centuries its known as fry bake…not fry bread
One of my favorite eats in the world growing up as a child and young man to adulthood.. cooked with the love from my great-grandmother to my grandmother and my mother.
They have all fallen asleep in death and now waiting the resurrection. I miss them so much.
I am now 7 years removed from this wonderful bread, with this recipe I will try to make some but I know it will never taste as good as what I used to crave and enjoy.
Thanks for the recipe. ✌️ love and happiness.
Not everyone has a stand mixer and/or a dough hook.
It can easily be made without as well!
The German cuisine names this Kueckla and its a standard accompiment to German Borscht (soup of beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage, and onions). In essence a hearty stew.
I love borscht! I’ll definitely have to try the two together!
Can this be made with GF flour?
Yes, it may just change the texture a little bit.
Isn’t this basically a recipe for sopapillas?
Yes, they’re really similar!
Hi we call this pretty much exact thing fried bake in Trinidad. It is eaten for breakfast with fried salt cod fish etc. We soak the fish a couple times to get the salt out and then fry it with tomatoes onions and garlic and hot peppers. Eaten with avocado and hot tea so yummy 😋
That sounds so delicious!
“Make sure your dough is hot enough (around 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit) before adding the dough.” I think you “mean make sure your oil”?
Good catch, thank you!
Hi, love your recipes and can’t wait to try this one.
What degrees do we use if we want to air fry these? It says 10 minutes but not the temp.
Thank you!
Thanks for catching that! It’s 330 degrees Fahrenheit.