Indian Fry Bread Recipe (2024)

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Indian Fry Bread Recipe only requires a few ingredients making it super easy to make. This fry bread recipe is fried to a golden crisp and delicious with your favorite toppings.

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If you are anything like me, my entire family loves to go to the State Fair to get their Indian Tacos. With this recipe, I can easily make Indian Tacos at home for a fraction of the cost.

This simple bread recipe is loaded with flavor and made with simple pantry ingredients.

Table of Contents

  • What is Fry bread?
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Fried Bread
  • Recipe Tips
  • Are Elephant Ears the same as Fry Bread?
  • Topping Ideas
  • What Oil is Best
  • Can Fry Bread be Made Ahead of Time?
  • How to Store
  • How to Freeze Fry Bread
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Easy Bread Recipes
  • Indian Fry Bread Recipe

What is Fry bread?

Navajo Fry bread is a type of flat bread fried in oil until it is crispy on the outside. The dough gets puffy from frying and tastes delicious.

You can make this native American fry bread in just minutes.

Ingredients

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  • All Purpose Flour
  • Salt
  • Baking Powder
  • Warm Water
  • Oil for Frying

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

How to Make Fried Bread

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Step 1 – First, you need a large bowl. Add the flour baking powder and salt to the bowl and combine together. We recommend mixing with a wooden spoon.

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Step 2 – Then slowly stir in the warm water until the dough starts to form. Make sure to gradually add in the water because you may not need all of it. You don’t want to use hot water but warm water instead. Let dough sit for 5 minutes.

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Step 3 – Then roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 6 pieces.

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Step 4 – Next, roll out each piece into a approximately 7 inch wide circles that are 1/4-⅛ inch thick.

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Step 5 – Get out a large pot or cast iron skillet and add 3 inches of oil to it. Heat the oil until it’s approximately 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Step 6 – Start to fry bread dough in the oil until the dough is golden brown and starts to poofs up slightly.

  • Step 7 – Then flip the dough to fry the other side.
  • Step 8 – Line a plate with a paper towel and put the fried dough on it. This will help to drain any excess grease.
  • Step 9 – Enjoy plain or add your favorite toppings. It is delicious either way.
  • Step 10 – You can keep them warm if you wrap the bread in foil and bake.

Recipe Tips

  • Combining Ingredients – When you are making the dough, do not knead it too much. This will result in the bread being tough.
  • Thickness – You can make the thickness of the bread to suit your needs. If you are using this for tacos, I would roll the dough thinner.
  • Keep Warm – Keep the fry bread warm by putting it on a baking sheet in the oven. This is so handy if you are cooking for a crowd and need to keep it warm while frying.
  • Hot Oil – Make sure the oil is 350 degrees before frying the bread.

Are Elephant Ears the same as Fry Bread?

They are both very similar and consist of fried dough. The main difference is toppings.

Elephant Ears are normally sweet and topped with cinnamon and sugar. Navajo Fry bread is traditionally savory and can even be turned into a taco shell.

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Topping Ideas

  • Savory: Add ground beef such as taco meat to this bread. You can also add all of your favorite topping such as lettuce, sour cream and more. This bread makes delicious tacos.
  • Sweet: Powdered sugar and honey or cinnamon sugar taste amazing. My kids also like when I drizzle chocolate syrup on top. You can also serve with cups of sauce for dipping. Some ideas include: honey, chocolate, caramel or Nutella.
  • Make Indian Tacos – Use Indian fry bread to make delicious Navajo tacos. Some ideas for meat include ground beef with taco seasoning, shredded chicken, shredded beef or shredded pork. Top with black olives, beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, cheese, guacamole or salsa. Basically anything you like.
  • Check out our Indian Fry Bread Tacos Recipe.

What Oil is Best

Peanut Oil, Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil would be great for frying. It is best to use a neutral oil so the flavor of the bread is not altered.

You also need to use an hot oil with a high smoke point for frying. For example, don’t use olive oil. It does not have a high smoke point and your bread will easily burn and your house will be smoky.

As you can see, it is very important to use the correct oil when frying.

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Can Fry Bread be Made Ahead of Time?

It is best served fresh as soon as you fry the dough. If you need to make it in advance, I would suggest making the dough the day before.

Just put in a bowl and cover overnight in the fridge. Take out the next day and allow to come to room temperature.

Roll, cut and fry as normal.

I know life gets busy so if you must fry them in advance, here is a trick to reheat them. Wrap in foil to prevent them from drying out and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

How to Store

Put leftovers in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 2 to 3 days.

How to Freeze Fry Bread

Make sure there isn’t any excess oil or moisture. You may need to pat the bread with a paper towel.

Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and put in an airtight container in the freezer. It will last up to 3 to 4 months.

To reheat, place in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. I like to wrap each piece of bread in foil.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Indian fry bread the same as fried dough?

Yes, it is the same thing. It may be called something different depending on what you are making.

Why is my Indian fry bread tough?

If you knead or mix the dough to much it could cause the fry bread to be to tough.

Is Indian fry bread the same as funnel cake?

Fry bread is bubbly and chewy but funnel cake is has a layered shape.

More Easy Bread Recipes

  • The best homemade cornbread recipe
  • How to make homemade garlic bread
  • Easy Arepas Recipe
  • How to make Naan Bread

We love hearing from you. If you make this Indian Fry Bread Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.

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Review

Pin Print

Indian Fry Bread

Indian fry bread recipe only requires a few ingredients making it so easy. This fry bread recipe is fried to a golden crisp and so delicious.

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 6

Cuisine Indian

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Calories 683

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly stir in the warm water into a dough forms. Gradually add in the water until the dough is form (you may not need all the water).

  • Let the dough sit for 5 minutes.

  • Then roll the dough out slightly and cut it into 6 pieces.

  • Then roll out each piece into a approximately 7 inch wide circles that are 1/4-⅛ inch thick.

  • Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep pot until it approximately 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Fry the dough circles in the oil until the dough is golden brown and poofs up slightly (2-3 minutes). Be careful not to overcrowd the pan when frying.

  • Flip the dough and cook the other side until golden brown as well (2-3 minutes).

  • Set the fried dough on a plate lined with paper towels.

  • Continue this process until all the dough is fried and then it's ready to serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 683kcal, Carbohydrates 52g, Protein 32g, Fat 38g, Saturated Fat 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat 4g, Monounsaturated Fat 16g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 93mg, Sodium 546mg, Potassium 717mg, Fiber 7g, Sugar 3g, Vitamin A 901IU, Vitamin C 6mg, Calcium 297mg, Iron 6mg

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About the Author

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Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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Indian Fry Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Indian fry bread made of? ›

Made with simple ingredients, generally wheat flour, water, salt, and sometimes baking powder, frybread can be eaten alone or with various toppings such as honey, jam, powdered sugar, venison, or beef. It is the base for Indian tacos.

Why is my Indian fry bread tough? ›

Tips for Making Delicious Native American Fry Bread

Don't over-knead—Be careful not to knead the dough too much because the bread will be hard and tough.

Is fry bread healthy? ›

Health Problems

Fry bread can be eaten alone or as part of a meal, or can be dessert topped with butter, cinnamon and sugar or perhaps honey. Fry bread is tempting to most people because of the grease/lard/shortening ingredient and therein lies the problem. Not only is fry bread high in fat, it is also caloric.

Is fry bread the same as bannock? ›

Bannock is a fry bread

Bannock is a type of fry bread, which originates from Scotland but was eventually adopted by the Indigenous peoples of Canada, particularly the Métis of western Canada. Bannock stems from the Gaelic word bannach, which means “morsel,” a short and sweet but accurate description.

Why do Native Americans eat fry bread? ›

Credit is given to the Navajo people for creating fry bread after they were forced to make the “Long Walk” from Arizona to New Mexico. Hungry and far away from their traditional foods, they turned U.S. government rations of flour, salt, baking powder and lard into a filling bread that saved many from starvation.

What is another name for fry bread? ›

Fried dough is also known as fry dough, fry bread (bannock), fried bread, doughboys, elephant ears, beaver tails, scones, pizza fritte, frying saucers, and buñuelos (in the case of smaller pieces).

What is the difference between elephant ears and Indian fry bread? ›

Description. In my experience (eating at fairs and rodeos), fry breads are thick and 6 to 8 inches, topped with just about anything and are even turned into tacos, whereas elephant ears are thin and bubbly and about 10 to 16 inches and always served with cinnamon and sugar.

Does more oil make bread softer? ›

All fats coat flour shortening the gluten strands and making the crumb of the bread softer and lighter. Gluten is made up of two proteins called glutelin and gliadin. It is when those proteins connect that gluten is formed. Fats coat the flour inhibiting the formation of long gluten strands.

How do you fry bread without absorbing oil? ›

Once the oil is hot, add your bread. I like to rub my slice in the oil on one side just to coat, then immediately flip it over to fry thoroughly on the other side before flipping back to finish; this ensures that the second side is already glistening and ready to go, so you won't need to add any extra oil.

Is Indian fry bread the same as funnel cake? ›

Fry bread is bubbly and chewy—sort of like pizza dough or puffy pita bread—while funnel cake is bumpy and takes on a layered shape, like a bundle of yarn. Both funnel cake and Indian fry bread make appearances at state fairs and carnivals.

What age is fry bread for? ›

While “Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story” is recommended for audiences ages three to six, it's undoubtedly a book that will last on shelves well into readers' double digits. (…)

What is Navajo fry bread made of? ›

It is the traditional deep fried bread of the Navajo People in America. According to the Navajo tradition, fry bread was created from the ingredients ( flour, lard, sugar, salt) given by the US government when the natives were relocated to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico from Arizona in 1864.

What is Abannock? ›

bannock, flat, sometimes unleavened bread eaten primarily in Scotland. It is most commonly made of oats, though bannocks of barley, ground dried peas, and a combination of grains are sometimes encountered. Selkirk bannock is made from wheat flour and contains fruit.

What's the difference between scones and fry bread? ›

What Is The Difference Between Fry Bread And Utah Scones? The two are similar, but one is savory while the other is sweet. Fry Bread is typically enjoyed as part of a savory meal — usually replacing bread for sandwiches or replacing tortillas for tacos (like in Navajo Tacos).

What does Indian bread taste like? ›

Naan bread also has a buttery flavor due to the ghee and buttermilk in the dough, which adds an extra dimension of flavor compared to pita bread's more neutral taste. Naan can be used in place of pita bread for many dishes, adding a unique twist to traditional recipes.

What is Indian bread made of? ›

In Western India (including the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan) bread may be made from coarse grains such as bajra, sorghum or ragi, though wheat is the staple in these regions. The grains or cereals are usually milled into a fine powder, and mixed with a little water to make a smooth dough.

What is brown bread made of in India? ›

Brown bread is made with wheat flour. Brown bread retains the germ and bran of wheat flour. This simple brown-coloured bread is made using wheat flour, water, salt, sugar, and yeast.

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