The first time I had Navajo tacos was at my sister’s wedding reception. Her husband is Navajo Indian and they had a reception on the reservation he was from. I was in cooking school at the time so Matt’s mom had me help her and a few women make the food for the reception.
Frybread was of course served and it was so good.
I love the story Matt shared on his blog about wanting his mom to teach his wife how to make frybread and she instead made him learn. 🙂
These are basically big, soft, thick tortillas served with taco type toppings. You can get creative with what you like to serve them with, or just eat them plain. 🙂 They are really good with Posole as well.
And they’re even better made as a family, and young kids can even roll out the dough easily themselves.
NAVAJO TACOS
FRYBREAD:
3 cups flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 T powdered milk
about 1 1/2 cups warm water
Oil or lard for frying
Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of water, then more as needed until it comes together, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands.
If the dough seems too wet, add more flour. If it seems too dry, add more warm water.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap or tea towel and rest for 20 minutes.
(It won’t rise, so don’t worry if it looks the same).
Heat a couple inches of oil or lard in a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium high heat.
Cut dough into 8 pieces (you can make them smaller if desired as well, even mini sized frybreads).
Roll each piece into a ball then use a rolling pin to roll out.
(we like ours a little thicker than 1/4″ thick, but some people like them thinner. Try both ways to see what you like).
Fry until golden brown, then flip and continue cooking until golden brown on second side. Sometimes the middle bubbles up, I just use my tongs to push the middle down. Place warm frybreads on paper towels or on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep covered with a tea towel to keep warm.
TOPPINGS:
Ground beef or turkey
Pinto beans or refried beans
Seasonings (We like to use a little garlic salt)
Grated cheddar cheese or monterey jack
Lettuce, shredded
Tomatoes, diced
Green onions, sliced thinly
Avocados, sliced
Sour cream
Lime Wedges
Cilantro leaves
Cook ground beef or turkey and mix with beans and seasonings of choice. (Whatever you like to use for taco seasoning is fine).
Serve along with remaining toppings and the frybread.
Recipe slightly adapted from my brother in law, Matt
Ingredients
For Frybread dough:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 T baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 T powdered milk
- about 1 1/2 cups warm water
- Oil or lard for frying
TOPPINGS:
- Ground beef or turkey
- Pinto beans or refried beans
- Seasonings (We like to use a little garlic salt)
- Grated cheddar cheese or monterey jack
- Lettuce, shredded
- Tomatoes, diced
- Green onions, sliced thinly
- Avocados, sliced
- Sour cream
- Lime Wedges
- Cilantro leaves
Instructions
Make the frybread:
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of water, then more as needed until it comes together, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands.
- If the dough seems too wet, add more flour. If it seems too dry, add more warm water.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap or tea towel and rest for 20 minutes.
- (It won't rise, so don't worry if it looks the same).
- Heat a couple inches of oil or lard in a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium high heat.
- Cut dough into 8 pieces (you can make them smaller if desired as well, even mini sized frybreads).
- Roll each piece into a ball then use a rolling pin to roll out.
- (we like ours a little thicker than 1/4" thick, but some people like them thinner. Try both ways to see what you like).
- Fry until golden brown, then flip and continue cooking until golden brown on second side. Sometimes the middle bubbles up, I just use my tongs to push the middle down. Place warm frybreads on paper towels or on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep covered with a tea towel to keep warm.
Prepare toppings:
- Cook ground beef or turkey and mix with beans and seasonings of choice. (Whatever you like to use for taco seasoning is fine).
- Serve along with remaining toppings and the frybread.
