Navajo Tacos (Indian Frybread Tacos)
Frybread is the canvas. The toppings are the painting.
Why this dish belongs to Southwest
Navajo tacos (also called Indian tacos or frybread tacos) are a Native American dish that emerged from a complicated history: in the mid-1800s, the US government forcibly relocated Navajo people (the Long Walk of 1864) and supplied them with white flour, lard, salt, and sugar — staples they hadn't traditionally used. Native cooks adapted by inventing frybread, a yeast-free fried dough that became a survival food. By the early 1900s, frybread had spread across many Plains and Southwest tribes. The Navajo (Diné) version is most associated with the dish today; it's also commonly called 'Indian taco' on reservations and at powwows. The format: frybread (large, soft, slightly crispy) topped with chili (usually beef + beans), lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and pickled jalapeños — eaten with hands and a fork. South Dakota named Indian Tacos the official state dish in 2022. New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah also serve them widely. The dish is bittersweet — celebrated as a Native American culinary contribution but also a reminder of the food displacement that prompted its creation. This is the home version.
Method · 12 steps
- 1
Make the frybread dough: in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and powdered milk (if using). Add warm water and stir until shaggy.
- 2
Knead in the bowl for 3-4 minutes until smooth. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
- 3
While dough rests, make the chili: brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
- 4
Add diced onion to the beef and cook 4 minutes until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- 5
Add taco seasoning, drained pinto beans, tomato sauce, and 1/2 cup water. Stir to combine. Simmer 10 minutes until thickened.
- 6
Set up the toppings bar: shredded lettuce, diced tomato, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, olives, jalapeños, cilantro, lime.
- 7
Cook the frybread: heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet to 350°F. (Slightly cooler than other fried dough — gives a chewier frybread.)
- 8
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal portions. Pat each into a flat round about 8 inches across and 1/4 inch thick. Some cooks poke a small hole in the center to ensure even frying.
- 9
Carefully slide one frybread into the hot oil. Fry 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and puffy. Remove with tongs to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- 10
Repeat with remaining dough portions.
- 11
Build: place a frybread on a plate. Top with about 1/2 cup of chili. Layer with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, salsa, olives, jalapeños, cilantro. Squeeze lime over the top.
- 12
Eat with hands and fork. Frybread can fold or tear; embrace the messiness.
Chef's notes
- →Frybread oil should be 350°F — slightly cooler than other fried doughs. This gives the chewy interior and lightly crispy outside.
- →Don't poke too many holes in the dough. One small hole in the center for steam release is fine; multiple holes = unfly bread.
- →Powdered milk is optional but traditional. Adds a subtle richness. Sub 1/4 cup whole milk for the powder + reduce water to 3/4 cup.
- →Make extra frybread. Leftovers reheat as a breakfast frybread (drizzled with honey) or as a sandwich base.
- →Use 85/15 ground beef for proper chili — 90/10 is too lean, 80/20 too greasy.
Storage
Frybread is best fresh. Reheat in 350°F oven for 5 minutes if needed. Chili keeps 4 days refrigerated; freezes 3 months.
Frequently asked
- Are Navajo tacos and Indian tacos the same?
- Yes. The dish is called both names interchangeably. Navajo (Diné) is the largest tribe associated with frybread in the Southwest, but the dish exists across many tribes — Sioux frybread, Lakota frybread, Cherokee, Apache. 'Indian taco' is the more pan-tribal name; 'Navajo taco' is region-specific.
- What's the history of frybread?
- Frybread emerged in the mid-1800s when the US government forcibly relocated Native peoples and supplied government rations of white flour, lard, and salt — foods Natives hadn't traditionally used. Native cooks invented frybread as a way to use these unfamiliar ingredients. The dish is celebrated as a Native culinary innovation but also a reminder of the trauma that prompted its creation.
- Why is frybread sometimes considered controversial?
- Some Native voices have noted that frybread is a colonial food, born from forced government rations and contributing to modern health issues (diabetes, obesity) on reservations. Other Native chefs and writers celebrate frybread as a survival food and cultural symbol. Both views are legitimate.
- What's the difference between frybread and a tortilla?
- Frybread is yeast-free, baking-powder-leavened, FRIED in oil — so it puffs and gets crispy edges. Tortillas (corn or flour) are griddle-cooked, not fried — so they're flat and pliable. Frybread is also typically thicker than a tortilla (1/4 inch vs 1/16 inch).
- Can I make this without ground beef?
- Yes — sub 1 lb of ground turkey, ground chicken, or vegetarian crumbles. Or skip the meat entirely and use 2 cans of refried beans for a pinto bean base. The dish is flexible; the frybread is the constant.
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