A flat round of simple leavened dough deep-fried until puffed, golden, and chewy. A Native American staple, it is eaten with honey or powdered sugar, or topped with savory ingredients as a Navajo taco.
Frybread is a dish of the Indigenous peoples of North America, born of the flour, sugar, and lard rationed to Navajo on reservations in the 1860s; it became a cultural symbol and the base of the Navajo taco, the state dish of Arizona.
The exterior is crisp and golden while the inside stays soft, airy, and slightly chewy, faintly sweet on its own. Drizzled with honey it turns into a warm treat, or piled with beans and cheese it becomes a hearty, satisfying base.
Baking powder releases gas in the hot oil, puffing the dough into an airy, hollow interior almost instantly. The hole poked in the center lets steam escape so the round fries evenly without ballooning unevenly or staying raw inside.
Variations
Navajo taco topped version, sweet honey or cinnamon-sugar, Indian taco with chili, regional puffy styles
On the Palate
Where Frybread sits in the American flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
8 steps · 20 min
- 12 min
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- 24 min
Slowly add warm water and milk, stirring to form a soft dough.
- 35 min
Knead briefly until smooth, then cover and rest about 30 minutes.
- 44 min
Divide the dough into balls and pat each into a thin round.
- 52 min
Poke a small hole in the center of each round to help it cook evenly.
Watch outPoke a real hole clean through the center — it lets steam escape so the round puffs evenly instead of ballooning on one side and staying raw.
- 64 min
Heat oil in a deep skillet to 175C/350F.
Watch outTest the oil with a scrap of dough — it should sizzle and rise right away; too cool and the bread soaks up grease before it puffs.
- 76 min
Fry each round, flipping once, until puffed and golden on both sides.
Watch outIt should balloon and turn golden within seconds of hitting the oil — flip once when the underside is deep gold, both sides puffed and blistered.
- 83 min
Drain on paper towels and serve warm with honey or savory toppings.
