Navajo tacos are one of those food that if you have ever eaten, then you remember because it’s so delicious! I was first introduced to them when I was 12 years old and my dad worked for a Piute Indian Reservation in Arizona.
Navajo tacos are actually incredibly controversial and can stir up some deep and emotional conversations all on their own. I won’t go into that today but instead focus on the flavors and how to make this dish.
What is fry bread?
Fry bread is a yeast risen flour dough that doesn’t need time to rise. You can mix up the dough, roll it out and either deep fry it or air fry it. It bubbles up and is almost like naan bread but without the added yogurt to the dough that naan bread has in it.
I have a recipe to air fry the fry bread or deep fry the fry bread. Air fried is for those who are a little more health concise and deep fried is more traditional. I can say that I enjoy them both ways so you can decide.
The recipe cards for both air fried fry bread and fried fry bread are attached to the end of this post or can be found here.
Navajo tacos are like a traditional ground beef taco with red kidney beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese, tomatoes, sour cream and olives but they are served on fry bread and often eaten with a fork and a knife.
What you need to make Navajo tacos:
Serves 6
- 6 pieces of fry bread – deep fried or air fried, recipe cards for both are at the bottom of this page
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 packets taco seasoning (2 ounces)
- 2 – 15 ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cheese – Mexican blend or cheddar
- 1 cup salsa – more or less to taste
- 1 head of lettuce – shredded or chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes – chopped
- 3 green onions – thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 can sliced olives (optional), drained
- Sour cream (optional)
- Ranch dressing (optional)
Instructions
- Cook fry bread according to recipe directions.
- Cook ground beef with taco seasoning, following seasonings directions.
- Drain and rinse kidney beans then heat up until warm.
- Prepare lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and olives.
- Assemble by adding taco meat to fry bread, then kidney beans, cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, olives, sour cream or ranch dressing.
- Eat with a fork and a knife and enjoy!
Navajo Tacos
Ingredients
- 6 pieces of fry bread – deep fried or air fried recipe cards for both are at the bottom of this page
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 packets taco seasoning 2 ounces
- 2 – 15 ounce cans red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cheese – Mexican blend or cheddar
- 1 cup salsa – more or less to taste
- 1 head of lettuce – shredded or chopped
- 1 cup tomatoes – chopped
- 3 green onions – thinly sliced optional
- 1 can sliced olives optional, drained
- Sour cream optional
- Ranch dressing optional
Instructions
- Cook fry bread according to recipe directions.
- Cook ground beef with taco seasoning, following seasonings directions.
- Drain and rinse kidney beans then heat up until warm.
- Prepare lettuce, tomatoes, green onions and olives.
- Assemble by adding taco meat to fry bread, then kidney beans, cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, olives, sour cream or ranch dressing.
- Eat with a fork and a knife and enjoy!
Fry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup salted butter – melted
- 3 1/2 cups flour – more for dusting a rolling dough out
- flavor neutral oil for frying
- Salt to sprinkle on top optional
Instructions
- Mix together the water, yeast, salt and sugar together.
- Add the melted butter and flour a cup at a time until the dough comes together, you may not use all of the flour or you may use a little more.
- Knead the dough together for ~3 minutes.
- On a floured surface, divide dough into 7 pieces.
- Roll each piece out into a thin sheet of dough.
- Heat oil for frying to about 350 F.
- Carefully fry each piece of dough on each side until the dough bubbles and turns golden brown.
- Place on a paper towel lined plate or wire rack and sprinkle with salt if desired.
- Enjoy!
Air Fried Fry Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup salted butter – melted
- 3 1/2 cups flour – more for dusting a rolling dough out
- Nonstick spray or oil spray optional
- Salt to sprinkle on top optional
Instructions
- Mix together the water, yeast, salt and sugar together.
- Add the melted butter and flour a cup at a time until the dough comes together, you may not use all of the flour or you may use a little more.
- Knead the dough together for ~3 minutes.
- On a floured surface, divide dough into 7 pieces.
- Roll each piece out into a thin sheet of dough.
- Place as many pieces into your air fryer as will fit without touching each other.
- Spritz each side of the dough with nonstick spray. (optional).
- Air fry on 400 F. for 5 minutes, flip dough over and cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle with salt if desired.
- Enjoy!