This Native American Fry Bread classic is deliciously fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It takes only 4 ingredients to make and it’s quick. Use as a vessel for tacos or something sweet, like a blackberry sauce.
Watching Pocahontas again, I got really inspired by the food shown and wanted to try some Native American food. I came across this recipe for Native American fry bread and it looked easy enough to make.
It is very similar to a tortilla dough, but almost twice the amount of baking powder. But when I put it in the oil, it ballooned in size. It was very satisfying to watch. It’s almost like frying donuts, but there is no yeast involved.
I saw that people used them like tortillas in tacos but also covered them in powdered sugar with some jam. I went with the latter since I love making homemade jam, but I don’t doubt it will be delicious with a taco filling.
It was really easy to make. Check it out below!
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Ingredients for Fry Bread
To make this Navajo treat, you will need:
- Flour. All-purpose flour works the best
- Baking powder. Fry Bread uses baking powder to puff up in the oil. This gives it the iconic shape.
- Salt
- Non-dairy milk. Use any unsweetened and unflavored non-dairy milk as you like. I like using soy milk. You can also use dairy milk if you like.
- Oil for frying. Use a neutral flavor oil, such as canola, sunflower, or safflower. You just need enough for 1-2″. This gives the fry bread room to puff up.
You can use the fry bread as a vessel for both sweet or savory toppings. I went with a homemade blackberry sauce. If you decide to make it, the ingredients are:
- Blackberries. You can use any berries available to you. Use the same amount of strawberries, rasberries, or blueberries for your sauce. You can use frozen or fresh.
- Lemon juice. This helps break down the berries and also acentuates the flavor of the berries itself.
- Sugar.
- Cornstarch. A cornstarch slurry is used in case your sauce does not thicken enough.
Storing It and Extra Tips
These are best when eaten right out of the fryer. They get kind of chewy and hard once they sit around for a while.
But you can make the dough ahead of time. Just cover it in plastic wrap and let it rest overnight in the fridge. Take it out and let it come to room temp, then proceed with the recipe. The recipe makes 4 fry bread in total.
If you do end up frying all of them at once and can’t eat them all, place them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Want More?
Try Out Similar recipes below:
Fry Bread
Materials
- 1 cup flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat oil to 350°F
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- Add milk and stir with a spatula until a dough forms.
- Turn onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 3-4 times until the dough comes together.
- Cut into four pieces and form into balls. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a circle (about 1/4" inch thick). Make a depression into the middle because they will puff up in the oil.
- Carefully fry 1 or 2 at a time for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
- Drain on paper towels. To serve, either use as a base for a taco or dust with powdered sugar and serve with jam (see recipe below).
Blackberry Jam
Materials
- 3 cups blackberries
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp cornsatrch
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Place blackberries, lemon juice, water, and sugar into a pot and bring the heat to medium.
- While it cooks, mash the berries. Cook until it thickens. Remember it will thicken as it cools.
- If it's too thin, add a cornstarch slurry. If it's too thick, add more water.
- Once ready, pour into a jar and cool in the fridge. It will last one week.
I hope you try this recipe. If you tried this recipe, let me know in the comments below.