A crispy, golden fry bread with a soft, chewy center is the base for these crowd-pleasing Fry Bread Tacos. Each piece is piled with refried beans, seasoned taco meat, shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, cheese and diced avocado for a satisfying, hands-on meal the whole family will love. This simple Fry Bread Taco recipe comes together quickly and is perfect for weeknights or casual gatherings.
Also called Indian fry bread, fry bread is remarkably easy to prepare. With just a few pantry ingredients you can have the dough ready and the tacos on the table in about 30 minutes. My kids request these regularly, and I often make them for friends and family because they’re simple, flavorful and always a hit.
Making Fry Bread Tacos
Start by mixing a basic five-ingredient fry dough: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and warm water. Let the dough rest briefly while you prepare the taco meat—ground beef works well, but shredded chicken or pork are great alternatives. When the oil is hot, shape the dough into small rounds and fry until puffed and golden on both sides.
Assemble the tacos by spreading refried beans on each fry bread, followed by a generous scoop of taco meat. Top with shredded romaine, plenty of cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, salsa, avocado and a dollop of sour cream. The combination is hearty and full of contrasting textures—crispy, creamy and fresh.
Fry Bread Taco Recipe
Below is an easy-to-follow recipe card with ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions so you can make Fry Bread Tacos at home. This recipe serves six and can be adapted with your preferred taco protein and toppings.
Fry Bread Tacos
Ingredients
Fry Bread Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2–3 cups oil (for frying)
Fry Bread Toppings
- 1 pound seasoned taco meat
- 2 cups refried beans
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 avocado, diced
Instructions
Fry Bread
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add warm water and mix until a soft dough forms and pulls away from the bowl. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
- Heat oil in a medium skillet to about 325°F (use a thermometer if possible).
- Divide the dough into golf-ball-sized portions. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each piece into a thin circle using your hands or a rolling pin.
- Fry each dough round 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and keep warm until ready to assemble.
Fry Bread Tacos
- Spread refried beans on each fry bread, add taco meat, then top with lettuce, cheese, salsa, avocado and sour cream. Serve immediately while fry bread is warm.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 47 g |
Protein: 16 g |
Fat: 14 g |
Sodium: 1118 mg
This versatile recipe is easy to adapt. Swap the meat for shredded chicken or pork, add extra vegetables, or offer different salsas and hot sauces for guests to customize their tacos. Fry bread also pairs well with sweet toppings if you want a dessert version.
Other Simple Fam Favorite Meals:
- Cast Iron Skillet Burgers
- Spinach Ricotta Pasta
- Chicken Taquitos