Or Indian Fry Bread Yumminess!
Hi! Perhaps you wandered here from my scrumptious roll recipe! That is where we can find the recipe for the bread portion of this delicious dish! So when you are ready to make this divine yumminess, use the roll recipe. (There are a couple other party tricks you can do with this roll recipe, I will share with you on another day.) Let’s not get distracted: onto the Navajo Tacos!
While describing this dish for you all, I am reminded there is some work required, but you will see how quickly it comes together. 🙂
Navajo Tacos is an indulgent family favorite, and we have made it many a time for guests as well. Who can resist all the delicious taco fixings and freshly fried bread? Ummmm yum! Obvious observation here, this is not a health food (once you see the word fry–you can deduce that one!) but it sure says comfort and joy. Let’s make it!
Start with making a double batch of the soft & scrumptious rolls–roll them out (as pictured below) and then cover them while they rise. Then continue with the recipe below. I’ve given you step by step instructions mapping your way to this delectable dinner.
Spray the surface with cooking oil, take about 1/2 of the dough and roll it out…
…into a loose shape of a rectangle about 18-24 inches by 12 inches.
Now grab your pizza slicer and portion your dough. Notice the perfect cuts and shapes? Nope—not here peeps! You are just going for bigger sizes for the tacos. I’m serving around 6 people here…no perfection needed. You can also roll out individual circles. I’ve done it before, it just takes longer, but has it’s own charm. Roll the dough to around 1/4 inch thick, not too thin. There needs to be some substance to rise!
Then the other 1/2 of the dough is rolled out and sliced smaller for fry bread to be served with strawberry jam, honey, powdered sugar or Nutella (so many possibilities). You can see the pre-risen thickness better in this picture. Now cover them with a tea towel so they don’t dry while rising. They will rise over the course of 45 minutes to an hour. You can work on the meat and veggies while it’s rising.
Pictured here is the browned ground turkey, the added black beans (taken from my freezer from a pressure cooker day), and the taco seasoning with water. (You can follow the directions for your taco seasoning on the spice container) Pictured on the right, I have added a can of green chilis. There is some room here for individuality, if green chilis are not your thing, then omit them. 🙂 This will be the first layer on the fry bread.
After the dough has risen for about an hour, heat the oil (about 1 inch or more as it fills your skillet) As soon as it’s warm, fry each section of dough for just a matter of a seconds up to maybe a minute on each side. You gotta watch the heat! Your stove will vary from mine, just aim for golden brown and don’t be too surprised when the fry bread turns dark brown quickly!
See picture above.
Yea! Time to build a Navajo Taco. These are super messy! Like messy delicious, but I tried to keep it one bit tidy for your perusal! Ha! Start with the meat and beans, you can add cheese here if you like it to melt (I actually don’t think cheese is needed, but my kiddos vehemently disagree). Then add the lettuce.
Now add the veggies of your choice…tomatoes, diced mini peppers (or full size peppers–use what you have!) You can also add diced avocados, or guacamole, olives and a squeeze of lime. Yum! You know the taco fixings you like, add them! I like my Navajo Taco with a splash of salsa and a smidgen of ranch.
Yum! Get in my belly!
This dinner will bring you a few minutes of fame in your family
and with whomever you share! Seriously–so yummy! The above picture shows a double batch makes enough fry bread to go beyond dinner, dessert and have left-overs for tomorrow. If this is too much for your peeps, make a single batch. 🙂
You probably don’t have any room left for dessert, but if you do, try your smaller fry bread with honey, or Nutella or any variety of toppings. You may opt to slice it open and slather the inside with your favorite jam. My kids love to grab these on the way out the door to swim team in the morning. Enjoy the homey comfort of dessert fry bread!
Navajo Tacos
Ingredients
Dough for Making Navajo Tacos (See Soft & Scrumptious Rolls-make a double batch!)
Meat Mixture
- 2 lbs ground turkey (or beef)
- 1/3 cup Taco Seasoning
- 1 7 oz. can diced green chiles
- 2 cups black beans (can be a 15 oz can!)
Taco Toppings
- 1.5 cups grated cheese-cheddar jack or taco cheese of your choice
- 2 diced roma tomatoes or halved cherry tomatoes
- 5-7 diced mini peppers
- 1 head shredded romaine lettuce
- Ranch Dressing or Sour Cream
- Salsa
- Diced Avocado
Instructions
Create the meat mixture
- Brown Turkey in a pan on medium heat until cooked through. Add 1/3 cup taco seasoning and 1 cup water, mix well. Then bring mixture to a quick boil and immediately turn heat down to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add Black beans to meat mixture and 1 can of diced green chiles. Keep at simmer, or cover and turn off heat while prepping other taco toppings or frying the dough.
Make the fry bread
- After you have mixed up your dough, you can immediately, spray the surface of your clean counter with cooking spray, then roll out 1/2 of the dough onto the sprayed surface into the shape of a rectangle maybe 12×18 inches (will vary). Then portion your cuts with a pizza cutter according to the number of people you will be feeding. I usually cut the rest of the dough into smaller rectangles for dessert fry bread. Then cover your sliced dough with a smooth cotton tea towel allowing the dough to rise, but not dry out. Repeat this with the other 1/2 of the dough. Allow to rise for 45 minutes or so.
- Take a large and deep skillet, fill it about 1.5 inches deep of vegetable oil (your choice of which kind, but should have a high smoke point like canola oil). Heat the oil to a medium temperature. Once the oil is warm, test a small section of dough in the oil, just drop it in. The oil should bubble and the dough should grow. Frying bread is a full attention gig. You can't really walk away from fry bread, so put on some good music or a fun audio book. You will turn over the bread pretty quickly, maybe 30 seconds in, not more than one minute, depending on how hot the oil. If your bread is burning quickly—well you know what to do, turn down the oil and remove the pan for a couple minutes until the oil has cooled to a lower temperature.
- Frying the larger pieces of dough that will be used for the tacos takes a few more minutes, but still goes quickly. Just hover with tongs and make sure they don't burn. You'll get the hang of it. 🙂
Chop up & prep all your taco veggies & toppings
- Dice tomatoes, mini peppers, shred lettuce small (no huge awkward pieces) and then have fun creating your Navajo Tacos.
Build Your Taco
- Start with a large fry bread, then add meat mixture, (If you want your cheese to melt, add it between the warm fry bread and the meat mixture) Then top away! Lettuce, tomato, mini peppers, salsa, then a smidgen of sour cream or ranch. We rarely use sour cream, but I know some people love it, so this is your taco—add it! You can also add slices of avocado (or guacamole) sliced olives, roasted corn or anything that makes you feel happy. 🙂
- Now snap a quick picture and send it to your sister or co-worker, so they could wish they were with you today! Enjoy!
Join our group! We will email you when we share a new recipe! Don't worry--we also detest spam!
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
I know what I’m making this weekend for lunch. I appreciate the insightful details and flexibility in the recipe. I don’t know if I can comeback and post photos, but that’s secondary to this scrumptious dish! 😊
Kirk! Welcome! You are going to LOVE these navajo tacos! Come again 🙂
Sounds dreamy!!! I’m totally going to have to try them!!
Kayleen! You will love them and your kids will gobble them up! 🙂