In my kitchen, recipes have to earn their place by working in real life, not just looking good online. With decades of making Fry Bread for my own family and friends, you can rest assured that you will be creating memories around your table too. That’s why I love sharing this 3 ingredient bread recipe—it’s fast, easy, and family-approved.
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Frybread can be called so many things. I grew up calling them Scones but had roommates who called them Navajo Taco Bread or Indian Frybread. Fry Bread is a Native American Bread that has been carried down from generation to generation and made with simple ingredients of flour, water, salt, and a little hot water.
As a kid I enjoyed them as a treat with butter, powdered sugar and honey and oh how I loved them. Never knowing how amazing this delicious Fry Bread could be with savory toppings, I only knew the sweet taste of these scones.
Of course, as I got older and being offered a Navajo Taco my eyes were opened to the possibilities! I also enjoy some of this taco dip to serve with fry bread too. Simple, easy and very tasty.
Sweet or savory you can't go wrong with how you serve this recipe to your friends and family.
Scones Ingredients
- Flour - All-Purpose Flour. I've used Lehi Mills All Purpose Flour, King Author, Gold Meadow, and even generic brand All Purpose Flour.
- Baking Powder - Clabber Girl as proven well for me in baking recipes
- Salt - Redmond Real Salt is a Favorite in my home. Use code DEVOURDINNER for 15% off.
- Hot water - Tap water that is very hot. 120F degrees
- Oil - I prefer to use vegetable oil for frying scones in a heavy frying pan or cast iron pan.
The Must Haves for Fry Bread
Some of my favorite kitchen tools to make this recipe a bit easier.
- Glass mixing bowl - Large enough to mix the dough, not too big its hard
- Cutting Board - Standard cutting board for cutting dough on
- Kitchen Scrapper - Easy tool to shape dough and cut into smaller dough portions
- Fry Pan - Can't go wrong with a Circulon pan
- Tongs - That oil is hot! Use tongs, trust me!
Let's Make It! Indian Fry Bread
The best way to cook Fry Bread is on the stovetop over-controlled heat, or in a Dutch Oven using a Camp Chef when camping. The key is to controlling the heat. Oil will cool quickly with dough placed in it. Keep a steady heat source to maintain temperatures for best frying of bread.
- In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt and stir to mix evenly
- Add hot water and stir with a spoon. You can also mix with your hands. Dough will be a little sticky.
- Form into a ball and allow to sit covered for 45 minutes. This allows the dough to rest, the baking powder to become active and the glutten in the dough to relax
- Separate dough into 12-16 balls. I like to use a stainless steel scraper to cut dough.
- Using the palms of your hands and fingertips, press each dough into a circle and work with your fingertips to a thin round circle about 4-5 inches in diameter
- Heat oil in Fry Pan or cast iron dutch oven on stove over medium
- Add one piece of bread at a time in hot oil and allow to cook until golden brown and then flip. About a minute on each side *variable for how hot oil is heated.
- Remove from oil and allow to drain on paper towels.
Prepping Fry Pan or Dutch Oven with Oil
- Using a Frying Pan or Cast Iron Skillet fill the bottom of the pan with oil to fill about 1 inch and allow to get hot over Medium/High heat.
- To test, drop a small piece of dough into the hot oil. It should bubble and sizzle. If not allow to heat longer and test again
- Place rounded flattened dough into hot oil carefully and allow to fry on one side until golden brown.
- Flip using tongs and fry other side to a golden brown. Remove from oil to paper towels to drain.
The recipe is simple but that is the beauty of it. Fry Bread can be served sweet or savory and everyone loves it.
What is Fry Bread?
Frybread is a flat dough bread that is deep-fried in oil or lard. This simple 3 ingredient recipe is eaten alone or with a variety of toppings from sweet to savory.
Native American fried bread and can be made with yeast and cornmeal while other recipes call for lard, shortening, or another type of fat. This will vary depending on where you are located and the availability of ingredients.
While driving through Arizona recently I stopped along side of the road at a vendor of a sweet little family making these fresh served with Honey Butter. Watching their techniques in flattening the dough and quickly frying reassured me that this recipe was spot on.
5-Star Review
"I have been making Indian fry bread tacos for years and been looking for the perfect recipe and I have to say hands down this is my families favorite. Light and airy."
~Jackie
Kitchen Q&A's
Fry Bread will come out hard if you over mix or knead the dough. Mixing or over kneading will develop the gluten too much and result in tough fry bread. Only mix the dough to incorporate all the ingredients but not more.
Both Fry Bread and Sopapillas are traditional fried breads. The main difference is how the dough is prepared prior to being fried. The recipe is the same.
When dough bakes carbon dioxide creates bubbles in the bread which make it light and airy.
Indian Fry bread is made from a simple dough of flour, baking powder, salt and warm water. It is fried in oil until golden and puffy.
Fry bread is a Native American bread made with a simple unleavened or lightly leavened dough. Fried dough (as in county fair style) often uses yeast and is sweeter and doughier.
Vegetable oil, canola oil, or lard are all traditional choices. The oil should be at 350–375°F for the bread to puff properly without absorbing too much grease.
Yes, though the texture differs slightly — air fried fry bread is less crispy on the outside. Brush with oil and air fry at 375°F for 6–8 minutes, flipping halfway.
How to Serve Fry Bread
Trust me, serving Fry Bread is the least of your worries. Having enough friedbread on the other hand is always a challenge. It's just so good.
Served with Powder Sugar and Honey is a perfect snack or treat. Or toss into a cinnamon sugar mixture right out of the oil is a family favorite too. And of course with savory toppings like tender beef in taco seasonings loaded with lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream, cheese, and avocado is an amazing meal.
- Dust with Powdered Sugar and serve with Honey Butter
- Coat in a Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- With Fresh Berries and Whipped Whipping Cream
Looking for a more savory option? Look no further, serve with Navajo Tacos a savory tender meat loaded with flavor and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheeses, olives, sour cream, and more. You might also enjoy making homemade refried beans too.
How to Reheat Indian Fry Bread
Fried is easy to reheat. Wrap bread in foil and place in oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until dough is hot to the touch. I do not recommend using the microwave as the bread tends to turn chewy. You could also put in an air fryer for 1-2 minutes at 350F degrees to reheat as well.
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Want more Delicious Savory Recipes like this one?
- Air Fried Hamburgers
- Huli Chicken
- Hot Pockets Air Fryer
- Mango Pineapple Smoothie
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
- Homemade Chicken Taquitos
- BBQ Chicken Tostadas
- Ground Turkey Tacos
- Meatball Enchilada Casserole
- Sweet Salsa Chicken
- Pork Street Tacos
- Chicken Taquitos
Have a Sweet Tooth? Try these Sweet Recipes!
- Recipe for Better Than Sex Cake
- Pumpkin Dip Recipe
- Scrumptious Banana Bread
- Coconut Lime Zucchini Bread
- Cream Cheese Lemon Pound Cake
- Lemon Pull-a-parts
Simple Fry Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Flour - All Purpose
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cup Hot water
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt and stir to mix evenly
- Add hot water and stir with a spoon. You can also mix with your hands. Dough will be sticky.
- Form into a ball and allow to sit covered for 45 mins
- Separate dough into 12-16 balls
- Using the palms of your hands and fingertips, press each dough into a circle and work with your fingertips to a thin round circle about 4-5 inches in diameter
- Heat oil in Fry Pan on stove over medium/high heat OR Instant Pot on Saute until it reads "hot"
- Add one piece of bread at a time in hot oil and allow to cook until golden brown and then flip. About a minute on each side *variable for how hot oil is heated.
- Remove from oil and allow to drain on paper towels.
Notes
- Butter, powdered sugar, and honey
- Whipped cream and fresh fruit
- Cinnamon and Sugar
- Seasoned meat with lettuce, cheese, avocado, tomatoes, sour cream etc
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Nutrition
Michelle Woods
If all of the dough is not used, can the remaining amount be refrigerated? I was using store bought pizza dough to fry in pieces and sprinkling with cinnamon and sugar. TIA 😊
Devour Dinner
Hi Michelle, It sounds like you are using store bought dough which should be able to be refrigerated. Enjoy the fry bread!
Jackie
I have been making Indian fry bread tacos for years and been looking for the perfect recipe and I have to say hands down this is my families favorite. Light and airy.
Marry Rizzo
I grew up eating fry bread my parents were American Indian
Karen ford
We called it both but I lobe scones with cinnamon sugar and honey. We would get them every year at pioneer village in California. Big giant ones. So yummy!!
K
I thought a scone was a hard, dense cookie like treat...and I've been eating scones for years. Fry bread is more fluffy and not at all as dense as a scone. Wonder how Webster describes it ....?
Devour Dinner
Hi Storm Chaser Babe, depending on the region, fry bread are often called scones. Funny how different parts of the country refer to similar recipes so differently.