Navajo Tacos

Navajo taco topped with meat and beans with fry bread in the background

A version of a traditional Navajo Taco – fry bread topped with meat, beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Save any leftover fry bread to eat with honey for dessert!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 625kcal

Author Deborah Harroun

Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 - 2 cups warm milk
Vegetable oil, shortening or lard, for frying
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion chopped
4 oz. chopped green chiles
Salt and pepper
16 oz pinto beans, warmed
Shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc. for topping

Instructions

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add in 1 1/2 cups of the milk and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add more milk, as needed, just until it mostly comes together.
Pour the dough out onto a floured surface and bring it all together into a ball. Knead 6-8 times until it comes together and is somewhat smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
While the dough is resting, start to heat the oil (or shortening or lard) in a large, heavy duty skillet. (I like to use a cast iron pan.) Heat to 350ºF.
Divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces. Working on a floured surface, roll each into a ball, and flatten out to a disc about 5-6 inches in diameter. I find that it is easiest to flatten the ball with my hand and then pick it up and stretch it to the right size. You can also use a rolling pin to roll the dough.
Working with just a couple pieces at a time, drop the dough into the hot oil and fry until it is golden brown on one side, then flip and fry the second side. It should take about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
To make the topping, add the ground beef to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. When it starts to brown, add the onion, and continue to cook until the ground beef is cooked through and the onion is soft. Stir in the green chiles and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, top a piece of the fry bread with some of the ground beef mixture, the warmed beans, and toppings of your choice.

Notes

This recipe makes enough for 2 pieces of fry bread for each serving. We like to have one topped with the ground beef mixture, and one topped with honey or powdered sugar for dessert.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide. Nutrition information does not include toppings.

The nutritional value for frying oil is based on a retention of 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Cooking time and temperature can cause this number to change.

Nutrition