Easy Homemade Navajo Tacos - Easy Budget Recipes (2024)

Created On: September 28, 2019&nbsp|Updated: September 29, 2023| 20 Comments

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This Easy Navajo Tacos recipe serves a crowd (8 people) and it’s so tasty! This recipe will cost just $8.42 to make, and $1.06 per serving.

Hi all, Jess here. Last year my husband and I took some of our kids to hike Havasupai. It was one of the most amazing trips of my life. One of the highlights of the trip, next to the beautiful views, was the authentic Indian Fry Bread we were able to buy at the bottom of the canyon. Oh my goodness! It was delicious. I still think about it.

Two of our kids ordered Navajo Fry Bread Tacos while the other two ordered a dessert Fry Bread. Both were out of this world delicious. I love how customizable Indian Fry Bread is. You can make the fry bread, then lay out all the toppings and let your kids or guests build it how they like it. So easy!

When I came back from our trip I called Jill and Beth and asked them for tips on how to make the best Navajo tacos. I had a recipe I had used for years but wanted it to be even more authentic tasting. So together, we combined our forces to make what we think is the best Navajo Taco recipe. Well, the best recipe, next to an authentic Navajo Taco that you get at the bottom of Havasupai

NAVAJO TACO RECIPE QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

Who invented Navajo tacos?

Navajo tradition tells us that fry bread was first made in the 1860s when the government was supplying the Native Americans with flour, sugar, salt, and lard when other resources were not available.

Can I make fry bread dough in advance?

You can make the dough up to a day in advance and let it rest in a ziplock bag in the fridge. This actually helps with the bread with being lighter when you fry it up.

How do you keep fried bread warm?

To keep the bread warm while serving, place them on a paper towel-lined plate and then cover them securely with a towel.

How do you make Navajo Tacos:

Making Navajo Tacos is an easy meal to prepare that your kids can easily help you with.

1. First, mix the water, yeast, olive oil and sugar together and let it sit for at least 5 minutes.
2. Next, add the flour gradually and let it rise for at least 10 minutes.
3. Then, roll out the pieces of dough to a 4-inch circle.
4. Finally, fry each one in vegetable oil and enjoy your fry bread!

TIME-SAVING TIP:

Instead of making the fry bread dough from scratch, you can use defrosted Rhodes Rolls or Pillsbury Grands Biscuits. Just roll them into 4-inch circles and fry as per the directions below.

How to get the kids involved with this recipe:

• Ages 2-3: Let your little one pour in the ingredients into the bowl.
• Ages 4-5: Let them help you measure the ingredients and mix them in the bowl. Teach them how to use a can opener and aid them in opening the can of chili beans.
• Ages 6-8: Let your kiddo measure the ingredients and mix them together. You can also teach them how to roll out the dough to the appropriate size.
• Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Teach them safety tips when frying things in hot oil. Remember to have them read the recipe twice before beginning the recipe.
• Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Discover why we love getting the kids involved in the kitchen and more tips in our How to Get Kids Involved In Cooking article.

The flavor and Recipe Variations:

• Frybread can be served as dinner AND dessert. For dessert, our kids like different toppings such as Nutella, peanut butter, honey, powdered sugar, bananas, strawberries, and cinnamon sugar.

What to Serve with Navajo Tacos:

• All the basic taco toppings are great for this meal. You can serve beef, shredded chicken, refried/black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, salsa, corn, sour cream, black olives, and cheese on top of the Navajo tacos. Everyone can put what they like on top of the taco so you can accommodate even your pickiest eater!
• Cranberry Party Punch

More $10 meals:

• 20-Minute Thai Peanut Noodles
• BBQ Chicken Braid
• Chana Masala
• Grilled Cheese Sloppy Joes
• Ground Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki
• Homemade Sloppy Joes
• Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie
• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Italian Zucchini Boats
• Jenna’s Chicken Pillows
• Meatball Subs
• Tomato Chicken Alfredo

How long is this good for:

• Serve: You can keep the meat mixture at room temperature for about 90 minutes before needing to pop it into the refrigerator.
• Store: Leftover beef mixture will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store leftover fry bread in an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 2 days. To reheat, pop a fry bread into a toaster on LOW heat until warmed and crisp again.
• Freeze: Leftover beef mixture will keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze the fry bread, but be warned that it will not be anywhere near as delicious when it’s served fresh. Store the bread in Ziploc bags for up to 2 months.

PRO TIP:

To make Chili Mac, add ½ – 1 cup of leftover beef mixture to our Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe when it comes out of the Instant Pot.

How much will this Navajo Tacos Cost:

RECIPE COST: $8.42

PRICE PER SERVING: $1.06

To find out more on how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

• 1 cup warm water – $0.00
• 1 Tablespoon active yeast – $0.09
• 1/4 cup olive oil – $0.52
• 1 Tablespoon sugar – $0.02
• 3 cups all-purpose flour – $0.57
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil – $0.72
• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef – $5.40
• 3 Tablespoons taco seasoning – $0.21
• 1 teaspoon onion powder – $0.03
• 15.5 oz can chili beans – $0.86

Depending upon which toppings you choose and their quantities, the toppings will run you an additional $1-3.