These easy and delicious Navajo tacos are a family favorite made with soft and crispy fry bread piled high with seasoned ground beef, beans and all your favorite taco toppings!

Navajo tacos filled with ingredients on a white plate with a fork.

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Navajo Tacos (Indian Fry Bread)

These tacos are such a fun fusion of cuisines. The homemade Indian fry bread paired with the Mexican taco toppings is a match made in heaven. Using biscuit dough makes them easy, or you can use a tostada or homemade flour tortillas.

I made this Navajo taco recipe a few weeks ago and they brought back such fun memories from my childhood days. My mom always made Navajo tacos or taco casserole for us growing up, boh are super easy family favorites!

Ingredients for Easy Navajo Tacos

These ingredients are simple to have on hand and are a basic combination that has all the flavor! Navajo tacos use the fry bread as the base then layer it with this beef mixture and vegetables. It is a quick and simple meal that you can make any night of the week!

Indian taco fry bread on a cookie sheet.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Hamburger: Cook the ground beef for the base of the beef tacos.
  • Onion: Chop the onion into small pieces to be sauteed in oil.
  • Red bell pepper: Wash and clean the bell pepper then chop and cut it into smaller pieces.
  • Ground chili powder: This adds a little bit of heat but is a great seasoning.
  • Cumin: An earthy and savory flavor that gives it that authentic flavoring.
  • Rotel tomatoes: Pick up a can of diced tomatoes and simply add them to the skillet.
  • Pinto beans: Use either pinto or black beans for this recipe. Drain and rinse before adding them to the beef mixture.

How to Make Navajo Tacos

These Navajo tacos come together quickly and easily with just a few steps! First cook and combine the topping ingredients, warming them up, then making the fry bread. Lastly, layer it all together for a delicious dinner everyone will love!

  1. Cook the taco meat. Brown the hamburger in a frying pan over medium heat. Add in onion and bell peppers and saute for 3-5 minutes. Then stir in taco seasoning, cumin, chili powder, and water. Turn heat to low, then add in Rotel and beans. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. S&P to taste.
  2. Make the fry bread. Add oil to a small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pull apart the biscuit dough and flatten it to about 1/4 inch thick. Place dough in oil and cook each side until brown, about 30 seconds.
  3. Cool. Remove with tongs and place on a plate layered with paper towels.
  4. Top and serve! Top with taco meat, then add desired fix-ins like shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and sliced olives. Dig in!

Favorite Toppings

Just like a taco salad or tacos the topping options are endless for loading up your fry bread! Here are several options to choose from to make the best Navajo tacos!

Navajo tacos on a white plate.

Cooking Tips

Here are some helpful cooking tips that will be useful when making this fry bread. The fry bread is what makes this taco go above the rest. It is a soft, buttery shell that can be cooked to perfection using these simple tips.

  • Authentic fry bread: I like to make authentic fry bread from scratch when I have the time, but the premade biscuit dough still works great and tastes super delicious! If you have any leftover fry bread, simply store it in a zip-top bag and keep it at room temp for 1-2 days. It tastes delicious warmed back up with a little cinnamon butter and honey.
  • Test if the skillet is hot: Before placing the fry bread dough into the oil, sprinkle a few drops of water on top of the oil. If it pops, it’s hot enough to begin frying. If it doesn’t pop, give it a few more minutes to heat up, and then test it with water again.
  • Using leftovers: This recipe is perfect for using up any leftover taco meat that you’ve made for a previous meal. You can even add leftover chili or taco soup on top – just drain the excess liquid so that your bread doesn’t get soggy.
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“This was such a fun way to change up our usual taco night! Thank you for such an easy dinner recipe to add to our rotation.”

Jen
Overhead photo of the Navajo taco on a white plate.

More Tasty Taco Recipes

For more fun twists on tacos try these empanadas or make a Mexican pizza!

navajo taco with hamburger and sour cream

Navajo Taco Recipe

5 from 21 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
These easy and delicious Navajo tacos are a family favorite made with soft and crispy fry bread piled high with seasoned ground beef, beans and all your favorite taco toppings!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 pound hamburger
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1-2 teaspoons ground chili powder , more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ cup water
  • 10 ounce can rotel tomatoes , or can use diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 15 ounce can pinto or black beans

S&P , to taste

Fry Bread

  • 2 ½ cups vegetable oil
  • 1 can pillsbury biscuits

Optional toppings: tomatoes, cheese, shredded lettuce, olives, salsa, sour cream

Instructions

  • In a frying pan, brown hamburger over medium-heat. Add onion, red bell peppers and saute for 3-5 minutes. Stir in cumin, chili powder and water. Turn heat to low and add the rotel and beans. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Salt and pepper, to taste.
  • In a small pan, add oil and bring to a boil over medium-heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water onto the oil to see if it’s hot. If it pops, it’s ready.
  • Pull apart dough and flatten (about 1/4 inch thick). Place dough in oil and cook each side for about 30 seconds, or until brown. Remove with tongs and place on a plate layered with paper towels.
  • Top fry bread with taco meat and desired fix-in’s.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

  • Feel free to make authentic fry bread if preferred. 
  • To store any leftover fry bread, add to a zip top bag and keep at room temp for 1-2 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 106mg, Potassium: 607mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 545IU, Vitamin C: 21.2mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 3.8mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between Indian tacos and Navajo tacos?

Indian tacos and Navajo tacos are the same types of tacos. They both use fry bread instead of corn or flour tortillas.

What is a Navajo taco?

A Navajo taco (or “Indian taco” or “fry bread taco”) is basically a taco on top of Indian fry bread, which has been deep fried until golden brown. The fry bread is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside and makes the perfect vessel to add all your favorite taco toppings.

What is Navajo fry bread made of?

Fry bread looks like a flatbread that is fried in oil, shortening, or lard for an authentic flavor. It is made with flour, water, salt, and baking powder as the leavening agent.