Frybread is the kind of food people remember.
At a powwow or a family gathering, it might be passed around plain, sprinkled with sugar, or loaded with beans and cheese.
However it’s served, it always comes with opinions, stories, and plenty of debate about who makes it best.
Alongside that familiarity sits a more complicated past, one shaped by survival and the rations handed out during displacement.
What is Frybread?
At its simplest, frybread is a round of dough made from flour, water, and salt, sometimes with baking powder, and fried until golden. It can be eaten plain, with honey or sugar, or piled high with savory toppings.
At powwows and fairs, it is often served as a taco topped with beans, meat, cheese, and lettuce, a style often called “Indian tacos” or “Navajo tacos.”
In Navajo, the bread is called bááh dah díníilghaazh. The word bááh refers to baked goods, while dah díníilghaazh describes the bubbling sound the dough makes as it fries in hot oil.
Because it’s so versatile, frybread has become one of the most recognizable foods tied to Indigenous gatherings. But the ingredients that make it possible, including wheat flour, lard, and refined sugar, came not from Native agricultural traditions but from government rations.
How Did Frybread Originate?
Frybread’s story begins in the 19th century, during a period marked by hardship and displacement.
In the 1860s, during the Long Walk, the Navajo were forced from their homelands and marched hundreds of miles to Bosque Redondo in New Mexico. Traditional farming systems collapsed, and people were cut off from familiar foods such as corn, beans, and squash.
The government supplied rations of flour, lard, and sugar, ingredients that were unfamiliar to many Native diets. Out of those limited provisions, frybread took shape. What started as a way to endure scarcity eventually found its way into family kitchens and community gatherings.
Why Is Frybread Controversial?
For many, frybread is inseparable from community gatherings. Its smell fills the air at powwows, its recipes are handed down through families, and its taste evokes memories of home. It stands as proof that something nourishing could be made out of hardship.
At the same time, frybread is a reminder of that hardship itself. Because it originated from government-issued rations during displacement, some see it as a symbol of colonial control rather than resilience.
Health and Food Sovereignty
Health concerns add another layer. A single piece of frybread can be high in calories and fat, which has led to criticism of its role in diets already impacted by high rates of diabetes and heart disease in Native communities.
In response, many Indigenous voices have encouraged a return to older food traditions. Before colonization, staples such as corn, beans, and squash — the “Three Sisters” — formed the backbone of balanced diets. These foods are now being highlighted as healthier alternatives that connect people to ancestral knowledge and practices.
How Do Native Communities View Frybread Today?
That mix of pride, pain, and practicality is why frybread sparks such strong opinions. Some communities embrace it wholeheartedly, while others treat it with caution or choose to step away from it entirely.
Perspectives are not uniform. Many families still consider frybread an essential part of their tables, especially during gatherings and ceremonies. Others encourage moderation and highlight the value of pre-contact food traditions such as corn, beans, and squash.
Native chefs in particular are experimenting with frybread, not abandoning it but reshaping it. Some bake instead of fry. Others substitute whole grains or lighter oils. In these versions, frybread becomes a bridge: a way to honor the memory of past generations while adapting to present health concerns.
Conversations about frybread often turn to how tradition can be adapted without losing meaning. In the Four Corners, that spirit of adaptation is visible in other parts of local life as well.
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Frybread Recipes and Serving Ideas
Frybread carries history and debate, but it also continues to appear at powwows, fairs, and in kitchens across the Four Corners. If you choose to enjoy it, or simply want to understand how it is prepared, here are some of the most common ways it is made and served.
Basic Preparation
Most recipes begin with a simple dough made from flour, water, salt, and sometimes baking powder. The dough is shaped into rounds, then fried in hot oil until puffed and golden on both sides. The bread should be soft inside with a slight crisp on the surface.
Sweet Options
Sweet versions are simple and quick to prepare.
- While the frybread is still warm, sprinkle it with powdered sugar or cinnamon.
- A drizzle of honey is another classic choice, sometimes paired with fruit preserves.
- Some cooks add a dusting of cocoa or nutmeg for variation.
Savory Options
Savory toppings turn frybread into a full meal.
- A popular version is the taco-style frybread topped with seasoned beans or ground beef, lettuce, tomato, and cheese.
- Others use shredded chicken or chili as the main layer.
- For a lighter variation, try grilled vegetables with salsa or avocado.
Modern Approaches
Cooks looking for alternatives often adapt the recipe. Some use whole-grain flour for added nutrition. Others swap lard for vegetable oil, or bake the dough on a hot skillet instead of deep frying. These adjustments maintain the spirit of frybread while easing the heaviness of the traditional version.
The adaptability of frybread is part of its long life. It can be sweet or savory, simple or elaborate, tied to old memories or reshaped for new ones. For more detailed, step-by-step recipes, it is best to turn to Indigenous cooks and community websites, where guidance comes directly from the source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the origin of frybread?
Frybread began in the 1860s, when Native peoples, including the Navajo, were displaced and given rations of flour, lard, and sugar. From those supplies, frybread was created as a way to survive.
Why is frybread sometimes called an “Indian taco”?
At fairs and powwows, frybread topped with beans, meat, cheese, and vegetables is often sold under the name “Indian taco.” Some prefer the term “Navajo taco” or simply “frybread taco,” since the word “Indian” can feel outdated or inaccurate.
Are there healthier versions of frybread?
Yes. Some cooks adapt recipes with whole grains, lighter oils, or even baking instead of frying. Others choose smaller portions or save it for special occasions.
Understanding Frybread
Frybread is not just about taste. It tells a story about survival under forced displacement, about the creativity of making do, and about the way foods can evolve into symbols of both loss and continuity.
In today’s kitchens, frybread continues to shift. Some cooks keep the recipe exactly as they were taught. Others rework it for health or for innovation. Both choices say something about the future of Native foodways: that tradition can be honored, and at the same time questioned, adapted, or reshaped.
Beyond the kitchen, adults in the region find that same balance in other parts of local life. Kinfolk Farms in Durango reflects that balance, growing with the community since 2015 and providing cannabis cultivated with care for adult use.
Cannabis is intended for adult use only. You must be 21 or older to enter Kinfolk Farms. Please consume responsibly. Products are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and their effects may vary from person to person. Do not consume cannabis before driving or operating machinery.
