Instant Pot Fry Bread Tacos—a beefy chili is ladled over fry bread and topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and all your favorite taco fixings.
(The SLOW COOKER instructions are in the recipe card below)
Instant Pot Fry Bread Tacos
Each week in 2020 I’m sharing a recipe inspired by one of the 50 states. So far I’ve covered…
- Alabama
- Louisiana
- Utah
- Minnesota
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Hawaii
- South Carolina
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Alaska
- New Mexico
- West Virginia
- Arkansas
- Kentucky
(If you want to see all the “state recipes” listed in one place you can go here). Today I’m sharing a recipe inspired by The Mount Rushmore State–South Dakota.
When I think of South Dakota I think of Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills, the Sioux Native American tribe, Badlands National Park, Crazy Horse and Bob Barker. Mostly I think of Mount Rushmore and how I have always wanted to go there. I definitely need to make my family pack up and do a road trip out there this summer. My sister went there one year on the fourth of July and the orchestra played while fireworks went off. She said it was magical.
Today’s recipe is Fry Bread Tacos. They are similar to traditional tacos but they are served on fry bread which happens to be South Dakota’s state bread! (Bet you didn’t know there was a thing as state bread, did ya?) When Native Americans were relocated to reservations they were rationed flour, powdered milk, salt and lard. These items could create a dough that was fried and served as a base for a taco type of meal.
I absolutely LOVED this meal. I loved the bread, the chili and all the toppings. I will definitely be making these tacos in the future.
Try these other Instant Pot favorites…
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Instant Pot Fry Bread Tacos
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A beefy chili is ladled over fry bread and topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and all your favorite taco fixings.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can ranch style beans/chili beans (whole can, no draining)
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- Toppings: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced olives, grated cheddar, sour cream, salsa, guacamole
For easy fry bread (or you can make it from scratch, see note below)
- 12 Rhodes rolls (frozen bread dough rolls), cold to touch
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to the saute setting. When the display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Add in garlic powder, salt, chili powder, cumin and pepper. Brown the beef for about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Dump the beans and tomato paste on top of the meat, don’t stir.
- Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 5 minutes. When the time is up let the pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move the valve to venting.
- Squish two of the rolls together and roll out to make a thin, oval shape. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large frying pan. When the oil reaches 375° F place the dough in the oil and fry on each side for 20 seconds. Remove with tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with all the dough.
- To serve place a piece of fry bread on a plate and top with the chili mixture and then top with desired toppings. Eat and enjoy!
Notes
To make in the slow cooker: Brown the ground beef on the stove over medium high heat with the onions, garlic powder, salt, chili powder, cumin and pepper. Add to the slow cooker. Stir in the broth, tomato paste and beans. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir. Follow steps 4 and 5 above.
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
To make fry bread from scratch: You’ll need 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup hot water and some oil for frying. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir in hot water to form a soft dough. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half into a 6 inch circle. In a pan over medium high heat, heat 1 inch of vegetable or canola oil to 375°. Fry bread in hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown; drain on paper towels.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
This is such a great recipe. I grew up taking lots of family trips to the Grand Canyon and I remember always ordering “Navajo Tacos” from the restaurants near that area. These taste just like them. Thanks for making a childhood memory possible without the travel involved.
★★★★★
You’re welcome Andi! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Idaho Joes, a restaurant in Twin Falls, ID has this on their menu. We have had it several times. Usually we share one. They look just like your picture Karen. And yes they have sliced olives on them… lots of sliced olives! They are delicious. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Now we can make them at home. Question. Recipe states it serves 6 but the bread recipe says to divide dough in half and roll each half into a 6 inch circle. Are you only making 2 breads for 6 servings?
Oops it looks like if you make the dough from scratch instead of the rhodes rolls you’ll want to double it and divide into 6 portions
Could you just use Naan bread that is baked?
Yes!
This is fantastic Karen! I made the from scratch fry bread – pretty easy & went together quickly & OMGosh soooo good. Adding the olives was a nice touch too. Never in a million years would I have thought to add olives, yum! This will be my new Taco Tuesday. I’ll bet that fry bread would be delicious with a little sugar & cinnamon for dessert too, or maybe a cream cheese icing like cinnamon rolls. I can’t wait to also try the frozen dough – I didn’t have any. One fry bread was more than enough for a meal, so I’m freezing the other one & the chili. Thinking I can freshen up the fry bread with the Mealthy Crisp Lid. If that works out, will be great to make a larger quantity to freeze. Thanks for such a quick, easy & delicious recipe. Also thanks for including several different options to make.
★★★★★
Oh, I would love to hear how the mealthy lid does with the fry bread!
Karen, the mealthy lid did GREAT with the fry bread, yay! I let the cooked fry bread wrapped in saran sit out to room temp – 15 minutes or so. Tall trivet in inner pot, fry bread on trivet, did not spray with oil since already fried, 375° for 2-2-½ minutes, flip halfway. Sooo delicious & nice, delicate crunch. Next time I make, I think I will try slightly under frying a fry bread to see what that does in the mealthy lid for a more bread-like crunch. I’ll also try a raw one, sprayed with oil & see what happens. So next time, will double the recipe & freeze for reheating a quick meal with the mealthy lid! Thanks again for this great recipe!
★★★★★
Awesome. Will definitely be trying this!
Are these tacos actually called “Indian tacos”?
Also, why the olives? Is that a common taco topping in South Dakota?
Hi Jasmine, I’ve heard them called Indian Tacos, Navajo Taco and Fry Bread Tacos. The olives are a fun addition, but no necessary.
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I think its a wonderful idea to do a recipe from each state. I read you were going to on Facebook and look forward to the recipes and ideas, Thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you June! I’m so glad you are here 😊
Hi Karen!
In the NOTES section on the fry bread, Do you mean 1/3 cup water AND 1/3 cup oil as well? Seems a lot of oil for the dough. …Thanks, Irena
Hi Irena, I just clarified the recipe. The dough doesn’t have oil in it. The oil is for frying. Hope this helps!
I live on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming. We call these Indian Tacos. 🙂
Thank you Linda!
Are these meant to be served to a group…sans social distancing?
Maybe at a tailgate party at your local meat processing plant???
Are they Governor approved?
Too many opportunities for lines about SD right now.
Thanks Karen, I’m a South Dakota girl and I think these look delicious. I think it’s fun you are doing a recipe from every state. Keep doing what you’re doing.
Thanks so much Rae! You are a ray of sunshine.
There r many versions of this! I like the idea of using bread dough for the “sopapillas”/fry bread!! So much easier!! I would leave cumin out for me. I cannot tolerate it unfortunately! Thank you!!
It does make it a lot easier for busy people trying to get dinner on the table. People that have more time can make fry bread from scratch, which I will do from time to time depending on what I have going on that day 🙂
Sounds great! I’m going to try it this week. I think my husband will love it!
Thanks Reba! Enjoy!
lthese are so good! i have made them for years. t think people are being rude. keep up the good work, personally i think we all should be more kind when reviewing.
★★★★★
Thanks Char!! 💓
Hope you get to Mount Rushmore. We went there, nearly 30 years ago. Breathtaking. Worth the trip.
I thought you’d have a recipe using buffalo meat. I had the best Buffalo burger at Wall’s Drug Store, about 50 miles from Mount Rushmore.
I will definitely try to go! Buffalo would have been good! I might do that for Montana. Bison burgers!
Walter maybe they were part of the tribal exchange program! 😂 Seriously though as a South Dakota girl (Navajo Tacos) really threw me off, wrong tribal nation.
I think anyone beside Navajos and maybe the pueblos of NM call them Indian Tacos lol And this recipe is not how its done.
Sounds delicious. Is it possible to fry the bread in the IP?
I know you’re not supposed to deep fry in the Instant Pot. https://www.corriecooks.com/can-fry-foods-instant-pot/
I’m not sure if this counts as pan frying or deep frying. I kept on the safe side and did the stove top.