Sourdough Fry Bread

This Sourdough Fry Bread is a quick bread that is rolled out and fried in oil. Resulting in a fluffy, fried bread that you can top with a variety of sweet or savory toppings.

Fry bread is a Native American quick bread that can be eaten sweet or savory. Growing up, I loved getting them at the county fair, topped with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Living in Nebraska, my Native American friends would make and sell these, which they called Indian Tacos. They were topped with taco meat, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.

A look at the ingredients:

Sourdough Starter- You want your starter to be fed and active. Use a starter that has peaked and just started to fall for the best results. I tried using sourdough discard that had been in the refrigerator for a few weeks and had hooch on the top, and the result was not as good. Using a starter that has been fed results in a fluffier fry bread with a softer texture, like the fry bread you get at the fair. Swapping the active starter for sourdough discard (unfed starter) resulted in flat, tough, and chewy fry bread.

Flour- I like to use King Arthur’s unbleached all-purpose flour.

Milk- I always use whole milk, but you can substitute other milks in its place. Keep in mind that it may alter the flavor and texture slightly depending on what kind you use.

Sugar- I like to use raw cane sugar; it has a slightly larger grain, a richer flavor, and is minimally processed. Granulated sugar is pretty much the same thing, granulated sugar melts more easily than cane sugar. There is a slight difference between the two, and it depends on what your personal preference is. Either way, they both work great for this recipe.

Baking Powder- Baking powder is added to help the fry bread expand and rise when it is fried. The sourdough starter also works in expanding and rising, but I opted to leave the baking powder in this recipe to avoid long periods of bulk fermenting. It is more of a way to use up an excess amount of sourdough starter.

Salt- The salt helps to enhance the flavor. I like to use sea salt, but once again, any salt works.

2 c of sourdough starter (a fed starter that has peaked and begun to fall)

1 c unbleached all-purpose flour (plus extra for kneading)

1/2 c whole milk

2 Tb sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

1 quart peanut oil or other cooking oil for frying

Dutch Oven or heavy-bottom pan for cooking. My dutch oven is a 6.5 quart

Heat the peanut oil or cooking oil to 325 degrees in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan for cooking. The Dutch oven I use is a 6.5-quart, and the 1 quart of oil is the perfect amount for this recipe.

Mix together the active sourdough starter, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead in any extra flour needed to make a smooth, workable dough.

Divide the dough into 8 same-size portions and roll each one into 4-5-inch circles. I like to take a fork and poke the tines down through the center of each rolled-out fry bread to help them not puff up too much while frying.

Once your oil is ready, fry one round of fry bread at a time until lightly golden brown. Turning it over to fry both sides evenly.

Remove the fry bread from the hot oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack.

Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.

Let completely cool before storing any leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in the oven on a parchment-lined cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until it is warm and a little crisp.

You can also reheat in a skillet on the stovetop. Put a little oil in a skillet and heat the fry bread on both sides for 2-3 minutes until it is warm again.

Freezing Fry Bread:

You can freeze leftover fry bread or make the fry bread ahead of time and freeze it for later. Make sure to cool the fry bread completely before placing it in a freezer-safe bag or air air-tight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, set the fry bread out to thaw before reheating it in the oven or stovetop as stated above.

Fry Bread Toppings:

1. Butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon
2. Chocolate Frosting
3. Powdered sugar
4. Honey
5. Taco style with your favorite taco toppings.