Chalupas

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Course: Dinner | Serves: 6

Softshell Indian fry bread holds burger, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and other favorite taco-like ingredients. Taco Bell made them famous, but nothing beats homemade. Inspired by Nick Evans at Macheesmo https://www.macheesmo.com/chalupas/

Chalupa Shell:

2 ½ cups flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter, cut into cubes

1 cup milk

Avocado oil or other frying oil, for frying

Burger:

1 ¾ lb ground beef

1 onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp enchilada sauce (or 1 Tbsp chili powder and 1 tsp cumin)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Topping Ideas:

Shredded lettuce

Diced tomatoes

Sour cream

Shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Green onions, sliced

Black olives, sliced

Diced avocado

Salsa or salsa verde

Enchilada or hot sauce

Layer flour, baking powder, salt, and butter cubes in a food processor and pulse until the butter is coarsely mixed in. Add the milk in and pulse a couple of times until the dough comes together. If mixing by hand, measure dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut the butter in with a pastry blender or even a fork, after the butter is mixed in and the dough looks like coarse crumbs, stir in the milk.

Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured rolling surface. Roll the dough into a log and cut into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 6” circle. Place on a plate and dust lightly with flour before stacking the next on top. 

Brown the hamburger in a skillet with the onion, garlic, and enchilada sauce (or seasonings if preferred). Stir until the meat is cooked through and the onions are translucent.

Preheat a couple of inches of avocado oil in a large skillet, frying one round of dough at a time on each side for about 1 minute per side. Lay fried bread on a paper towel-lined plate, stacking paper towels between each chalupa. Fill the chalupas with ground beef and other desired toppings for serving.