Such a fun dinner or appetizer recipe: Loaded Taco Fries! Sweet potato fries form the base and they’re topped with taco meat and all the toppings you can think of.
These Loaded Taco Fries are secretly healthy (or as healthy as a dinner with the word fries can be). We’re using sweet potatoes as the base, ground turkey for the meat, and lots of spices and fresh veggie toppings to give this dish plenty of flavor. home cooks enjoy these fries as a fun dinner, but they’d also be great as an appetizer.
Loaded Taco Fries
Not to be overly dramatic or anything, but, if I get to choose, this may be the meal I ask for on my death bed. Sea-salted sweet potato fries topped with the most flavorful taco meat ever and all the best taco toppings? Yes, yes, and yes; Loaded Taco Fries are amazing.
And I had to get this recipe to you before the big game, just in case you want to use this recipe as an appetizer. It’s healthier than most appetizer recipes, yet it’s definitely not lacking anything in the flavor department. We use this recipe as a dinner recipe, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be making it to share with others on game day.
Recipe shortcuts
So why is this recipe so great? Well besides how it actually tastes (the most important thing, after all), Loaded Taco Fries are also so simple to make. That’s a win-win in my book!
- We’re using store-bought sweet potato fries and just whipping together a quick taco meat topping. You could always make your sweet potato fries from scratch if you prefer.
- The taco toppings are also store bought so it’s mostly just about assembling, not a whole lot of preparing.
- The spice blend is unbelievably good, but you can use a packet of taco seasoning if you’re in a hurry.
- Another shortcut: use pre-minced garlic and fresh pre-diced onions. Most stores sell fresh diced onions in the produce section or frozen diced onions can be found with other frozen veggies.
Sweet potato fries
My goal for this recipe was to keep things as simple as possible. And truly, I adore Alexia’s® sea salt sweet potato fries (not sponsored) so that’s how those ended up as the base
That said, you can make your own sweet potato fries, or roast up some sweet potatoes for the base. Here’s a recipe for a reliable Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Another alternative would be to use baby Yukon gold potatoes. To do so, cut up some peeled (or unpeeled) baby potatoes and cut them into wedges. Toss them with oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake at 425 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, flip and roast another 10-15 minutes or until crisp tender. (Timing will depend on how many potatoes and how thick they’re cut).
Loaded Taco Fries quick tips
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: If the fries are too close to each other or overlapping they’ll steam instead of roast. It is worth using an extra-large sheet pan (15 x 21 inches) or two large sheet pans. I like these pans-they’re 15×21 inches and work evenly.
- Serve quickly: Loaded Taco Fries don’t sit well. It is worth having the taco meat, cheese, and all the toppings ready before the fries are pulled out of the oven. As soon as the fries are done, top them quickly, and eat right away.
- To serve as an appetizer: Serve everything in separate dishes. Have the baked sweet potato fries in a dish, the taco meat (with cheese added) in a small slow cooker keeping warm, and toppings in separate dishes. That way people can serve up exactly how much they want and eat it as soon as they’ve served themselves.
What toppings can you add besides the cheese?
Just think about what you like on your tacos or fajitas, and go from there! Some to consider:
- shredded lettuce or cabbage
- diced tomatoes
- diced bell or jalapeño peppers
- fresh cilantro or parsley
- a wedge or two of lime
- diced raw onion
- diced or sliced avocado (or guacamole)
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
More (ridiculously straightforward) dinner recipes
- Margherita Pizza in 15 minutes
- 30-minute Chicken Ramen
- Apple Salad with a simple dressing
- Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
- Quinoa Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 (20-ounce) frozen bags sweet potato fries (I use and recommend Alexia; not sponsored)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion (1/2 of an onion)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon beef bouillon powder
- 1 pound lean ground turkey (or ground beef)
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese (or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese)
- Toppings as desired (see note 1)
Method
- Prepare the fries according to package directions. Make sure not to crowd the fries on the pan, or they will steam instead of roast. While fries are baking, assemble the spices, prep the toppings, and cook the turkey meat.
- When the fries are almost done baking (10–15 mins left), prep the taco meat. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Heat a large pan on medium-a hot burner. Add the olive oil, and once oil is hot, add the diced onion. Cook for 3–5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for 20–30 seconds. Add all the seasonings: chili powder, ground cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, and beef bouillon powder. Stir the spices until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Nothing should be burning; reduce heat if needed.
- Increase heat to high and add ground turkey. Crumble the meat into small pieces and cook until no longer pink (but not cooked through all the way), about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Let simmer for 3–4 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Divide the fries evenly among 4 plates (see note 2 if serving this as an appetizer). Add equal amounts of the taco meat and sprinkle cheese on top. The taco meat and fries should be hot enough to melt the cheese. Immediately add toppings of choice. My favorites are a big scoop of sour cream, ripe sliced avocado (or guacamole), a little pico, fresh cilantro, and lots of fresh lime juice. If you like some spice, add some jalapeños or hot sauce. Enjoy while hot and melty. I use forks since the meat and toppings tend to fall off the fries.
