Yummy waffle fries topped with traditional taco toppings, like seasoned ground beef, queso, and pico de gallo. You’ll love these Loaded Taco Fries for a kid-friendly meal or snack any time of the week!
These fries are a life changer! Making a pan of fries is such an easy side to have for dinner or for snacks, especially with these hearty toppings. You can load up with chopped veggies to balance things out or even try different themes like burger fries (ground beef & condiments) or pizza fries. Whatever your family enjoys!
Looking for more easy dinner ideas? How about a Choose-Your-Toppings Baked Potato Bar? Or these Burger Kabobs that can be a summertime dinner or appetizer. Or a kid-approved Taco Calzone. Easy recipes that get a home-cooked meal on your table fast.
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INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR EASY TACO FRIES
Waffle fries are awesome for this dish, since they cook up perfectly crisp and hold on to plenty of taco ingredients. However, you could totally use crinkle cut fries or even sweet potato fries. Or–in a pinch– tortilla chips!
- frozen waffle fries
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- water
- queso
- shredded lettuce
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
- guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Lay out fries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping fries halfway through cooking time.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to high heat. Add ground beef. Once the skillet starts sizzling, bring heat down to medium and break up ground beef into pieces. Cook ground beef, stirring every minute, for about 5 minutes or until meat is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Next add the taco seasoning and water to the skillet. Stir to incorporate into the beef. Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the ground beef absorbs the taco seasoning and the sauce thickens. Remove skillet from heat and turn off heat.
- Remove fries from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Starting with the ground beef, add all the toppings, You can add them directly to fries on the baking sheet or lay fries out on a serving board and then top them. Finish off with sour cream and guacamole on the sides, and serve up!
Substitutions
- Waffle Fries: use any type of fries (or fried potato) that you enjoy or have on hand. Tater tots, hash browns, or even baked potatoes would work with this recipe. Or just use tortilla chips!
- Ground Beef: you can omit this entirely if you wish to keep the dish vegetarian, or use plant-based protein
- Toppings: all are optional. Add whichever toppings you love on tacos!
Storage
- Once prepped, the Loaded Taco Fries should be eaten right away.
- If you would like to prep this dish in advance, cook the ground beef and keep in a sealed container in the fridge. Then cook the fries at the time of serving and top with your choice of toppings
Equipment
Use parchment paper or a cooking sheet with venting holes for crispy, evenly-cooked fries
This tool makes easy work of breaking up the ground beef in a skillet
Expert Tips
- You can use an oven or air fryer to cook the fries. You may have to cook the fries in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. (see instructions in FAQ’s section)
- Be sure to flip fries halfway through cooking time for even browning/cooking
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the seasoned ground beef from the skillet to leave the grease behind
- Make it a taco bar! Lay out just the nachos and ground beef & have family or guests top their own.
FAQ’S
Bake or fry up french fries (using oven or air fryer) and top with taco ingredients, like cheese and salsa.
You can use the sauce cooked up with taco meat or taco sauce from a bottle. Enchilada sauce or salsa would also be tasty.
The 7 layers of taco fries are typically seasoned beef, beans, guacamole, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and diced green onions.
Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the fries in batches. You want to cook the fries in a single, even layer for best results. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees. Add fries to air fryer basket and heat for about 12-15 minutes, shaking basket halfway through cooking time. You can also check the package instructions for cooking time. Once fries have crisped up, lay them out on a platter and top with taco ingredients.
Related Recipes
What To Serve With Easy Taco Fries…
Loaded Taco Fries
Yummy waffle fries topped with traditional taco toppings, like seasoned ground beef, queso, and pico de gallo. You'll love these Loaded Taco Fries for a kid-friendly meal or snack any time of the week!
Ingredients
- 1 bag, frozen waffle fries (double the cook time if not using "quick cook" fries-see package instructions)
- 1 lb ground beef)
- 1 oz taco seasoning (packet)
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup queso (warmed)
- ½ cup, shredded lettuce
- ½ cup, pico de gallo
- ½ cup, sour cream, divided
- ½ cup, guacamole, divided
- Optional: 1 Tablespoon green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Lay out fries in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping fries halfway through cooking time.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to high heat. Add ground beef.
- Once the skillet starts sizzling, bring heat down to medium and break up ground beef into pieces.
- Cook ground beef, stirring every minute, for about 5 minutes or until meat is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Next add the taco seasoning and water to the skillet. Stir to incorporate into the beef. Allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the ground beef absorbs the taco seasoning and the sauce thickens.
- Remove skillet from heat and turn off heat.
- Remove fries from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Starting with the ground beef, add all the toppings, You can add them directly to fries on the baking sheet or lay fries out on a serving board and then top them.
- Finish off with sour cream and guacamole on the sides, and serve up!
Notes
Expert Tips
- You can use an oven or air fryer to cook the fries. You may have to cook the fries in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your air fryer. (see instructions in FAQ's section)
- Be sure to flip fries halfway through cooking time for even browning/cooking
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the seasoned ground beef from the skillet to leave the grease behind
- Make it a taco bar! Lay out just the nachos and ground beef & have family or guests top their own.
Substitutions
- Waffle Fries: use any type of fries (or fried potato) that you enjoy or have on hand. Tater tots, hash browns, or even baked potatoes would work with this recipe. Or just use tortilla chips!
- Ground Beef: you can omit this entirely if you wish to keep the dish vegetarian, or use plant-based protein
- Toppings: all are optional. Add whichever toppings you love on tacos!
Storage
- Once prepped, the Loaded Taco Fries should be eaten right away.
- If you would like to prep this dish in advance, cook the ground beef and keep in a sealed container in the fridge. Then cook the fries at the time of serving and top with your choice of toppings
Equipment
- Use parchment paper or a cooking sheet with venting holes for crispy, evenly-cooked fries
- This tool makes easy work of breaking up the ground beef in a skillet
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 1099mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 7g
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