Description
Mexican-inspired taco stuffed potatoes merge crispy potato skins with zesty ground beef, melted cheese, and classic taco garnishes. Comfort meets excitement in this crowd-pleasing dish you’ll want to savor with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 large potatoes, baked
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsps taco seasoning mix (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 tbsp sour cream per potato, optional
- Diced tomatoes for garnish
- Green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Potato Preparation: Meticulously cleanse russet potatoes, thoroughly scrubbing surfaces and patting dry. Pierce multiple times with a fork, massage with olive oil, and generously season with kosher salt.
- Roasting Process: Position potatoes directly on middle oven rack at 400°F (200°C), roasting for 50-60 minutes until tender and exterior develops a delectable crisp texture.
- Taco Filling Creation: In a large skillet, brown lean ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking into fine crumbles. Incorporate finely diced onions and minced garlic, cooking until vegetables become translucent and aromatic.
- Flavor Development: Eliminate excess fat from meat mixture, then introduce taco seasoning, water, and salsa. Allow mixture to simmer, reducing liquid and intensifying flavor profile for approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Potato Transformation: Once potatoes are slightly cooled, delicately slice lengthwise and extract interior flesh, leaving a thin potato shell. Blend extracted potato with butter, salt, and pepper, gently reincorporating into shells.
- Final Assembly: Generously layer potato shells with seasoned taco beef, crowning with shredded cheddar cheese. Return to oven, broiling for 2-3 minutes until cheese melts into a golden, bubbly topping.
- Presentation: Artfully garnish with fresh cilantro, dollop of sour cream, diced tomatoes, and sliced green onions. Serve immediately to preserve optimal temperature and texture.
Notes
- Potato Perfection: Choose large, uniform russet potatoes with smooth skin for even cooking and best texture.
- Oil and Salt Technique: Rubbing potatoes with olive oil and kosher salt creates a crispy, flavorful skin that enhances overall taste.
- Beef Browning Tip: Ensure ground beef is thoroughly browned and crumbled to develop rich, deep flavors in the taco filling.
- Cheese Melting Hack: Watch carefully during broiling to achieve perfectly melted, golden cheese without burning the potatoes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg