Taco Potatoes

5 from 1 vote

Baked potatoes meet taco night in this easy, customizable dinner. Load crisp-skinned russets with seasoned beef and your favorite toppings for a hearty, low-effort meal that everyone can build their own way.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked taco potatoes, taco stuffed baked potatoes, taco stuffed potatoes

Servings: servings

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

For the baked potatoes

4 to 6 russet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

For the taco meat

½ pound lean ground beef
1 onion diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves diced
3 tablespoons taco seasoning homemade or storebought
⅔ cup water

For toppings

cheddar cheese shredded
sour cream
guacamole
salsa or pico de gallo
sliced olives
pinto beans or refried beans
green onions sliced

Instructions

Bake the potatoes

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Scrub the potatoes under running water and pat them dry. Poke a few holes in them with a fork to allow steam to escape. Coat them in olive oil and sprinkle them with salt.
Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack. Place some aluminum foil on the bottom rack directly below the potatoes to catch any oil drips. Bake the potatoes for 60 minutes or until tender.
When they are tender, remove them from the oven and set aside.

Make the taco filling:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook until no longer pink, stirring to break it up as it cooks. Drain the fat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft and transparent.
Stir in the taco seasoning and water (if you use packaged taco seasoning, adjust the water based on the package directions). Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Cut a slit, lengthwise in the potatoes and spread them open.
Spoon a heaping portion of the meat mixture into each potato. Top with cheese, and any other toppings of choice.

Notes

For crispy skins: Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack so air can circulate around them.

For soft skins: Wrap the potatoes in foil before baking.

Adjust baking time: Smaller potatoes (smaller than your fist) will need about 15 minutes less in the oven.

Bean swap: This recipe calls for pinto beans, but any beans will work; black, kidney, white, whatever’s hanging out in your pantry. Or make your own with my Instant Pot black beans or instant pot pinto beans.

To keep everything hot at the same time, start the taco meat about 15 minutes before the potatoes finish baking. Or, to prep ahead, make the taco meat while the potatoes bake and keep it warm on low heat or in a 200°F oven.

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