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Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

Let's learn how to make Taco Bell's Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes at home and even better! The potatoes have an amazing crunch to them all around, super fluffy on the inside, and seasoned to perfection with all the classic taco spices. Let's not forget the creamy cheesy goodness on top from the nacho cheese and sour cream!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
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Ingredients

POTATOES

  • 4 Russet potatoes, 3 pounds peeled and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • salt to add to boiling water
  • 1/3 cup ghee
  • 3 tablespoons light olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

OTHER

  • Sour cream
  • Nacho cheese
  • Cilantro
  • Pickled jalapeño slices
  • Hot sauce

Instructions 

  1. Cut the peeled potatoes into 4 rounds and then cut each round in half for 8 pieces total from each potato. If your potatoes are not large enough, cut them into smaller pieces.
  2. Bring a pot of water that will be 2 inches above the potatoes to a boil. Once boiling, add the baking soda, salt, and the chopped potatoes. Bring the water to a boil again and cook the potatoes for 8 minutes to 12 minutes. You don't want them soft so make sure not over cook them. They should just look a little boiled on the outside edges.
  3. Turn off the heat and drain all the water. Then gently transfer the potatoes back to the pot. The residual heat will dry off any excess water on the surface of the potatoes which will help them get extra crispy.
  4. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  5. Chop the potatoes into smaller pieces like Taco Bell or if you want them big, leave as is. Cut them as small or as big as you'd like and then transfer them to a baking tray.
  6. In a small bowl, add ghee, light olive oil or vegetable oil, and all the spices. Mix and pour over the potatoes. Toss to coat evenly. Make sure the potatoes are spaced apart and not crowded.
  7. Pop in the oven on the lower shelf or closest to the heat source and first bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, quickly take them out and shake/flip them so they all roast evenly. Pop in the oven and roast for another 10 minutes. Take it out and shake them around again. Bake for another 10 minutes and take them out for a total of 45 minutes in the oven.
  8. Transfer them to a plate and add nacho cheese on top. Then top it off with sour cream and if you’d like jalapenos, cilantro, and/or hot sauce.
  9. Enjoy warm!

Notes

  • Russet potatoes work best for this recipe but you can also use Yukon Gold or red potatoes. Just cut into appropriate sizes depending which potatoes you use and weigh it out to match the measurements in this recipe since Russet potatoes are a lot larger than others.
  • Make sure to use extra light olive oil – NOT extra virgin olive oil! The smoke point of extra virgin is too low and it will burn in the oven. If you don’t have light olive oil, just swap it for vegetable oil. Butter is similar so we want to avoid it and use ghee instead.
  • For more fluffy potatoes, cut them into bigger pieces. For more crispy potatoes, cut them smaller so there’s more surface area to roast. It just depends on your taste.
  • DO NOT line your baking tray with parchment paper. The potatoes will not crisp up properly if you do this!

Did You Make This Recipe?

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!