Taco Smashed Potatoes.
Taco smashed potatoes are a great weeknight meal! Crispy, crunchy smashed potatoes are topped with seasoned taco meat, guacamole, sour cream, cheese and more. Load up your favorite toppings and go to town!
It’s my new favorite way to do taco night!
Super crunchy smashed potatoes topped with alllllll our favorite taco fixings. Think seasoned ground beef, melty cheese, guacamole, sour cream, diced tomatoes, cilantro, pickled onions and more!
The most versatile dinner is here.
What’s your favorite thing? Because I’ll put it on a smashed potato. I swear.
Instead of a baked potato bar, we’re doing a smashed potato bar. Set up all of your favorite taco toppings, make a pan of smashed potatoes and then go to town.
Hello, how fun!
Also, extra delicious. Very satisfying and filling. Plus, they taste amazing.
My love for smashed potatoes knows no bounds! I will put just about anything on a smashed potato… as evidenced here.
Oops.
The classic version is a go-to side dish around here. I don’t even want to tell you how often we make them.
They are just so delicious though! With their golden crunchy edges, their buttery soft bites and the salty, crisp skin. Aside from eating them off the sheet pan alone, I will cover them in all.the.things.
Give me all the sauces. The cheeses. The toppings.
Sprinkle everything on a smashed potato and I’m game.
I love these so much because everyone else loves them for dinner. So it’s easy for me. You can load them up with ground beef, turkey or shredded chicken or make a vegetarian version. You can do beans instead of (or in addition to!) meat.
Guac or diced avocado, sour cream or a lime crema drizzle. The options are truly endless.
Smashed potatoes are a side dish for us, but I love using a larger golden potato to turn these into the main meal. It’s a fun, unique spin on dinner and one that everybody looks forward to. Anytime you can “dress up” your meal, it’s a win in my book. Grabbing a plate and loading on the toppings is the best part.
Bonus points for tasting incredible too.
I use my classic ground beef or turkey mixture for this recipe. The texture is incredible = the taco meat on top of the crunchy potato… WOW. That on its own is super good. Then I throw some cheese on top and stick the potatoes back in the oven so the meat and cheese can melt together.
Perfection!
Pile on the toppings you enjoy and these are ready. SO GOOD.
Taco Smashed Potatoes
Taco Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 6 or 8 medium to large gold potatoes
- olive oil for drizzling, or olive oil spray
- kosher salt and pepper
- garlic powder, for sprinkling
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- sharp cheddar cheese
- guacamole
- sour cream
- cilantro
- pickled onions
- jalapeno peppers
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil until just fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool until you can comfortably touch them.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Brush a baking sheet with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil. Place the potatoes on the sheet. Use your hand or the bottom of a glass to smash them once, trying to keep them in one piece. Drizzle or spray more olive oil on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with a big pinch of salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Place the sheet in the oven and roast the potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- While the potatoes roast, make the taco meat. Heat a skillet over medium heat. With ground beef, I rarely add any oil to the skillet because it tends to be fattier. If needed, you can add 1 teaspoon of olive oil (of your oil of preference). Once the skillet is hot, add the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring and breaking apart the beef often, until it begins to brown. Add in the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to disperse all the seasonings. Cook until the beef is browned.
- I love seasoned beef like this, it’s a bit dry – and it’s a personal preference. I use a slurry to make my homemade ground beef saucy when I want that version. Fill a shaker cup with ½ cup cold water or beef/vegetable stock. Add 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour, masa or whole wheat flour to the liquid and cover it. Shake for at least 30 seconds. With the skillet on low heat, slowly stream in the slurry while stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir often and cook over low for about 10 minutes. This will thicken and get saucier.
- Remove the sheet pan with the potatoes. Add a few spoonfuls of the taco meat on top. Top with a handful of cheddar cheese. Stick the pan back in the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese melts.
- Remove the pan for the last time and go to town with your toppings. Guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, pickled onions and more. Serve immediately!
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to follow @howsweeteats on instagram and tag #howsweeteats. You can also post a photo of your recipe to our facebook page.
I appreciate you so much!
That crispy bottom!
3 Comments on “Taco Smashed Potatoes.”
If you like these potatoes, you gotta try smashed sweet potatoes with taco meat and toppings!!! They are to die for!! I don’t even boil them….just coat in olive oil and salt and pepper and bake them. Easy peasy.
Its combination of crunchy texture and spicy flavors will surely make my family satisfied! Love your recipe!!
– Jack from Skilletguy.com
Another winner recipe going into our rotation! Thank you! If I don’t know what to make for dinner your website is my first option and 9 out of 10 times I find a new wonderful dinner.