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Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes are such a simple yet flavorful, hearty meal. This is pure comfort food. The best part is it is totally customizable to fit your tastes.
These Taco Stuffed Potatoes are truly the best and are perfect for Taco Tuesday.
Arguments could be made that these are potato skins, potato tacos, or taco potatoes!
These are a great way to use up leftover taco meat for taco night. You could use Ground turkey instead of ground beef if you want to lighten up this Main Dish Recipe.
Table of Contents
Potatoes are one of the most versatile foods; you can stuff them, mash them, roast them, scallop them, bake them, glaze them, Hasselback them, or transform them into a completely different food, like Potato Rolls.
Check out More Potato Recipes, just above the recipe card, for more recipes you can make with potatoes.
Why You’ll Love Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes
- Taste – With seasoned taco meat and all your favorite taco flavors combined with delicious baked potatoes, you’ll love the taste of these Taco Taters!
- Customizable – One of the best things about this recipe is that it is easily customizable to your taste. You could use ground turkey instead of ground beef for the taco meat. Add more cheese, tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, jalapenos, shredded lettuce, or whatever you like!
- Texture – The combination of soft, fluffy potatoes and super crispy potato skins, with the texture of the taco meat and all the textures of the toppings, including crispy tortilla chips if you like, you have a multitude of textures in one meal.
- Easy – This is really easy to make. The taco meat can be made ahead of time, or you can use leftover taco meat from a previous meal, and then you just have to bake the potatoes and add the toppings. It’s really that easy!
- Budget-friendly – Since you can use leftover taco meat from another meal and add potatoes, which are one of the most inexpensive foods, you can really stretch your food dollar when making this recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don't have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
- Potatoes – I used russet potatoes for a nice baked potato.
- Ground Beef – I used 80/20 ground beef. However, you could use lean ground beef, or ground turkey, pork, or chicken, if you prefer.
- Seasoning – I used homemade taco seasoning, but you could use storebought.
- Salsa – I used red salsa, but you could use your favorite.
- Taco Toppings – The sky is the limit. Use cheddar cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, jalapenos, tortilla chips, or more.
How To Make Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes under cool water. Pat the potato dry with a paper towel.
Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, just piercing the skin.
Place the potatoes on a baking tray and brush them all over with olive oil.
Sprinkle them with the salt and rub it in.
Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick or knife slides in easily with no resistance. If it is not done in an hour, I start checking every additional 10 minutes. Timing depends on how big the potato is; if they are on the smaller side, start checking at 45 minutes.
While the potatoes are baking, make the taco meat. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, breaking it up into crumbles, and cook until there is no pink left, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
Add the taco seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder, stir to combine, and allow to cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir constantly so the seasonings don't burn on the bottom.
Stir in the water and salsa, reduce heat to low, and allow it to simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cover and keep warm until potatoes are ready.
Once the potatoes are ready, slice the top open, pinch the sides, and press down to open the potato. Fluff the potato insides with a fork.
Divide the taco meat among the potatoes. Add your favorite toppings and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Taco Meat – Use any ground meat instead of beef, like pork, turkey, or chicken, to either lighten it up or just to change it up.
- Beans – Add black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans to the meat mixture to bulk it up and stretch your food budget even further!
- Toppings – Use your favorite taco toppings because the sky is the limit! I love salsa, guacamole, scallions, tomatoes, cilantro, pico de Gallo, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, crushed tortilla chips, etc.
- Seasoning – I like to make my own seasoning mixes, like Homemade Taco Seasoning, to increase the flavor, but use your favorite seasonings if you wish!
- Use in More Recipes – The meat mixture is great for other dishes like tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, etc. So it’s always a great idea to make extra taco meat.
- Sweet Potatoes – Serve the taco meat and toppings on a wholesome baked sweet potato for a change of pace!
What To Serve With Taco Baked Potatoes
- Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Sour Cream
- Salsa Roja
- Guacamole
- Sliced Jalapenos
FAQs
It is best to store the taco meat separately from the potatoes and the taco toppings. Place each in their own airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Heat the taco meat in a skillet over medium heat, and add a splash of water to loosen up the meat.
Yes, you can freeze the meat mixture and the potatoes separately, each in its own freezer-safe airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.
More Potato Recipes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Herb Parmesan Potatoes
- Hasselback Potatoes
- Breakfast Potatoes
- Twice Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Fluffy Potato Rolls
If you enjoyed these Taco Stuffed Baked Potatoes, please leave a 5-star rating and review.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 medium russet potatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 ounce Homemade Taco Seasoning (or 1 packet store-bought taco seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup salsa
- your favorite taco toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes under cool water. Pat the potato dry with a paper towel.
- Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, just piercing the skin.
- Place the potatoes on a baking tray and brush them all over with olive oil.
- Sprinkle them with the salt and rub it in.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick or knife slides in easily with no resistance. If it is not done in an hour, I start checking every additional 10 minutes. Timing depends on how big the potato is, if they are on the smaller side, start checking at 45 minutes.
- While the potatoes are baking, make the taco meat. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef, breaking it up into crumbles, and cook until there is no pink left, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the taco seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder, stir to combine and allow to cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stir constantly so the seasonings don't burn on the bottom.
- Stir in the water and salsa, reduce heat to low and allow it to simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated, 10-15 minutes, stir occasionally. Cover and keep warm until potatoes are ready.
- Once the potatoes are ready, slice the top open, pinch the sides and press down and in to open the potato. Fluff the potato insides with a fork.
- Divide the taco meat among the potatoes. Add your favorite toppings and serve.
Ronald jacques says
Thank you