A loaded potato taco bowl is a crispy, cheesy, ground beef-y dream piled high with all my favorite taco fixings. Why didn’t I think of this quick-fix dinner sooner!?
I love making these loaded potato bowls for meal prep. I portion the potatoes, beef, and cheese into oven-safe glass containers, then reheat as needed and add the fresh toppings when we’re ready to eat. It turns into the most incredible lunch with barely any effort!
Having lunch ready ahead of time makes it so much easier to stick with better-for-you meals, and this one is soo good and easy to prep for busy weeknight meals. I don’t know how I didn’t think of this sooner!
Loaded Potato Taco Bowls Video
How To Make Loaded Potato Taco Bowls
These potato taco bowls go from the oven to the table in about 35 minutes. A layer of crispy roasted potatoes, seasoned beef, and melty cheese under a pile of fresh toppings is waiting for you!
- Prep and roast the potatoes: Toss the small cubes of Yukon gold potatoes with olive oil and salt. Spread them between two baking sheets, leaving space between each piece. Then, roast at 425°F for 25–35 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they’re golden and tender inside.
- Cook the beef: In the meantime, cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart as you go. Add the taco seasoning and continue cooking until the beef is fully cooked.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the potatoes between four oven-safe dishes or containers. Top with the ground beef and shredded cheese. Return them to the oven for 2–3 minutes until the cheese melts. Then, finish with guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and green onions. Serve warm!
Serving suggestion: If you’re looking for more to add to your meal, consider pairing these bowls with tortilla chips and salsa for crunch, or a green salad to balance the richness. Otherwise, just serve it with a buffet-style bar of various topping ingredients.
Recipe Variations
Customize these bowls with your favorite proteins, a change of seasonings, and your choice of toppings.
- Change the protein: Ground turkey, chicken, chorizo, or plant-based crumbles all work. Vegetarian? Use black beans or lentils.
- Switch the potatoes: Sweet potatoes or cauliflower work for a lower-carb twist. If you want an air fryer potato option, try this.
- Seasoning options: For more heat, add more taco seasoning. For a general flavor boost, garlic powder, paprika, and black pepper are good options to further season the potatoes and meat.
- Veggie add-ins and spices: Mix in black beans, corn, or roasted veggies for even more variety. You can also dial up the heat with jalapeños or chipotle peppers.
- Switch up the toppings: Guacamole, sour cream, pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, green onions, shredded lettuce, hot sauce, limes, and chopped cilantro are just a few of the many topping options. This creamy tomatillo & cilantro dressing is also fantastic on these bowls!
- Make it gluten-free: For a gluten-free bowl, use a taco seasoning that is certified gluten-free.
Sauce it up! If you like sauces, cilantro lime crema, this creamy tomatillo cilantro dressing, or even chimichurri can be good options depending on your flavor preferences!
Tips For Success
Nail these simple tricks for a perfect bowl every time. Just a few pointers for my favorite readers!
- Cut the potatoes similarly: Make sure to cut the potatoes into same-sized cubes so they cook evenly.
- Keep the potatoes dry: Ensure the potatoes are dry before roasting to achieve crisp bites.
- Use two baking sheets: Resist the urge to put all the potatoes onto one tray. I recommend putting them in a single layer on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Overlapping creates steam instead of crisp edges, which is vital!
- Break apart the beef into small pieces: Make sure to break the ground beef into small pieces as it cooks so you get a little in every bite.
- Crisp up the beef: Let the meat sit undisturbed in the skillet for a couple minutes before stirring. This develops a crust that’s soo good! If you end up using higher fat beef, make sure to drain any excess fat.
- Make homemade taco seasoning: I always make my own taco seasoning. It’s easy and it helps you have better flavor and control over the ingredients.
- Keep the fresh toppings cold: Add the fresh, cool toppings right before serving. Keep them cold until the last minute. The warm and cool combination is one of the best parts!
Taco Bowl Storage and Reheating
Loaded potato taco bowls are meal prep magic! Storing is easy, but make sure to keep the components separate for the freshest bowls all week.
- Refrigerating timelines: Roasted potatoes and seasoned beef keep up to four days in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Pico de gallo stays fresh about 1-2 days, while guacamole is best the day it’s made.
- Reheating: Avoid the microwave for the potatoes. Instead, re-crisp them in a 400°F oven or air fryer for 6–10 minutes. Meat can be reheated in the microwave, skillet, or along with the potatoes in the air fryer.
- Freezer options: The cooked taco meat may be frozen for up to three months. Potatoes can also be frozen but may lose crispness. When ready to enjoy these again, defrost and reheat them in the oven to restore crispness. Never freeze the fresh toppings!
More Satisfying Bowl Recipes
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Bowls (Steak, Eggs & Potatoes) — High-protein breakfast bowls with potatoes, steak, and eggs
- Burrito Bowl — Bold Tex-Mex flavors of a burrito in a bowl
- Egg Roll In A Bowl — Savory ground meat, cabbage, and Asian seasonings all in one bowl
- Hawaiian Poke Bowl — Fresh marinated tuna, sticky rice, and toppings mixed with sesame-ginger flavor
- California Sushi Bowl — Deconstructed sushi bowl with crab, avocado, cucumber, and a tangy spicy mayo
Recipe
Ingredients
Taco Bowl
- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes cut into small cubes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lb ground beef lean
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Toppings
- ½ cup guacamole
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 4 green onions sliced
Instructions
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil and salt. Spread between two baking sheets, leaving space between the pieces. I like to use a non-stick baking sheet to get the crispiest potatoes.
- Roast the potatoes at 425°F for 25–35 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they're golden and tender.
- In the meantime, cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it apart. Add the taco seasoning and continue cooking until the beef is fully cooked.
- Divide the potatoes between four oven-safe bowls. Top with the ground beef and shredded cheese. Return to the oven for 2–3 minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Top with guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo, and green onions. Serve warm!
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