Taco Loaded Baked Potatoes (Printable)
Crisp baked potatoes loaded with seasoned taco meat, cheese, avocado and fresh salsa for a festive weeknight meal.
# What You Need:
→ Potatoes
01 - 4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
→ Taco Meat
02 - 1 pound ground beef, or ground turkey or plant-based crumbles
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 small onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
07 - 1/3 cup water
08 - Salt, to taste
09 - Black pepper, to taste
→ Toppings
10 - 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
11 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
12 - 1/2 cup sour cream
13 - 1/2 cup sliced black olives
14 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
15 - 1 avocado, diced
16 - 2 green onions, sliced
17 - Salsa or hot sauce, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick russet potatoes with a fork, coat with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and set directly on the oven rack. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, until skins are crisp and the flesh is tender.
02 - While the potatoes are baking, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until evenly browned and fully cooked through. If necessary, drain excess fat.
04 - Sprinkle taco seasoning over the cooked meat, pour in water, and mix thoroughly. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
05 - Once baked, allow potatoes to cool slightly. Create a lengthwise slit on each and gently fluff the insides with a fork.
06 - Generously fill each potato with taco meat. Top with shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, sour cream, sliced black olives, diced avocado, green onions, chopped cilantro, and finish with salsa or hot sauce to taste.
07 - Serve immediately, offering additional toppings for personalization.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It’s a playful, crowd-pleasing mashup—like Taco Tuesday and baked potato night decided to join forces.
- Everyone gets to build their own masterpiece, which always leads to happy, personalized plates.
02 -
- If you don’t poke enough holes in your potatoes, you’ll end up cleaning up a potato explosion in your oven—I learned the hard way!
- Letting the cheese hit the potato just after the meat guarantees ultra-melty magic instead of a cold layer on top.
03 -
- If you want extra-crisp skins, sprinkle potatoes with just a bit more olive oil in the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Try layering cheese both under and over the taco meat so it melts right into every crevice.