Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes – Taco Bell Copycat

Make delicious Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes at home in just minutes with this tasty, easy-to-make copycat recipe! This is one of Taco Bell’s most popular menu items, and these addicting potatoes offer everything people love about the original – crispy, spicy potatoes covered with cheesy goodness.

The cheesy potato bowl has a flavor that you will crave again and again! And it is a simple recipe, perfect for a lazy day or a busy weeknight. These savory potatoes are ideal when you need a simple, kid-friendly side dish.

So skip takeout and make Taco Bell potatoes at home! Both air fryer and oven instructions are included in the recipe card below.

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Looking for more food copycat recipes? Check out my P. F. Chang’s Mongolian beef or air fryer Chick-fil-A sandwich!

What Are Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes?

This is a popular Taco Bell side dish in which crispy potatoes are topped with cheese and sour cream. They are spicy and cheesy – two tastes that people love. Taco Bell temporarily removed them from the menu in 2020 but has since brought them back because they are so popular.

Key Ingredients

For exact amounts needed, see the recipe card below

Russet Potatoes – These are the best potatoes to use for this dish. They have a high starch content, so they get nice and crispy when cooked. But if you don’t have them use whatever kind you have. 

Taco seasoning – You can use a store-bought mix or homemade taco seasoning.

Nacho Cheese Sauce – Homemade cheese sauces are tasty, but a premade one will give you the closest taste to Taco Bell. Rico’s nacho cheese sauce is supposed to be the one that is the most authentic Taco-Bell style sauce. 

To complete the side dish, you will need some oil, sour cream, and garnishes such as green onions.

How to Make Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

1, Prep

Peeling the potatoes is optional. Leaving the peel on adds extra fiber and nutrients, but honestly, I leave mine unpeeled just because it is quicker not to bother! 🙂

So peel the potatoes or don’t, and then dice them into 1-inch cubes. Put them in a bowl or zippered bag and add the oil and taco seasoning. Stir or shake them so that they are very well coated in the spices.

2a. Air Fryer Instructions

To air fry the cubed potatoes, put them in the air fryer basket and spread them out to cover the bottom. I have a 5.8-quart Cosori air fryer which has no problem fitting all the cubes.

Cook them at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Then pull the basket out and shake or stir them to redistribute. Put the basket back in and cook them for another 5-10 minutes, until the edges are crispy and a fork goes in easily.

2b. Oven Instructions

Put the coated potatoes on a non-stick baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer. Put them in a preheated 425-degree oven and roast them for 30-40 minutes.

Stir them halfway through the cooking time. They are done when they are fork-tender with brown edges.

3. Topping the Taco Bell Potatoes

Divide the potato cubes into separate bowls or ramekins. Heat up the nacho cheese in the microwave, cooking in 30-second intervals until it is warm.

Drizzle cheese over the top of the bowls and add a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with sliced green onion for an authentic Taco Bell look, or pick your own favorite toppings.

Serving

This easy side dish is the perfect potato side dish for many meals. I love to make it with a grilled dinner like ribeye steak or a simple pork loin roast.

Add easy sides like Instant Pot Mexican rice or Chile Relleno casserole for a Mexican-inspired meal!

Storing Taco Bell Fiesta Potatoes

Once you’ve added the cheese and sour cream, this dish isn’t going to keep very well. But the potatoes themselves can be stored, either before or after cooking.

If you want to prep ahead of mealtime, you can store the uncooked, seasoned potatoes in the fridge for a few hours. And the cooked potatoes will keep for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To reheat leftover potatoes, put them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes. They will not be as crispy as they were the first time.

Suggested Variations and Toppings

You could skip the nacho cheese and use shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese instead. This will give them a lot of the taste with less gooey cheese.

And sour cream and green onions are just one option for garnishing. Here are some ideas for additional toppings:

• Pickled jalapenos
• Mexican pickled onions
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Hot sauce
• Olives
• Tomatoes
• Sliced avocado

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