These crispy fiesta potato tacos are my homemade take on the Taco Bell fiesta potatoes meets Spicy Soft potato taco! As a longtime fiesta potato stan, this hits the spot every time.
What You Need
These crispy and delicious tacos mostly call for pantry staples! Here’s what you’ll need:
- Potatoes: …for obvious reasons, these make up the base for the tacos and can be turned into fiesta potatoes quickly in the air fryer. You can use any type of potato for this recipe but I do recommend Russet potatoes because they hold their shape very well. Baby potatoes also work!
- Oil: you will need to pat your potatoes dry and coat your potatoes in oil before cooking them to help add to the crispiness. Use whatever oil you prefer or have available, this also helps all the spices stick to the potatoes.
- Seasonings: this will help make your fiesta potatoes spicy and delicious! You can use garlic powder, smoked paprika, ground pepper, salt, or any combination of spices you have on hand! You can even add fresh herbs such as parsley after the potatoes are cooked.
- Homemade Creamy Jalapeño Sauce : this easy to make jalapenos sauce really pull these tacos together every single time.
- Fruity Pico de Gallo : I love to make a fruity pico using strawberry, mangoes, peaches or pineapple to add a balance out the heavier feeling potatoes.
How to Make the Fiesta Potatoes
These fiesta potatoes are very easy to make and will take you almost no time at all! In 4 easy steps, you’ll have fresh, crisp, flavorful fiesta potatoes ready to eat!
- To prep the potatoes we need to cut them into small, even squares. To do this, chop off a small part of one of the ends and stand the potato up on that side. Cut them into planks and then but each plank into cubes.
- Next, if you want the potatoes to be extra extra crispy, you can soak them in water to remove excess starch. Don’t worry if you don’t have time to soak them, as this process doesn’t cause a drastic change in crispiness and you can still achieve a delicious final result!
- Dump your potato cubes into a bowl and drizzle with oil and seasonings and toss to coat the potatoes well with the mixture.
- Toss your seasoned potatoes into your air fryer and cook for about 10 minutes at 375°F. Remove the basket and shake up the potatoes then cook again for 10 more minutes. Your final result should pass the fork test (stab them with a fork easily and cleanly) and be brown around the edges.*
When you’re in the air fryer, make sure you don’t overcrowd the potatoes or they won’t cook as well and won’t achieve the desired crispiness. A better option is to just cook them in small batches. This way they will cook faster and better! I like to broil them for a few minutes at the end to get them extra crispy.
Where does this recipe come from?
These fiesta potato tacos stem aren’t a creation completely invented by Taco Bell. Tacos de Papas are a very popular potato taco in Mexico. It is a food that is served in the most diverse of locations, from street-food stalls to expensive restaurants. Of course, this recipe also varies from person to person, and is quite unique.
These tacos are a popular dish during Lent as many people give up meat during this time, but as mentioned before, they’re available everywhere all year round because of their simplicity, flavor, and popularity! Traditionally, the recipe is made with mashed potatoes that are lightly seasoned but this had been greatly changed over time. The recipe varies from family to family and restaurant to restaurant because it is so easy to change things up according to personal preferences.
Make it Vegan
Swap the diary in this recipe with non-dairy alternatives to make it vegan!
Can I Meal Prep this?
This recipe is great for meal prepping! Just season and cook your potatoes when you’re prepping and refrigerate them well for the week. When you are ready to make and eat your tacos, reheat in the airfryer and simply chop up any fresh toppings you want to use and assemble your tacos! If you end up having leftovers, just wrap them up very tightly and store in the freezer for up to a a week, give or take. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven when you’re ready to eat them again!
Print
Crispy Fiesta Potato Tacos (Homemade Taco Bell Style)
- Total Time: 50
- Yield: Approx 10 Tacos 1x
Description
These crispy fiesta potato tacos are my homemade take on the Taco Bell fiesta potatoes meets Spicy Soft potato taco! As a longtime fiesta potato stan, this hits the spot every time.
Ingredients
Fiesta Potatoes
- 2 large Russet potatoes (or a bunch of baby potatoes)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Large pinch of salt
- 1–3 tsp cayenne or red chili powder
- 2–3 tsp baking powder
Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
- 1/4 cup light sour cream
- 2 tbsp light mayo
- 3 tbsp greek yogurt
- 2 spoonfuls of pickled jalapeños, chopped
- 1–2 tbsp juice from pickled jalapenos.
- Small bunch of cilantro.
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1–2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
Peach Pico de Gallo
- 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 peach, finely chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
- Small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
- Pinch of Salt
For the Tacos
- Small Tacos Tortillas (flour or corn)
- Sprinkle of Cheese
- Toppings : Sour Cream
Instructions
The Potatoes
- Cube the potatoes into small, half inch cubes and soak them in a bowl of water while making your spice mixture.
- In a bowl, combine the garlic powder, cumin, parsley, onion powder, salt, red chili powder and baking powder.
- Then, drain the potatoes and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle one tbsp olive oil and toss. Then, sprinkle all of the spice mixture over the potatoes and toss until evenly combined.
- Airfry or bake at 375F for 10 minutes, flip and bake for another 5-10 minutes at 400F or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. If you want them crispier, broil them for an additional minute.
The Sauce
- While the potatoes bake, add all the ingredients in the “Creamy Jalapeno Sauce” section to a blender and blend. Add water or jalapeno pickling juice as needed to help it blend smoothly.
The Pico de Gallo
- Add all the ingredients in the “Peach Pico de Gallo” section to a bowl and combine.
Assembling the Tacos
- Once the potatoes are cooked, it’s time to assemble the tacos! Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seances to make sure they are easy to work with. Keep under the paper towel until you are assembling.
- Grab a small taco tortilla and add a large spoonful the potatoes, a spoonful of the sauce and a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat until all the potatoes are done.
- Place them on a baking sheet and use a weight to press them down so they don’t open while baking, You can also use try to use a toothpick to close it.
- Brush on just a little oil and bake at 400F for 8-10 minutes or until crispy.
- Serve them with a drizzle of sour cream, the fruity pico de Gallo and the extra jalapeno sauce
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Tacos
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican