There are nights when everyone’s hungry, the fridge is random, and I just want something that feels like real comfort food without babysitting three different pans. That’s how these Taco Stuffed Potatoes ended up in our rotation. It’s basically taco night and baked potatoes teaming up into one piled-high, low-effort dinner.
I like this recipe because it uses simple, familiar ingredients I usually already have: baking potatoes, ground beef, taco seasoning, sour cream, and cheese. Nothing fancy, nothing fussy, but the end result still feels like a “real” meal you’d happily serve to company. The potatoes come out fluffy, the taco filling is satisfying, and everyone can customize their own with salsa, extra sour cream, or whatever toppings are hanging around.
This is also a good one when you don’t want to deal with side dishes. The potato takes care of the carbs, the taco meat covers the protein, and the toppings add enough freshness that you can skip making a salad if you’re tight on time. I’ll bake the potatoes while I’m handling homework or emails, then quickly pull the filling together and finish them off in the oven. It’s very hands-off once things are started.
If you’re tired of the usual tacos or loaded baked potatoes, these Taco Stuffed Potatoes land right in the middle in the best way. They’re kid-friendly, easy to double, and reheat well for lunch the next day. It’s the kind of meal that makes the table go quiet for a few minutes, which is usually the best review you can get.
Make Taco Stuffed Potatoes
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Things to Grab
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra for serving
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup salsa
The Quick and Easy Method
- Preheat your oven to 475°F. Scrub the potatoes well, pat them dry, and prick each one a few times with a fork so steam can escape. Place directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet and bake for 60–75 minutes, until they feel very soft when squeezed with an oven mitt.
- While the potatoes bake, heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion. Cook, breaking the meat into small crumbles as you go, until the beef is browned and the onion is soft.
- Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and pour in the 1/4 cup water. Stir well to coat the beef. Cook for about 1 minute, just until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- When the potatoes are tender, let them cool for 10–15 minutes so they’re easier to handle. Slice a thin strip of skin off the top of each potato. Carefully scoop the fluffy centers into a large bowl, leaving enough potato attached to the skins so they hold their shape.
- Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the milk to the bowl with the scooped potato. Mash until smooth and creamy. Stir in about three-quarters of the taco meat mixture. If it looks like more meat than you want in the filling, save the rest for a quick quesadilla or taco-style flatbread. Fold in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Taste the filling before adding any salt. Taco seasoning is usually salty enough, so you may not need more. Adjust if needed.
- Spoon the taco-potato mixture back into the potato shells, mounding it up. Arrange the stuffed potatoes in a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the tops. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the centers are hot.
- Top each potato with sliced green onions and spoonfuls of salsa. Add extra sour cream on the side for serving, plus any other toppings your crew likes.
Choosing the Right Potatoes
For Taco Stuffed Potatoes, type matters. Go for large russet baking potatoes. They have thick skins that crisp up nicely and a starchy interior that turns fluffy when baked, which is exactly what you want for mashing and restuffing. Try to pick potatoes that are similar in size so they cook evenly and are done at the same time. Avoid waxy varieties like red or Yukon Gold here; they’re great for boiling but tend to stay dense and don’t mash as easily inside the shell. If your potatoes are extra huge, you may only need three instead of four; just keep the total amount of potato roughly the same and adjust filling by eye.
Getting Fluffy Potato Centers
The texture of the filling makes or breaks this recipe. To get light, fluffy centers, the potatoes need to be fully baked and very soft. If they still feel firm in the middle when you squeeze them with a mitt, give them more time. Once baked, let them rest 10–15 minutes so the steam settles; this keeps the skins from tearing as you scoop. When you mash the scooped potato with sour cream and milk, don’t overwork it—mash just until smooth. Overmixing can make the potatoes gummy instead of airy. If the mixture looks too stiff, splash in a bit more milk until it’s creamy and easy to spoon back into the skins.
Adjusting the Taco Seasoning
Packet taco seasoning is a major time-saver, but it can be strong and salty. Start by using the full packet with the beef as directed, then skip adding extra salt until you’ve tasted the finished filling. If you want a milder flavor for younger kids, you can use only 2/3 of the packet and add a little extra chili powder or paprika for color without too much heat. For more punch, stir in a pinch of cumin or smoked paprika after the meat is cooked. If sodium is a concern, look for low-sodium taco seasoning or make a quick blend from chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and a small pinch of salt so you control how much goes in.
Cheese Options and Swaps
Cheddar is the default here because it melts well and has enough flavor to stand up to the taco seasoning. Medium or sharp cheddar both work; sharp will give you a stronger cheese flavor. If you want something extra melty, try a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack or Colby Jack. For a bit of stretch, add some mozzarella, but pair it with a more flavorful cheese so the filling doesn’t taste flat. If you’d like to lighten things up a bit, use a reduced-fat cheddar, but grate it yourself—pre-shredded cheese is often coated in starch and doesn’t melt as smoothly. For a Tex-Mex twist, a Mexican blend works well and saves you from mixing cheeses on your own.
Topping Ideas and Variations
One of the best parts of Taco Stuffed Potatoes is how customizable they are. Use the green onions, salsa, and extra sour cream as a base, then build from there. Add shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, or a spoonful of guacamole for more freshness. If you want extra protein or need to stretch the meal, toss some black beans or corn into the taco meat before stuffing. You can also swap the ground beef for ground turkey or a plant-based crumble without changing the method. For a “bar-style” dinner, set out bowls of toppings and let everyone finish their own potato—it turns one simple recipe into multiple versions without any extra cooking.
Taco Stuffed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 large baking potatoes
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sour cream plus extra for serving
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 stalks green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Scrub the potatoes, pierce them several times with a fork, and bake directly on the oven rack or a baking sheet until completely tender, about 60–75 minutes.
- While the potatoes roast, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and chopped onion, breaking the meat into small pieces as it browns, and cook until no pink remains.
- Stir the taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water into the cooked beef, simmer for about a minute to blend flavors, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- When the potatoes are done, let them cool for 10–15 minutes so they’re easier to handle. Trim a thin slice off the top of each potato, scoop the flesh into a large bowl, and reserve the empty skins.
- Add the sour cream and milk to the potato flesh and mash until smooth and creamy. Fold in about three-quarters of the seasoned beef mixture and three-quarters of the shredded cheddar; reserve the rest of the meat (or use it for another meal) and cheese for topping.
- Taste the filling and adjust seasoning if needed—taco mixes can be salty, so add salt sparingly if required.
- Spoon the mashed potato and beef mixture back into the reserved potato skins, arrange them in a baking dish, sprinkle the remaining cheddar over each, and bake at 350°F (175°C) until the cheese melts and tops are lightly browned, about 20–25 minutes.
- Serve hot topped with sliced green onions, salsa and additional sour cream as desired.
