The Best Loaded Potato Taco Bowl You’ll Make at Home

I’ve been obsessed with loaded potato taco bowls for like three months now, and I’m pretty sure I’ve tried every variation possible. Some were disasters. Complete disasters. But this one? This one actually works.

Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. The first time I tried making a loaded potato taco bowl, I thought it would be easy. Just throw some potatoes and taco stuff together, right? Wrong. SO wrong. The potatoes were either mushy or rock-hard, the seasoning was bland, and my husband literally asked if we could just order pizza instead. Ouch.

But after way too many attempts (and probably too much money spent on potatoes), I finally figured it out. And now my kids request this at least twice a week, which is saying something because my 8-year-old refuses to eat anything that even looks healthy.

What Makes This Loaded Potato Taco Bowl Different

Here’s what I learned the hard way—and trust me, I learned it the HARD way. The secret isn’t just throwing taco meat on top of some sad, boiled potatoes. Nope. The magic happens when you get those potatoes CRISPY. Like, actually crispy. Not soggy. Not soft. Crispy.

I tried baking them at different temperatures, microwaving them first (don’t do this), and even air-frying them. The air fryer method won, but I’ll give you the oven version too because not everyone has one. (I didn’t until my neighbor Sarah convinced me during a garage sale last summer. Best twenty bucks I ever spent.)

Why You’ll Actually Want to Make This Loaded Potato Bowl Recipe

This loaded potato taco bowl recipe is perfect for meal prep, which—okay, I’m not gonna pretend I’m some organized meal prep guru. But even I can manage to make these on Sunday and eat them all week. They reheat surprisingly well, and you can customize each bowl differently if you’re feeding picky eaters.

Speaking of picky eaters, my daughter won’t touch ground beef normally, but something about putting it in a crispy potato bowl makes it acceptable? Kids are weird.

The whole thing takes about 40 minutes if you’re organized. Takes me closer to an hour because I inevitably forget something and have to run back to the store. Last Tuesday, I completely forgot to buy sour cream and had to use Greek yogurt instead. Worked fine, honestly.

Loaded Potato Taco Bowl Ingredients

For the Crispy Potato Bowls:

• 4 large russet potatoes (don’t use red potatoes—learned that one the hard way)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper (sea salt if you’re fancy, regular salt if you’re normal like me)

For the Taco Loaded Potato Bowl with Ground Beef:

• 1 pound ground beef (I use 85/15 because the fat adds flavor, fight me)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small onion, diced (they make me cry even through sunglasses, weird right?)

Toppings (Go Wild):

• Shredded cheddar cheese (don’t buy pre-shredded, it’s got weird coating stuff)
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Salsa (I use medium because mild is pointless)
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Black beans (canned is fine, we’re not fancy here)
• Jalapeños if you like spice
• Cilantro (unless you’re one of those people who thinks it tastes like soap)
• Avocado or guacamole

Good luck finding decent avocados this time of year, by the way. They’re either rock-hard or completely brown inside. No in-between.

How to Make the Best Easy Loaded Potato Taco Bowl

Step 1: Prep Those Potatoes

First things first—scrub your potatoes clean. Like, actually clean them. I skip this step sometimes when I’m lazy, and then I end up eating dirt. Not cute.

Poke holes all over each potato with a fork. This lets steam escape so they don’t explode in your oven. (Yes, I’ve exploded a potato before. Yes, it was a mess.)

Microwave the potatoes for 5-6 minutes to give them a head start. They’ll be hot when they come out, so don’t grab them like an idiot like I did last week. Use a towel or something.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the inside, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato attached to the skin. Save the scooped-out potato for—actually, I don’t know. I usually eat it with butter while I’m cooking. Chef’s privilege.

Step 2: Make Them Crispy (This Is Important)

Brush the inside and outside of each potato half with olive oil. Don’t skip this. The oil is what makes them crispy, and if you skip it, you’ll just have sad, regular baked potatoes.

Mix your garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle this all over the potatoes—inside and out.

Now here’s where people mess up. You need HIGH heat. Preheat your oven to 425°F (or use your air fryer at 400°F if you have one).

Place the potato skins cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Do NOT skip the parchment paper unless you enjoy scraping stuck potatoes off your pan for 30 minutes. Been there. Not fun.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until they’re golden and crispy. They’ll look a little weird at first, kinda pale and sad, but then they’ll suddenly get gorgeous. Watch them closely after the 20-minute mark because they go from perfect to burnt FAST.

Step 3: Cook the Ground Beef

While the potatoes are crisping up, brown your ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. This takes about 8-10 minutes.

Once the beef is no longer pink, drain most of the fat. I leave a little bit because flavor, but do what feels right for you.

Add your diced onion to the beef and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the onion softens. Actually, you know what? Sometimes I forget the onion entirely and it’s still good. Don’t tell anyone I said that.

Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Let it simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Set your timer or you’ll inevitably forget and panic like I do.

Step 4: Build Your Loaded Potato Taco Bowl

This is the fun part. Well, it’s all pretty fun, but this part is where everything comes together.

Flip your crispy potato bowls so they’re cut-side up. They should be sturdy enough to hold all your toppings. If they’re too floppy, you didn’t cook them long enough. (No judgment, I’ve served floppy potato bowls many times.)

Fill each potato bowl with the taco meat. Don’t be shy—really pile it in there.

Now add all your toppings. I go in this order: cheese first so it melts a little, then sour cream, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and whatever else I’m feeling that day.

Tips for the Best Healthy Potato Taco Bowl

Make It Lighter: Want a healthy potato taco bowl? Use ground turkey instead of beef, skip the sour cream (or use Greek yogurt), and load up on veggies. It’s still good, just… different. I make this version when I’m pretending to care about my health.

Meal Prep Version: For loaded potato taco bowl meal prep, keep the components separate. Store the crispy potato bowls in an airtight container, the meat in another container, and the toppings in separate little containers. Assemble right before eating. They stay good for about 4 days in the fridge.

Air Fryer Shortcut: If you have an air fryer, you can make the crispy potato bowl in about 15 minutes total. Just follow the same steps but cook at 400°F. Game changer.

Potato Taco Bowl Calories: If you’re wondering about potato taco bowl calories, each bowl is roughly 450-500 calories depending on your toppings. Add an extra handful of cheese and you’re probably looking at 550-600. But who’s counting? (Okay, fine, sometimes I count.)

Don’t Overcook: The biggest mistake I see people make—and I’ve made this mistake TOO many times—is overcooking the potatoes in the first microwave step. You want them partially cooked, not fully done. They’ll finish cooking in the oven.

What I’ve Learned About This Recipe

This is way better than the potato bowl KFC used to have. Remember those? These are crispier, fresher, and you can actually control what goes in them.

I’ve made this recipe for my book club, my kids’ birthday party (weird choice, I know, but they requested it), and approximately 47 random weeknight dinners. It’s become our go-to when I have no idea what to cook.

Found out by accident that adding a squeeze of lime juice on top makes everything better. Also, if you’re feeling extra, a drizzle of chipotle mayo is chef’s kiss.

Oh, and another thing—these are great for parties because everyone can customize their own bowl. Set up a taco bar situation with all the toppings, and people go crazy for it.

Final Thoughts on This Loaded Taco Potato

Look, I’m not saying this loaded potato taco bowl recipe will change your life or anything dramatic like that. But it’s really, really good. And pretty easy once you get the hang of the crispy potato situation.

My family asks for this constantly, and I don’t mind making it because it’s honestly not that hard. Plus, it feels fancy enough that I can serve it to guests but casual enough for a random Tuesday night.

If I can make this without burning down my kitchen (and I’ve come close), anyone can. Seriously, try it and let me know how yours turns out! Did your potatoes get crispy? Did you add any toppings I didn’t mention? I’m always looking for new ideas.

Now I’m craving this again. Thanks a lot, brain.