One option that I really enjoy making for a quick and easy weeknight supper are baked potatoes. They are such a versatile dish and you can top them with just about anything.
On this day I topped mine with a delicious taco beef (or turkey) filling and all of my favorite taco toppings for a simple supper that was not only very easy to make but also very delicious!
If you enjoy tacos and you like baked potatoes then you are going to fall in love with these simple, quick and easy Taco Baked Potatoes. I wish that I had thought of this when my children were growing up, but alas, I did not. They would have loved them.
I can't claim to have thought of them even now. I was inspired by some Taco Potatoes that I saw on Life in the Loft House. I adapted the recipe by cutting it in half to make only two servings, and I also provided two ways to bake the potatoes.
You can bake your potatoes in either a regular oven or an air fryer. Both methods work beautifully, yielding beautifully baked potatoes with a lovely crisp skin.
She wraps her potatoes in foil, but I never do. I just bake them as is. No need to waste any foil and the skins get beautifully crisp because they bake rather than steam.
You can also speed up the process by prebaking your potatoes in a microwave oven. Just wash, prick all over, place onto a plate (using russet potatoes of course) and bake for five minutes on high, then flip over and bake for a further five minutes on high.
This is only time saving when you are doing only a few potatoes. I do always like to rub them after with a bit of oil and pop them into a hot oven to crisp up a bit. But this can be a real time saver when you are in a bit of a hurry.
One thing that I really miss here in Canada are the frozen already baked potatoes that we could get in the U.K. McCain made them and they were simply lovely, and very convenient as well.
They came in two sizes. You could get four large ones in a pack, or eight smaller ones in a bag. I used to often pick up the smaller ones. You could not beat them for a quick and easy side dish or something like this.
They also had frozen mashed potatoes that I just loved. I hardly ever made mashed potatoes from scratch during the last few years of my living there. They came in bags, large enough to feed four people and were quite inexpensive.
What you had was a bag of individually frozen mashed potato pellets. You just poured however many/much you wanted to cook into a baking dish and then popped them into the microwave. A few minutes later and you had a really decent mash.
I always used to add a bit of sour cream or milk, and sometimes some butter or cheese. Stir in some grated or chopped onion, etc. It was really good and very convenient and they were inexpensive too. You could usually buy a bag for a pound which was about $2.
No having to peel, cut up or boil potatoes. Very tasty! I wonder why they do not have the frozen mash or the frozen baked potatoes here? I know I would buy them and I am sure many others would as well!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TACO BAKED POTATOES
Except for the toppings, every day simple ingredients. You can vary the toppings as to what you like and enjoy! Recipe makes two potatoes with toppings.
- 2 medium russet baking potatoes
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 TBS taco seasoning (see notes on how to make your own)
- water as needed
- shredded lettuce
- chopped spring onions
- grated cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- chopped black olives
- guacamole
I never buy the baking potatoes that are already wrapped in foil. You just don't know what lies beneath the foil and I have found that they often taste and smell musty. I just pick up my baking potatoes loose. That way I can pick and choose the best and the right size for my needs.
Today I used ground turkey. I am not overly fond of ground beef and since I try to limit my red meat consumption, I usually use ground turkey in its place. You can use whatever ground meat product you like, or even a veggie option if you wish. All will taste good.
I like to make my own taco seasoning and have included a recipe to do that in the notes below. If you don't want to make your own I think you could use approximately 1/2 of a package of taco seasoning, and the water as recommended on the package.
I have included a list of our favorite toppings. I forgot to add taco sauce. We often like to have some taco sauce on our tacos, including these baked potatoes!
HOW TO MAKE TACO BAKED POTATOES
Nothing could be easier. I know I always say that, but its true!
Wash your potatoes really well, pat dry and then prick all over with a fork. (Don't skip this as they can explode in the oven from built up pressure.)To oven bake: Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Rub the potatoes with a bit of oil and then place them in the oven right on top the oven rack. (This helps the air circulate around them, making for a nice crispy skin.) Bake for one hour. They are done when they yield slightly to pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.To bake in the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Rub some oil over the skins of your potatoes and place them into the air fryer basket. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. They are done when they yield slightly to the pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.While the potatoes are baking make your meat topping. Spray a medium non-stick skillet with some non-stick cooking spray and crumble in your meat. Scramble fry over medium high heat until nicely browned. If there is any grease in the pan drain it off.Add the taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup (60ml) of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until nicely thickened. The mixture should be moist but not runny.Cut a slit in the top of each potato and gently squeeze the sides to fluffy up and open. Place on each of two heated plates and top each with a portion of the ground meat filling. Sprinkle each with a bit of ground cheddar. Serve immediately with all of your other favorite taco toppings! Enjoy!
Quick, easy and delicious. These made for a really nice week night supper which didn't require a lot of faffing about or effort. My favorite kind of meal is simple food. These are also really economical!
Simple doesn't mean that it can't also be delicious. Delicious food, simply prepared, that's my promise to you!
I love the potato in any way shape or form. I will often turn baked potatoes into stuffed baked potatoes. Here are some of my favorite versions!
TWICE BAKED CAULIFLOWER CHEESE BAKED POTATOES - Crispy skinned and stuffed with a delicious cauliflower cheese mixture. Fabulously tasty, this is like having two of your favorite side dishes combined into one!
SALMON PIE STUFFED BAKED POTATOES - One of our favorite meals when I was growing up was French Canadian Salmon Pie. On this day I decided to use some baked potatoes and stuff them with the salmon pie mixture with the most delicious results, and there was no fussing about with making or rolling out crusts. These are some of my favorite stuffed baked potatoes. Delicious!
Yield: 2Author: Marie Rayner
Taco Baked Potatoes
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 MTaco fixings and toppings make a really delicious topping for simple baked potatoes. A quick, easy and delicious meal! You can bake your potatoes in the oven or the air fryer. Its all up to you!Ingredients
- 2 medium russet baking potatoes
- 1/2 pound extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 TBS taco seasoning (see notes on how to make your own)
- water as needed
- shredded lettuce
- chopped spring onions
- grated cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- chopped black olives
- guacamole
Instructions
- Wash your potatoes really well, pat dry and then prick all over with a fork. (Don't skip this as they can explode in the oven from built up pressure.)
- To oven bake: Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Rub the potatoes with a bit of oil and then place them in the oven right on top the oven rack. (This helps the air circulate around them, making for a nice crispy skin.) Bake for one hour. They are done when they yield slightly to pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- To bake in the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Rub some oil over the skins of your potatoes and place them into the air fryer basket. Cook in the preheated air fryer for 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of your potato. They are done when they yield slightly to the pressure when lightly squeezed. Carefully remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- While the potatoes are baking make your meat topping. Spray a medium non-stick skillet with some non-stick cooking spray and crumble in your meat. Scramble fry over medium high heat until nicely browned. If there is any grease in the pan drain it off.
- Add the taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup (60ml) of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until nicely thickened. The mixture should be moist but not runny.
- Cut a slit in the top of each potato and gently squeeze the sides to fluffy up and open. Place on each of two heated plates and top each with a portion of the ground meat filling. Sprinkle each with a bit of ground cheddar.
- Serve immediately with all of your other favorite taco toppings! Enjoy!
Notes
Make Your Own Taco Seasoning: Mix together 1 TBS mild chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp oregano and 1/2 tsp of onion powder, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
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