Description
These Loaded Fiesta Potato Bowls feature crispy sautéed and baked potatoes seasoned with garlic and cumin, topped with a flavorful cheese sauce mixed with salsa and hot sauce, plus sour cream and green onions. It’s a quick, customizable dish with bold Mexican-inspired tastes.
Ingredients
Potatoes and Seasonings:
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Potatoes (white or sweet)—figure on enough to chop into bites for four, maybe 4-5 mediums or 2 pounds worth
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
For Sautéing:
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter (margarine’s cool if that’s handy)
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2 tablespoons oil (extra virgin olive for me, but vegetable’s no biggie)
Cheese Sauce and Toppings:
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1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or Velveeta if you want super smooth melt)
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½ cup salsa (pico de gallo adds nice chunks)
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1 tablespoon hot sauce (Tabasco brings the heat I like)
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½ cup sour cream (I sneak in Greek yogurt sometimes for less guilt)
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2 sprigs green onion (chopped up fresh)
Instructions
Get that oven roaring to 475 °F (bout 245 °C). Gotta have it piping hot to nail the crisp factor, no shortcuts—give it at least 10-15 minutes to really stabilize, especially if your oven runs cool.
Slice up the spuds into little chunks, about 1-inch pieces for quick cooking. Keep sizes similar or you’ll have some raw, some burnt—been there, not fun; if using sweets, they might cook faster so watch ’em.
Stuff the chunks in a zip-lock, dump in garlic powder and cumin, seal and shake it like a maraca. Mess-free way to coat every last one; if the bag’s too full, do it in batches for even coverage.
Melt butter and oil in the skillet on medium, add potatoes, and keep stirring for 10-ish minutes till they’re goin’ golden—don’t walk away, or they might stick. This is where the flavor magic starts—kitchen smells epic! If it seems dry, add a splash more oil.
Shift ’em to the baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, stir once halfway to flip sides. Spread out wide so they don’t steam—crisp is king here; for extra crunch, broil the last minute but don’t let ’em burn.
Bowl time: cheese, salsa, hot sauce together, microwave 30 seconds at a pop, stir each go, till it’s silky. Take it slow to avoid lumps; if it’s too thick, thin with a tablespoon of milk for creaminess.
Heap potatoes in bowls, pour sauce over (warm it if needed), add a dollop of sour cream, scatter onions. Scarf it hot—flavors pop best that way! For fun, set out extra toppings like olives or bacon bits for a build-your-own bar.
Notes
Dash of smoked paprika in the mix? Gives a smoky hug that elevates everything. Skip crowding the skillet—steam city otherwise. Frozen cubes thawed? Quick cheat that shaves time. Sauce gone weird? Milk splash and whisk saves the day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Sauté and Bake
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired