Copycat Taco Bell Nacho Fries

Homemade french fries perfectly seasoned with a spicy nacho cheese sauce for dipping, fan-favorite Nacho Fries is the perfect copycat to the original. For a limited time only! (kidding)

It’s pretty obvious that I love a good copycat, and today’s Nacho Fries has been in the works since I first tried them at Taco Bell.

Irresistibly seasoned crispy homemade fries with a creamy, cheesy, slightly spicy nacho sauce?! Sign me up.

I absolutely love the challenge of recreating my favorite restaurant recipes at home. When I can make all of our staple dishes we order out all the time, I see that as a win-win situation.

The best part about this Nacho Fries Recipe is that we can have one of our favorite side dishes even when a certain fast-food chain decides to discontinue it.

Talk about craveable food! Seasoned fries with nacho dip is a food I can’t put down. I’m a little bit obsessed, haha! If you’ve never tried them, do a little flavor exploration here. You won’t be sorry.

Want to level up even more? Put a little taco beef mixture on top. I’m telling you, this is one of those menu items that you’ll get all kinds of use out of.

Much easier than it looks! Treat yourself and your family with this yummy, even better than the original nacho fries today!

1. My new nacho fries recipe is customizable to fit your spice level. If it’s your first time, maybe take it easy, haha.
2. Easy-to-find ingredients make this simple to put together. Not much prep time!
3. This culinary innovation makes a lot to feed a crowd.

• Oil for frying
• Russet potatoes
• Cheez whiz cheese dip
• American cheese
• Pickled jalapeno juice
• Whole milk
• Sweet paprika
• Smoked paprika
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

1. Preheat a deep fryer or dutch oven with 4 inches of oil up the side of the pan to 325°F.
2. Place the cut potatoes into cold water while you are waiting for the oil to come up to temp.
3. When the oil is ready, take the fries out of the water a handful at a time and dry them off completely using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. 
4. Add the fries to the oil and cook until they are just cooked through and soft, 6-8 minutes. Stir them around every few minutes. The fries will not have much color on them at this step. 
5. Place the blanched fries onto a wire rack that is placed over a sheet tray to catch any drips. Repeat with the remaining fries.
6. While you are blanching the fries, make the cheese sauce. Place the cheez whiz, American cheese, jalapeno juice, and milk into a medium-sized saucepan.
7. Place the pan over medium-low heat, stirring every so often to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. Keep cooking until everything is smooth and melted together, up to 10 minutes. Take off the heat, add a lid to the pan, and set aside until serving.
8. When all the fries are blanched and the cheese sauce is ready, increase the temperature of the oil to 375°F.
9. In a small bowl, stir together the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, set aside.
10. Once the oil is up to temp. Add handfuls of the blanched fries to the oil. Cook until crispy and golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
11. Again, drain the fries on a wire rack over a sheet tray to catch any drips.
12. Repeat with the remaining fries. Once they are all cooked, add them to a large bowl. Add half of the fry seasoning and toss to coat the fries. Taste, add more seasoning to your liking.
13. Immediately serve the fries with nacho sauce.

DO I HAVE TO USE CHEEZ WHIZ?

While the cheez whiz cheese dip makes the nacho sauce as close to the original as possible, you don’t have to use it.

In place of the cheez whiz cheese dip, you can use equal parts of Velveeta cheese.

If using the Velveeta, you may need to add more milk to get the consistency you are looking for.

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD?

Yes, if you are looking to make this for a gathering but want to prepare ahead of time, you can!

The biggest time saver would be to blanch the potatoes ahead of time.

Prepare the recipe up to step 5.

Then, when you are ready to serve, just continue on with the recipe as written.

The blanched fries can sit out for a few hours at room temperature before the final fry, or you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days before continuing with the recipe.

CAN I ADD ANY ADDITIONS?

Yes! I sometimes like to add different goodies to the cheese sauce to mix it up from time to time. Let’s amp up these Taco Bell Nacho Fries.

• Ground beef: Cook it with taco seasoning and spoon it on top of the fries for extra protein—kind of like a nacho/fries combo that’ll wow your taste buds.
• Jalapeño peppers: Sliced fresh or pickled peppers add bold flavors and a spicy kick, maybe even some jalapeno puree! The perfect partner for taco bell fans looking for a zesty twist.
• Pico de gallo: Spoon on some homemade or store-bought pico de gallo for a refreshing splash of tomatoes, onions, and Mexican spices.
• Guacamole or mashed avocado: Adds a creamy element to balance the heat from the nacho cheese sauce, creating an ultimate crowd-pleaser.
• Tortilla chips: Crumble a few on top for extra crunch—like combining crispy fries and tortilla chips in one dish.
• Hot sauce: A drizzle of your favorite brand—like a secret sauce from your favorite hot sauce company—for those who love it spicy.
• Reduced-fat sour cream: Dot the fries with sour cream if you want a tangy, cooler contrast to the cheese.
• Refried beans or black beans: Spoon them on top for a hearty spin reminiscent of loaded nachos.
• Salsa verde or red salsa or other vegetarian food items: Another layer of flavor that can take your fries up a notch with minimal effort.
• Melted cheese: Some cheddar cheese or three-cheese blend could turn these into grilled cheese nacho fries!
• Jalapeno Ranch: Drizzle some on top for instant jalapeño ranch nacho fries!

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

Bring on the changes. I love experimenting and adjusting to make my taste buds happy!

• Sweet potato fries in place of regular russet potatoes for a sweeter angle that still pairs well with delicious nacho cheese.
• Oven-baked fries if you’re looking to skip the deep fryer; it’s an easy recipe tweak—just ensure a bit of oil and high heat for crispiness.
• Italian sausage (crumbled and browned) if you don’t have ground beef handy—still loads of bold flavors in every bite.
• Cream cheese (melted into the sauce) for a thicker, extra tangy spin on your cheese sauce—just watch that it doesn’t burn.
• BBQ sauce in the nacho cheese sauce for a sweet-n-smoky fusion—an unconventional but tasty partnership.
• Frozen fries from the grocery store in place of homemade, if you’re short on time and want best results with minimal prep.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Freeze any leftover fries for up to 3 months, but I do not suggest freezing the nacho sauce.

To prevent steaming and the fries from turning soggy, I find the best way to reheat the fries is in the oven until crispy on a wire rack over a sheet tray.

Craving Taco Bell at home? No taco bell menu necessary.

You have to give my Nacho Fries a try ASAP.

If you’ve tried these NACHO FRIES let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!