Turn French Fries Into A Mexican-Inspired Side Dish With This Pantry Staple

No one needs to be told that french fries are an excellent side dish and go with just about anything. According to the United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, the average American eats 58 pounds of frozen potatoes every year, mostly in the form of french fries. That is a heck of a lot of fries, so it's understandable that you might want to add a little flair to them instead of eating them plain all the time. That's where this simple hack to turn everyday fries into Mexican-inspired fries that'll make you feel like you're south of the border, or at least at a Taco Bell, comes into play. All you need is a packet of store-bought taco seasoning.

Whether you're hand-cutting potatoes to make homemade french fries or cooking them from frozen, a single packet of taco seasoning from the pantry can turn them into taco fries with little effort. If you are making fries from scratch, soak the cut french fries in water first to draw some of the starch out. This will make them cook up crispier.

You'll need at least a package of taco seasoning, or about 2 tablespoons, for 1 to 2 pounds of fries. For reference, that would be roughly a whole package of frozen fries, depending on the brand you choose, or three to four medium/large potatoes' worth of fresh fries. You can always add more seasoning if you like a bolder flavor or you have slightly more fries to cook. Whether freshly made or frozen, put the fries in a bowl and toss with 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil and the seasoning until evenly coated. Cook according to directions in the oven or air fryer.

Taco Bell's Nacho Fries are the most well-known version of these taco-seasoned fries, and they have a lot of fans. Taco Bell doesn't share the exact recipe used for its seasoning blend, but we've covered how you can reproduce it in the past. Other fans on Reddit have done the same, providing recipes for those who don't want to use a premade mix so they can refine the flavor even more precisely. You'll need paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt at the very least to mimic the taste. Some versions also call for a little cayenne, pepper, sugar, cornstarch, citric acid, and MSG. It all depends on how closely you want your fries to taste like the Taco Bell version.

Nacho fries would be delicious on their own as a snack, but if you want to make a meal of it, there are plenty of great dishes that pair with these flavors. Of course, they would pair well with a beefy burrito or some chicken fajitas, but the meal doesn't have to be fully Mexican-inspired. The spicy kick from these taco-seasoned fries pairs perfectly with a classic cheeseburger or a Southwest burger topped with some pepper Jack cheese and salsa. Even a chili dog or some sweet, sticky BBQ ribs would work, providing a contrast to the savory seasoning on the fries.

Don't forget the nacho cheese sauce for dipping, either. You can mimic Taco Bell's nacho cheese pretty easily with Dollar Tree's jalapeño cheddar dip.