These Easy “Potachos” Turn Frozen Fries Into Dinner

Potatoes, meet nachos.

By
Kris Osborne
Kris Osborne
Kris Osborne
Kris has over 12 years of experience creating food content for both print and digital. Growing up in her family's restaurant set her up for a lifelong love affair with food and it’s clear why. Previously worked as a columnist on healthy snacks. Currently she can be found on Simply Recipes. 
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Published January 29, 2026
Kris Osborne
Wafflecut sweet potato slices topped with cheese beans tomatoes and green onions on a baking sheet

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
  • Sheet-pan potachos turn frozen sweet potato fries into a satisfying weeknight meal.
  • The whole dish comes together quickly and is hearty enough to feed a family.
  • Toppings are endlessly adaptable to suit your family's favorite flavors.

If you keep a bag of frozen sweet potato fries in your freezer, you're already halfway to dinner. My family calls this dish "potachos"—a fully made-up mash-up of potatoes and nachos, an idea a neighbour and friend shared with me. It's become one of my favorite weeknight tricks.

Instead of treating fries like a side, I use them as the base for a sheet-pan meal loaded with taco-seasoned ground meat, black beans, bell peppers and onions, and just enough cheese to bring everything together. 

The Perfect, KId-Friendly Weeknight Dinner

While the sweet potato fries get a head start in the oven, you quickly brown the taco meat on the stovetop with all of the seasonings. Then everything gets piled onto the sheet pan and baked until it’s melty and irresistible.

It's fast, filling, kid-approved, and endlessly adaptable. Serve it with your favorite toppings, like green onions, cilantro, salsa, pickled jalapeños, or whatever other "nacho energy" your fridge has going on. It's casual, cozy, and guaranteed to disappear quickly.

A hand picking up a loaded waffle fry topped with cheese black beans and vegetables from a tray

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Tips and Easy Swaps

  • Use any style of fries: Sweet potato or regular fries are both fair game, so it's the dealer's choice. We love Alexia's sweet potato fries, especially the waffle fries. Waffle and crinkle-cut varieties are especially sturdy for toppings, but any brand of frozen fries will work.  
  • Meat swaps: Ground turkey, chicken, or beef work equally well, and you can swap in pre-cooked taco meat. When I do this, I like to warm the drained and rinsed canned beans with the meat and add a little extra taco seasoning. 
  • Toppings are customizable: Think classic nacho energy: charred corn, sautéed jalapeños or poblanos, sour cream, avocado, pico de gallo, salsa, pickled or fresh jalapeños, black olives, and green or red onions.
  • Make it a meal: Potachos are hearty enough to stand alone, but they pair well with a simple slaw or a cucumber-mango salad for a more balanced meal. They're also a fun, casual option for game nights or low-key entertaining.
Plate of sweet potato nachos topped with beans herbs and lime wedges

Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu

Sheet Pan “Potachos”

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

If you want larger servings or more for leftovers, use 1 1/2 or 2 bags of frozen sweet potato fries, spread across two pans, use 1 pound of ground meat, and increase the cheese to 1 1/2 to 2 cups.

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Ingredients

  • 1 (20 to 22-ounce) bag frozen sweet potato fries (waffle or crinkle-cut recommended)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced

  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey, or lean ground beef

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

  • Optional toppings: Thinly sliced green onion, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and lime wedges

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to the temperature on the bag of sweet potato fries.
  2. Bake the fries:

    On a large sheet pan, spread out the sweet potato fries in an even layer. Bake according to the package directions until crisp and lightly browned, typically 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once during cooking.

  3. Meanwhile cook the taco meat:

    While the fries bake, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers, onions, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a spatula (or meat chopper), until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes.

    Add the black beans and taco seasoning, and stir to combine. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the beans are warmed through and the peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

  4. Assemble the potachos:

    When the fries are done, remove them from the oven and adjust the oven temperature to 425°F. Push the fries closer together, then scatter the taco mixture evenly over them. Sprinkle everything with shredded cheese.

  5. Melt the cheese:

    Return the sheet pan to the oven and bake just until the cheese melts and everything is heated through, about 5 more minutes.

  6. Serve:

    Remove from the oven and top with green onions, cilantro, and pickled jalapeños, if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

    Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven or air fryer for the best crisp texture.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    A tray of seasoned waffle fries topped with melted cheese beans diced tomatoes and garnished with green onions

    Simply Recipes / Frank Tiu
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
649 Calories
40g Fat
46g Carbs
26g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 649
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 52%
Saturated Fat 11g 53%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 1092mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 46g 17%
Dietary Fiber 10g 36%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 61mg 307%
Calcium 335mg 26%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 878mg 19%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.