Loaded Nacho Fries

10 hours ago

2 min read

These started as a Friday night experiment and turned into the thing my kids ask for instead of a takeaway. Crispy fries, spiced beef, and as much cheese sauce and guacamole as you can pile on top and still call it a portion.

The beef is the part that matters. It gets a proper spice mix, chilli, cumin, smoked paprika and a little chipotle for heat, and then it simmers down with tomato paste and water until it is thick rather than watery. That is what stops the fries going soft underneath.

The fries get their own quick seasoning before anything else goes near them, and that is the difference between loaded fries and fries with things on top.

It is not a neat dish. It is meant to be eaten out of the tray with everyone reaching in, and I would not change a thing about it.

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

Beef

500 grams beef mince

1 onion - chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon chipotle sauce

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning

1 teaspoon coriander powder

Salt and black pepper

Fries

1 kg frozen fries

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt - to taste

Toppings

Cheese sauce

Salsa

Guacamole

Mexican crema

Mild sauce

How to Make Loaded Nacho Fries

Heat a little oil in a pan and sauté the onion until soft.
Add the beef and fry it for 2-3 minutes, breaking it up as it goes, until it has lost its pink colour.
Add all the beef seasonings, the tomato paste and the 1/4 cup of water. Stir it through so everything is coated.
Turn the heat down low and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the beef is thick and glossy rather than wet.
While the beef cooks, fry the frozen fries until golden and crisp.
Toss the hot fries in the chilli powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt.
Pile the fries into a tray or bowl, spoon the beef over the top, then finish with cheese sauce, salsa, guacamole, crema and mild sauce. Serve straight away.

A Few Things To Remember

Fry the fries properly until golden and crispy before anything goes on them. If they are pale and soft the whole thing collapses into a soggy tray within minutes.

Let the beef reduce until it is almost dry. Any liquid left in the pan will find its way down through the fries.

Warm the cheese sauce before you pour it. Cold sauce on hot fries cools the whole tray down.

Put the toppings on at the table if you can. It looks better, and everyone takes what they actually want.

If you make these for your next film night, let me know how they went down!