It was one of those evenings when my refrigerator held the promise of a delicious meal, but I needed inspiration. Staring at leftover taco meat from yesterday’s Beef Taco Bowls, I craved something cheesy, hearty, and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen. That’s when it hit me—why not recreate Taco Bell’s iconic Nacho Fries BellGrande right at home?
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick meal – Ready in just 40 minutes from start to finish
- Easy to cook – Simple steps with everyday ingredients
- Full of Mexican flavor – Authentic seasoning without a trip to Taco Bell
- Delicious – The perfect balance of spicy, savory, and creamy
- Hearty – Substantial enough for a complete meal
- Gluten-free – Naturally fits this dietary requirement
Tips for Making and Serving Nacho Fries BelleGrande
- Let your guests top their fries. Create a fry bar and let everyone put on exactly what they want. Not only will everyone be happy, but you can easily store leftover ingredients separately.
- You can’t save fries, so only cook as much as you need. No one wants cold fries, so prepare one bag at a time and have a few more in the freezer if people are still hungry.
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Ingredients
For the Seasoned Fries:
- Frozen French fries – The foundation of our dish that provides the crispy base for all our toppings
- Olive oil – Helps the seasoning stick to the fries and enhances crispiness
- Taco seasoning mix – Infuses the fries with authentic Mexican flavor
For the Taco Meat:
- Lean ground beef – Provides protein and savory flavor as the main topping
- Onion – Adds aromatic depth and natural sweetness to the meat
- Garlic – Contributes essential flavor complexity and aroma
- Fresh cilantro – Brings bright, herbaceous notes to balance the richness
- Tomato purée – Adds moisture, acidity, and umami to the meat mixture
For the Nacho Cheese Sauce:
- Salted butter – Creates a rich base for the sauce and helps with texture
- Cayenne pepper – Provides a subtle heat that enhances the cheese flavor
- Salt – Balances and heightens all the flavors in the sauce
- Whole milk – Creates creaminess and the proper consistency
- Kraft single cheese slices or cheddar cheese – Delivers that classic nacho cheese flavor and meltability
For the Toppings:
- Chives – Add a mild onion flavor and fresh color
- Jalapeño peppers – Provide optional heat and authentic Mexican flavor
- Cherry tomatoes – Contribute freshness, color, and acidity
- Corn kernels – Add sweetness and texture contrast
- Guacamole – Delivers creamy richness and healthy fats
Can I make fries in an air fryer?
What I love about air fryers is that you can make personal size portions.
Place foil in the basket and cook the frozen fries in the air fryer. You will likely need to cook the fries in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer and the number of servings.
Follow the air fryer’s instructions for the temperature setting and cooking time for frozen fries.
How to Make Taco Bell Nacho Fries BellGrande
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place fries on it and bake according to the package instructions.
- Combine all taco seasoning mix ingredients together.
- Mix ground beef with taco seasoning in a large bowl.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with oil. Add beef in the pan and break up beef with a spatula.
- Decrease the heat to medium and let cook until the bottom is brown then flip.
- Add onion, garlic, cilantro, and tomato purée and stir to combine.
- Decrease the heat to medium-low then cook for 3 to 5 minutes while stirring occasionally, until ground beef is browned and cooked through.
- In a saucepan, melt butter with cayenne pepper over medium heat.
- Pour milk into the pan then bring to boil, stirring constantly.
- Whisk in cheese and keep stirring until fully melted. Remove from heat.
- When fries are done, sprinkle taco seasoning over them and toss to coat.
- Place seasoned fries in individual bowls.
- Top the fries with taco beef, nacho cheese sauce, chives, jalapenos, cherry tomatoes, corn, and guacamole.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Taco Bell Nacho Fries BellGrande Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
Taco Bell Ground Beef Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoon masa harina you could swap crushed up corn chips for this
- 4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon beef boullion powder
- 1 1/3 pounds ground chuck
Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces American cheese
- 1 tablespoon Tobasco Jalapeno sauce or a juice from a jar of jalapeno slices for nachos
Nacho Fries Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder do not use garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder do no use onion salt
Fries
- 1 pound Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Frozen Fast Food Fries
Toppings for Nacho fries
- 1/2 cup guacamole
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
Optional toppings
- Roasted corn kernals
- chopped green onions
- pickled sliced jalapenos
Instructions
Taco Bell Ground Beef Preparation
- Prepare the seasoning blend by adding all of the spices to a small bowl and stir well. Set aside.
- Crumble the ground beef into a large skillet (preferably nonstick) and brown, stirring well.
- Cook over medum high for about 9 to 10 minutes, or until the ground beef has been cooked through.
- Drain fat from meat.
- Place the pan back on the heat, add the seasoning blend, and add 3/4 cup of water, turn the heat down to low, and allow the ground beef to simmer while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
Taco Bell Nacho Fries Seasoning Preparation
- If you have a spice grinder or a mini food processor, process spices to grind them more finely, if not, skip this step. Store spice blend in a salt shaker or another shaker. You will have some left over, you can use this for tacos, or another batch of fries.
- Follow the oven or air fryer direction of cooking the fries that are on the package.
- When the fries have finished cooking sprinkle them liberally with the Nacho Fries seasoning blend.
Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Preparation
- Combine all ingredients in a small pot, heat on low until the cheese melts, stir to combine.
Building the Nacho Fries Bellgrande
- Place the fries on a large platter. Cover the fries with Nacho cheese, and add the ground beef.
- Top with gaucamole, sour cream, chopped onions, pickled jalapeno peppers, and any other toppings you may desire.
Nutrition
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storing Leftovers:
- Store components separately in airtight containers
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days
- Freeze taco meat and cheese sauce for up to 1 month
Reheating Tips:
Fresh toppings should not be reheated; prepare new ones when serving leftovers
- Taco meat: Warm in a pan with a splash of beef broth or tomato purée to restore moisture
- Cheese sauce: Reheat slowly over low heat, stirring frequently
- Fries: Crisp up in the oven at 400°F or in an air fryer
Love Taco Bell? Try these copycat recipes!
Favorite Mexican Recipes
- Cheese Enchilada
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos
- Mexican Barbacoa
- Taco Cornbread Casserole
- Taco Ring
- White Nacho Cheese
Check out more of my easy Mexican food recipes and the best Taco Bell recipes here on CopyKat!
Enjoy this delicious homemade version of Taco Bell’s famous Nacho Fries BellGrande! With crispy seasoned fries, savory taco meat, and creamy cheese sauce, this copycat recipe satisfies cravings without leaving home. Perfect for game day, weeknight dinners, or anytime you need a comforting Mexican-inspired meal.
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