These Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are a perfect, oil free vegan copycat of the Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes. The tasty seasoned potato nuggets are topped with a drizzle of vegan cheese sauce and dollop of creamy dairy free sour cream. Enjoy them as a tasty snack, or alongside your burritos, tacos, or tostadas.
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My daughters love the fiesta potatoes from Taco Bell! Since we’re vegan, we order them without the nacho cheese sauce and sour cream. They’re tasty little seasoned potato bites. But as tasty as they are, I avoid them because of the oil they’re cooked in. They’re certainly not a healthy option!
This fiesta potato recipe is a lightened up version or those tasty little morsels! They have all the crispiness and flavor of the Taco Bell potatoes, but none of the fat. Why cook them in oil when you don’t have to?
And with my homemade copycat recipe, you can enjoy them with the delicious toppings. Just add some of my Cashew Cheese Sauce and Dairy Free Sour Cream, and you can enjoy a plant based version of that Taco Bell side that’s a favorite to everyone – vegan and non-vegans.
This recipe has three parts – the potatoes, the cheese sauce, and the sour cream. The cheese sauce and sour cream can be made a few days in advance, and are both delicious on other foods. You’ll only use a small portion of each of these for the fiesta potatoes, so you’ll have plenty leftover for your Mexican dishes, your baked potatoes, your roasted veggies, your bowls, and more!
Cheese Sauce Ingredients
- Raw cashews – these should be soaked if you don’t have a high speed blender
- Lemon juice
- Hot sauce
- Garlic
- Nutritional Yeast
- Turmeric
- Chili Powder, Paprika, Onion Powder, and Salt
- Water
Making the Cheese Sauce
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
This sauce can be made a few days in advance, and will last up to a week in the refrigerator.
For more information on this sauce, see my post for Cashew Cheese Sauce.
Sour Cream Ingredients
- Lite firm silken tofu
- Raw cashews – soaked, if you don’t have a high speed blender
- Lemon juice and white wine vinegar
- Citric acid powder
Making the Sour Cream
I prefer to simmer my tofu for a few minutes to remove the “beany flavor”. Place the tofu in a pot of boiling water, then reduce the heat to a low boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Then drain the tofu.
Place the tofu and the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste the sour cream and add more vinegar,
For more information on this sour cream, see my post for Dairy Free Sour Cream.
Seasoned Potatoes Ingredients
These crispy roasted potatoes are made with less than 10 ingredients that you likely have in your pantry!
- Russet potatoes – you can use yellow potatoes, or even sweet potatoes for a unique twist
- All Purpose Flour – for gluten free potato bites, use cornstarch
- Spices – onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper
How to make the oil free seasoned potatoes
Start by peeling and dicing your potatoes into approximately one inch cubes. You can leave the peel on, if desired.
Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to about an inch or two above the potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for about 5 minutes. You only want the potatoes to be parboiled, not fully cooked. They will finish cooking in the oven.
While the potatoes are cooking, mix together the flour and spices in a small bowl.
Drain the potatoes and place them in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over them and gently toss until they are coated evenly with the spices.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Bake them until they are crispy and golden brown.
Make the Cheese Sauce
If you don’t have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec, you will need to soak your cashews for this cheese sauce and the sour cream. Place them in a bowl of water and soak overnight, or at least for 5 to 8 hours. If you forget to soak the cashews, you can place them in a pot of water, bring the pot to a boil, and continue boiling the cashews for 10 to 15 minutes, until they are soft.
Place all of the cheese sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until it is smooth and creamy.
Make the Sour Cream
I have found that boiling the tofu helps remove the “beany” taste and results in a better tasting sour cream. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add the tofu, reduce the heat to medium high, and boil the tofu gently for 3 minutes. Then drain the tofu an add it to your blender.
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until it is completely smooth. Transfer to a jar or container, and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it. This vegan sour cream will thicken a bit when it is chilled.
Assemble the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Divide potatoes into four separate small bowls or plates. Top each with a drizzle of the cheese sauce, and a dollop of sour cream. Garnish with chopped green onions.
Serving suggestions:
- Serve these fiesta potatoes along with your veggie burgers or sandwiches.
- Enjoy them with burritos made with my fat free tortillas, tacos, or other Mexican dishes.
- Serve them alongside your tofu scramble.
Frequently asked questions:
I would store the potatoes and toppings separately, so the potatoes don’t become soggy.
Store any leftover potatoes in a ziploc bag or air tight container for up to 5 days. They will not be as good as they are straight out of the oven on the fist day, but they can be reheated in the oven or an air fryer. They will not be crispy if reheated in a microwave.
Store the cheese sauce and sour cream in air tight containers in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
Starchy potatoes like Russets are the best if you want your potato bites to be fluffy inside. You can use waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, but they will not have the fluffy texture that russet potatoes have.
Yes. Bake the potatoes in the air fryer at 400 F, shaking them at 5 minute intervals until they are crispy and golden brown.
To make the seasoned potatoes gluten free, substitute cornstarch for the all purpose flour. The toppings for the cheesy fiesta potatoes are naturally gluten free.
For more potato recipes, see:
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Baked French Fries
- Seasoned Waffle Fries
- Oil Free Hash Browns
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Potato Kale Soup
- Vegan Chili Cheese Fries
- Instant Pot Vegetable Stew
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Vegan Twice Baked Potatoes with Ham and Broccoli
For more Mexican recipes, check out my roundup of Vegan Cinco de Mayo Recipes.
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Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
Ingredients
Crispy Potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes peeled
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ to ¾ cup water
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ to 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- rounded 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Vegan Sour Cream
- 12.3 ounces lite firm silken tofu
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/16 teaspoon citric acid
Garnish
- 2 green onions
Instructions
Crispy Potatoes
- Dice the potatoes into approximately ¾ inch cubes and place them in a large pot of water.
- Bring the pot of potatoes to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Do not over cook the potatoes, because they will cook more in the oven.
- Drain the potatoes and transfer the to a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the seasonings over the potatoes and stir to evenly coat the potatoes.
- Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F, turning them after 15 minutes.
Cheese Sauce
- If you don't have a high speed blender like a Vitamix, soak the cashews overnight. Rinse and drain before using.
- Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend on high until smooth.
- This sauce thickens a bit when refrigerated. I small amount of water can be added if you need to thin it.
Sour Cream
- If you don't have a high speed blender like a Vitamix, soak the cashews overnight. Rinse and drain before using.
- Place the block of silken tofu in a pot of boiling water and boil gently for 3 minutes. This will remove any "beany" taste.
- Drain the tofu and add it to a blender with the cashews and remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
- Taste to see if you want to add more lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid, or salt.
Assemble the Fiesta Potatoes
- Divide potatoes into four separate small bowls or plates.
- Top each with a drizzle of the cheese sauce, and a dollop of sour cream.
- Garnish with chopped green onions.
Nutrition
Nutrition calculations are approximate.
