Easy Crispy Potatoes with Nacho Cheese
This post may contain affiliate links. These oven roasted crispy potatoes with nacho cheese are really easy to make and incredibly tasty. We usually go for more traditional nachos with melty shredded cheese and lots of toppings, but sometimes we want classic pourable nacho cheese instead. Adding nacho cheese to roasted potatoes just seemed like…
This post may contain affiliate links.
These oven roasted crispy potatoes with nacho cheese are really easy to make and incredibly tasty. We usually go for more traditional nachos with melty shredded cheese and lots of toppings, but sometimes we want classic pourable nacho cheese instead. Adding nacho cheese to roasted potatoes just seemed like the next logical step in creating a super craveable carb-forward snack!
Pull Up A Chair
Rachel: I’m a potato person, especially when the potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy on the inside. If potatoes are on the menu, I will almost always order them. These feel like a spinoff of loaded fries, only maybe even better because they’re covered in creamy cheese dip.
Emily: I love recipes that feel like they take forever to make and develop layers of flavor, but don’t actually require a ton of extra energy to make. Once the potatoes are in the oven, most of the work is done. All you have to do is prepare yourself for a super cheesy snack.
Quick Recipe Snapshot
- What it is: Crispy oven-roasted potatoes topped with creamy nacho cheese
- Skill level: Beginner-friendly
- Time needed: 15 min prep + 30 min cook
- Built-in shortcuts: store-bought cheese dip
- Great for: game day snacks, low-key entertaining, satisfying potato cravings (and if you need another game day snack, check out our Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza)
- Serve with: Fresh Orange Margaritas, Tomato Sandwiches with Basil Mayo, Easy Roasted Broccoli
Why You Should Make These Crispy Cheesy Potatoes
- Easier than making a full plate of loaded nachos. We love standard California style nachos with lots of shredded cheese, protein, pico de gallo, and guacamole, but sometimes you just want easy cheese sauce on carbs. It’s quicker, easier, and really, really good.
- Beginner-friendly technique. If you can cut a potato and boil water, then you can make this recipe!
- Crispy outside, fluffy inside. The parboiling, roughing up, and baking technique makes the outsides of the potatoes crispy and preserves the fluffy texture in the middle.
- A guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Who doesn’t love potatoes? And nacho cheese is always a hit!
- Customizable with your favorite toppings. Top with chicken, real chorizo, carne asada, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, or whatever else you like!
Before You Start (How To Make This Recipe Easier)
If you’re feeling tired after work or trying to get dinner on the table without overthinking it, here’s the good news: this recipe doesn’t require perfect knife skills or fancy techniques. The potatoes do most of the work while they roast, and the soy chorizo takes only minutes to cook. Here’s some stuff to keep in mind:
Ingredients in Crispy Potatoes with Nacho Cheese
- Potatoes – we like Yukon Gold potatoes because they become creamy inside while still getting crisp around the edges. We peel them for this recipe, but you can also keep the skin on.
- Cheese dip – we like using a store-bought nacho cheese or salsa con queso for this. Most store-bought nacho cheese are gluten-free too, but make sure to check the label. Bonus points for a cheese sauce that’s made with real cheese.
- Soy chorizo – we love the “soyrizo” from Trader Joe’s, but you can use any plant-based chorizo or even choose your favorite standard chorizo here. Just be sure to check the label if you’re trying to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Seasonings – simple seasonings like salt, cumin, chili powder (technically a blend of seasonings), and black pepper.
- Green onions – for a mild fresh, oniony flavor.
This recipe was developed specifically with Drippy Dip brand’s Salsa con Queso Dip, which is made with real cheese and no artificial flavors, dyes, or preservatives (save 10% with code CONKS).
How to Make Crispy Potatoes with Nacho Cheese
Prep the oven and parboil the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add boiling water to a medium-large pot. Set the pot on the stove over medium-high or high heat to keep the water hot. Add salt to the boiling water, then carefully add the cut potatoes. Par-boil the potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes. They should be soft on the outsides but not fully cooked on the insides.
Rough up and bake the potatoes. Strain off the water and place the potatoes in a bowl that has a lid. Let the potatoes steam off for a minute or two, then cover the bowl with the lid and shake them up so they get rough edges.
Toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp oil and spices. Spray or lightly brush a baking sheet with a tiny bit more olive oil, then distribute the potatoes on the sheet in one layer. Bake for 20-25 min, tossing halfway through.
Get the other ingredients ready. While potatoes are baking, cook the soy chorizo in a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil according to package directions. Warm up the cheese dip in the microwave in a microwave safe dish, or place in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.
Serve. Remove the potatoes from the oven and place them in a serving dish. Cover them with cheese dip, soy chorizo, and green onions.
Our Tips for Making Crispy Potatoes with Cheese Sauce
How To Make Your Own Version
All you need is a good base of oven roasted potatoes and cheese sauce. Other than that, feel free to make these your own by adding:
- Bacon
- Pickled jalapeños
- Black beans
- Diced tomatoes
- Avocado
- Sour cream
How To Store These Cheesy Roasted Potato Nachos
These are best served and eaten fresh, but you can always roast the potatoes ahead of time and then reheat them in the oven to crisp them up again. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days for best results.
FAQs: Roasted Cheesy Potatoes
Crispy Potatoes with Nacho Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes peeled and cut in 1 inch cubes
- 1 tbsp sea salt for water
- 3 tbsp olive oil divided
- ½ tsp sea salt for potatoes
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ¼ cup soy chorizo
- ½ cup nacho cheese dip or salsa con queso
- 2 tbsp green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add boiling water to a medium-large pot, enough to fill the pot about ½ to ⅔ of the way full. Set the pot on the stove over medium-high or high heat to keep the water hot. Add 1 tbsp salt to the boiling water, then carefully add the cut potatoes. Parboil the potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes. They should be soft on the outsides but not fully cooked on the insides.2 pounds potatoes, 1 tbsp sea salt
- Strain off the water and place the potatoes in a bowl, ideally one that has a lid. Let the potatoes steam off for a minute or two, then cover the bowl with the lid and shake them up so they get rough edges. (If you don’t have a lid, you can toss them roughly with a large spoon.)
- Toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp oil and spices (salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder).2 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp cracked black pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder
- Spray or lightly brush a baking sheet with a tiny bit more olive oil, then distribute the potatoes on the sheet in one layer. Bake for 20-25 min, tossing halfway through.
- While potatoes are baking, cook the soy chorizo in a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil according to package directions (about 5-7 minutes or until slightly toasted and cooked through).1 tbsp olive oil, ¼ cup soy chorizo
- Warm up the cheese dip in the microwave in a microwave safe dish, or place in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat.½ cup nacho cheese dip or salsa con queso
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and place them in a serving dish. Cover them with cheese dip, soy chorizo, and green onions.2 tbsp green onions
Notes
- Add the potatoes to boiling water instead of cold water. This will partially cook the outsides but not the insides.
- Don’t skip the roughing up part. Shaking or mixing up the potatoes in a bowl helps them get rough and crisp up in the oven.
- Avoid using parchment paper to make sure they get super golden and crispy on the outside.
- Let the potatoes cool slightly before covering them in cheese sauce. This helps them crisp up a little more on the outside.
Serve with:
More Potato Recipes You’ll Love (+ Easy Snacks)
- For our bread and potato lovers, check out Loaded Baked Potato Bread
- To keep it classic, make these Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream
- For a fun twist, try our Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes
- Need a breakfast potato recipe? Check out our Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
Final Thoughts
Some days cooking is about trying something new and exciting and making everything yourself. Other days it’s about taking shortcuts and using ingredients you already love and combining them in a way that’s easy and fun. These Crispy Potatoes with Nacho Cheese definitely fall into the second category. They’re comforting and simple and absolutely delicious.
