Dairy-Free Taco Twice Baked Potatoes

I am always on the hunt for fresh and new recipes! As a mom of all boys (yes, my husband is included in that list of “boys!”) I am also always on the hunt for meals that are filling….that good stick to your ribs kind of filling!! My sweet oldest son, Anders, has started down the path of braces which some days presents a new challenge of softer foods when his teeth are sore!!

Okay…softer foods….yogurt, applesauce, pasta, bananas….and baked potatoes! It started there….filling, yummy, warm…perfect for these chilly months! And then I thought….”well, my youngest won’t eat a baked potato because he has all kids of texture issues”…I blame my husband for that gene! BUT my youngest LOVES taco meat….it is his absolute favorite! Enter the idea to make twice baked potatoes with taco meat!!

I try to eat dairy-free as do both of my sons, and thank goodness the foodie world has come up with some great options for cheese alternatives! My go-tos tend to be the Follow Your Heart Dairy Free Parmesan style shredded cheese (has a sharper flavor than most non-dairy cheeses) and any of the Siete cashew queso options….soooo yummy!

This all turned out to not be as hard as I thought….I have never made twice baked potatoes before! And please know that for my husband, I made the full dairy option so this works for a regular recipe, as well.

I started with my Instantpot….if you don’t have one I highly recommend it! It is perfect for these years where you come in at 6:30 and think, “what in the world am I making when my chicken is frozen?” It is no problem…you can basically have a meal from frozen in about 30 minutes. I use mine all the time!! For the potatoes, I used three smaller russet potatoes, washed them, scrubbed them with this brush, and placed them in my Instantpot on the trivet that comes with it. (You could also bake your potatoes in the oven, but I tend to botch that so I use the Instantpot.) I added one cup of water, and pressure cooked them on high for 15 minutes allowing for the natural pressure release to follow.

For the taco meat I placed 1.75 lbs of ground beef in a boiler similar to this one and covered the meat with water. I then added about two teaspoons of salt and brought it to a boil. This is how my great grandmother taught me to cook taco meat. Water and salt….that’s it! It makes THE BEST tacos I have ever eaten! If you have time, it is best to bring to a boil and then simmer until all of the water cooks away. I was moving a little faster so I pretty much kept the water boiling on medium-high heat so it would cook faster.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

When the potatoes were finished, I cut them in half lengthwise…make sure you have a great pair of oven gloves like these here because the potatoes are hot, hot, hot! Then I scooped the insides out into a clear mixing bowl. I love my set of stackable mixing bowls similar to these here!!

Next, I added the dairy-free butter, the almond milk, the cumin, and the chili powder and mixed it all to a creamy consistency! Add more milk if needed because you don’t want the potato filling to dry out. Scoop in taco meat and mix in.

Lastly, stuff your potato skins with the mixture and top with dairy-free cheese! Bake at 350 F for about 20-30 minutes…just enough to warm filling and melt cheese on top!!

Now, at this point you can eat it as is…yummy for sure! OR if you are like me and like a little more jazz and spicy flavor, you can add toppings like Siete cashew queso, almond milk yogurt for sour cream, salsa, and cilantro!! Let me tell you people….this was delicious!!

Serve immediately with a side salad. We are big fans of a Southwestern style chop salad!!

Dairy-Free taco twice baked potatoes (serves 4)

Ingredients:

3 small to medium russet potatoes
1 cup of water
1.75lbs of ground beef
2 tsp salt
3 TBS of dairy free butter
1 package of dairy free cheese (I prefer something with a sharper taste)
1/4 to 1/2 cup almond milk – you want a creamy consistency for the potatoes to not dry out
1/2 TBS cumin
1/2 TBS chili powder

Optional toppings:

Siete Cashew Queso….my entire family LOVES this…both dairy eaters and non dairy eaters!!
Almond milk yogurt…has the tang of sour cream….so good!!
Salsa
Cilantro

I also made regular stuffed potatoes with milk and cheddar cheese for my husband so this is an easy meal to make for your entire family!! Hope you enjoy it!!