The Easiest Carne Asada Fries Recipe with Crispy Tallow Fries
Truly, These Are the Best Homemade Fries Ever…
I have spent six years trying to make the perfect homemade fries.
I’ve bought the best organic potatoes I could find. I’ve soaked them. I’ve air fried them. I’ve baked them. I’ve flipped them. I’ve tried different temperatures, different methods, different tricks…
And then I discovered the frozen beef tallow fries at Target of all places...
Game over.
These carne asada fries have become one of our favorite ridiculously easy dinners, and we’ve been making them almost every week for our Taco Tuesday theme. They’re crispy, cheesy, loaded with seasoned ground beef, and they take almost no effort.
And because the fries are already cooked in beef tallow, I get that delicious, crispy fry situation without spending an hour making fries from scratch or getting my hands all gross and icky.
It is possibly the most rewarding quick dinner I’ve ever made.
The other thing that takes these over the top? A squeeze of fresh lemon over the ground beef. Trust me on this one. It adds just enough natural zing to the rich beef and cheese and makes the whole thing ridiculously good.
Ingredients
½ bag of Jesse & Ben’s beef tallow fries, from the frozen section (I get it at Target)
1 pound ground beef
Salt, to taste
1–2 cloves minced garlic, optional
A LOT of shredded Le Gruyere cheese or Pecorino Romano, both available at Costco
Fresh lemon, for squeezing over the cooked beef
Optional toppings
Fresh homemade guacamole
Sliced jalapeños
Fresh cilantro
Salsa or pico de gallo
The fries, beef, cheese, and lemon are really all you need. Everything else is a bonus - like sprinkles on a cupcake.
Method
1. Bake the tallow fries
Preheat your oven according to the directions on the bag of frozen fries. (425F)
Spread about half a bag of the fries onto a baking sheet and bake them for the minimum amount of time recommended on the package. (14 minutes)
Let the frozen tallow fries do the work.
If using the Air Fryer, do 375F for 10 minutes.
2. Add the cheese
Once the fries are hot and crispy, sprinkle / cover them generously with cheese.
I love Le Gruyere for that incredible melty, stretchy cheese pull, but Pecorino Romano (sheep cheese) is also delicious if you want something saltier and a little more savory & cows milk doesn’t sit well with you.
Put the fries back into the oven and bake at 425F until the cheese is completely melted.
For me, this usually takes about 4 more minutes.
If using the Air Fryer, do 375F for 4 more minutes.
And yes, this is the part where you should absolutely grab a fork—or chopsticks—and admire that cheese pull.
3. Cook the ground beef
While the fries are cooking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and season generously with salt. If you want to take it up another notch, add a little beef tallow and some minced garlic.
Cook the beef until browned and completely cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks.
Then—and this is my favorite little trick—squeeze fresh lemon juice over the cooked beef.
It sounds simple, but that hit of acidity makes a difference.
4. Assemble the carne asada fries
Remove the cheesy fries from the oven and pile the cooked ground beef right over the top.
That's it.
You now have crispy, cheesy, beefy carne asada fries without making homemade fries from scratch.
Add guacamole, jalapeños, salsa, cilantro, or whatever taco toppings you love.
Or don't.
Honestly, these fries are so good on their own that sometimes we just eat them exactly as they are.
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe has everything I want in a weeknight dinner:
It's fast. It's easy. It's incredibly delicious. And there are hardly any dishes.
The frozen beef tallow fries are the real shortcut here. After six years of trying to perfect homemade fries, I am more than happy to let someone else do the potato prep for me.
They're crispy, they taste amazing, and because they're cooked in beef tallow, you get that rich, savory flavor without having to deep fry anything yourself.
Then you add seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and that little squeeze of lemon.
It's basically all of my favorite taco night flavors piled onto a plate of fries.
And if you're feeding a family, this is one of those meals where everyone can customize their own portion. Add guacamole. Add jalapeños. Add more cheese. Keep it simple.
Taco Tuesday just got a whole lot easier.
Easy Carne Asada Fries FAQs
Can I use a different kind of frozen fries?
Absolutely. I specifically love the beef tallow fries because they're incredibly crispy and flavorful, but you can use your favorite frozen fries.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes! Le Gruyere cheese is my favorite for that beautiful cheese pull, while Pecorino Romano gives the fries a salty, savory cheez-it flavor.
Do I have to make homemade guacamole?
Nope. It's completely optional. These carne asada fries are delicious with just the fries, cheese, ground beef, and lemon.
Can I make these with steak instead of ground beef?
Of course. If you have leftover carne asada or grilled steak, chop it up and pile it over the cheesy fries. That's a fantastic way to turn leftovers into a new meal!
The Bottom Line
If you've been trying to make perfect homemade fries from scratch and wondering why it has to be so complicated, pause.
Buy the frozen tallow fries.
Bake them.
Add cheese.
Bake some more.
Cook some ground beef.
Squeeze lemon over the beef.
Pile it all together.
That's dinner.
And it tastes like you worked way harder than you actually did.
These carne asada fries are officially one of our favorite Taco Tuesday dinners—and after six years of trying to perfect homemade fries, I can confidently say these are the best fries I've ever made. Enjoy ♡
