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Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Cooling Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen straight-cut French fries (we recommend trusted brands like Ore-Ida® for this recipe)

• Cooking spray

• 1 pound of 90% lean ground beef

• 1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning (Taco Bell® Original Taco Seasoning Mix is our go-to for this dish)

• ¾ cup plain tap water

• 5 cups shredded thick-cut Mexican blend cheese, divided for layering

• ½ cup prepared chili con queso (we recommend Taco Bell®), portioned for layering, plus extra for serving

• 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes, divided

• 1 cup shredded crisp iceberg lettuce

• ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapeño peppers

• Extra pico de gallo and hot taco sauce (Taco Bell® works perfectly here) for serving

Instructions

1. First, cook your frozen fries following the instructions printed on the product packaging. Once done, set the fries aside to cool slightly for 10 minutes while you prep the other components.

2. While the fries cool, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Generously coat a 12 to 14-cup nonstick Bundt pan all over with cooking spray to prevent sticking after baking.

3. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the pan, and cook, breaking the meat apart into small crumbles as it cooks, until it is fully browned—this takes roughly 5 minutes. Stir in the taco seasoning and water, then finish cooking the mixture following the directions on your taco seasoning packet. Transfer the cooked taco beef to a plate and let it cool for 5 minutes.

4. Assemble your layers in the prepared Bundt pan: start by spreading one-third of the cooled fries evenly across the bottom of the pan, then top with 1 cup of the Mexican blend cheese and half of the cooled beef mixture. Spoon ¼ cup of queso evenly over the beef, then sprinkle on ½ cup of the chopped tomatoes and another 1 cup of Mexican blend cheese. Repeat this full layering sequence one more time, then finish the top of the pan with the remaining fries and the last 1 cup of Mexican blend cheese.

5. Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil generously with cooking spray, then cover the Bundt pan tightly with the foil, making sure the sprayed side faces down toward the food.

6. Bake the covered Bundt in your preheated oven until all the layered cheese is fully melted, about 15 minutes.

7. Remove the pan from the oven, discard the foil, then carefully invert the Bundt pan onto a large serving platter. Gently lift the pan away to reveal your layered taco fry bake, then top the dish with shredded lettuce and pickled jalapeños. Serve warm with extra pico de gallo, hot taco sauce, and additional chili con queso on the side for anyone who wants extra toppings.

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