Don't Throw Out Those Potato Skins, Make Some Tacos Instead

When it comes to choosing shells for your tacos, there's almost no end to the types of ingredients you can use. Conventional taco shells are either made from fried corn tortillas and crunchy or are soft-shell tacos made of flour. The popularity of tacos has led many people to think outside the box to create exciting variations. Some have turned Doritos and fried chicken patties into taco shells (we're looking at you Taco Bell), while others have used pita bread and pancakes. Each ingredient leads to a unique and delicious variation of the beloved taco.

If you love potatoes as much as you do tacos, there's another way you could create a new type of taco shell. The next time you're about to discard potato skins, think twice before you do. Surprisingly, potato skins serve as a uniquely flavorful base for tacos, giving you a savory twist to the classic Mexican dish.

Now that you're convinced, here's one way to start making your shells with potato skins. Evenings spent preparing mashed potatoes or shepherd's pie can seamlessly transition you into Taco Tuesday. First, you'll want to choose your potatoes. The best type of potatoes you'll want to use are russets for their thick skin and ability to become really crispy. You can gather your taco ingredients while baking your potato skins for shells. Once they're heated up, you'll be ready to go! 

Consider what sauce you might add. You can try different hot sauces, a variety of salsa dips, or even enchilada sauce with a little bit of chocolate. This authentic sauce can be a unique and flavorful addition to your freshly baked potato-skin tacos. Once you take a bite, you'll notice the crunchiness from the potato skin is similar to hard taco shells. At the same time, you'll realize how much better they taste as you get much more flavor from the potato skin shells.

If you love the taste of tacos loaded inside potato skins, you'll love other foods you can stuff into them. Not just the standard bacon and cheddar stuffed potatoes, no; there are more unique ways to go with this. Another delicious addition to your potato skin repertoire is Reuben-style potato skins. Simply use the same ingredients you would a Reuben, such as corned beef, Swiss cheese, and sauerkraut. Make sure you shred both the corned beef and Swiss cheese to get the best effect. When you've made your skins as you did with your tacos, fill each one with the Reuben filling.

Fans of Philly Cheesesteak will love adding its ingredients to potato skins. Just fry up some steaks in a skillet, shred them, then add some onions and peppers. Season them with salt, pepper, and oregano to add more flavor. Just scoop the beef, onions, and peppers into your potato skins and cover with some provolone cheese. Throw them back in the oven for 10 minutes for the cheese to melt. Now you have some delicious Philly Cheesesteak loaded into your potato skins.