Crisp little pillows of seasoned potato with a pillowy interior—Copycat Taco Bell Potato Bites give you that same fast-food nostalgia but made at home with simple pantry ingredients. They’re excellent for game-day snacking, a kid-friendly appetizer, or a weekend side when you want something comforting and crunchy. If you like exploring fun potato snacks, you might also enjoy these chocolate-covered potato chips as an unexpected sweet-and-salty companion.
Why you’ll love this dish
These bites hit several satisfying notes at once: crunchy exterior, creamy interior, and a gentle pop of seasoning. They’re also surprisingly economical—five pounds of potatoes goes a long way—and very flexible for feeding a crowd.
“Golden on the outside, fluffy inside—these bites disappeared in minutes at our party.” — a tried-and-true home cook
Reasons to try them:
- Crowd-pleasing finger food perfect for parties or weeknights.
- Uses inexpensive pantry staples: potatoes, flour, cornstarch, and spices.
- Make-ahead friendly: mash and chill earlier in the day.
- Texture-forward: cornstarch + flour gives an ultra-crispy crust.
The cooking process explained
In plain terms, you’ll cook and mash the potatoes, chill the mash so the bites hold together, coat them in a starchy seasoned dredge, and deep-fry until golden. Expect active time of about 40–60 minutes depending on shaping/frying pace, with most of that hands-off (boil and chill). A candy or frying thermometer helps keep oil in the optimal 350–375°F range for quick, non-greasy frying.
What you’ll need
- 5 pounds golden potatoes (Yukon Gold recommended for creamy texture; russets also work)
- 1/2 cup oil (neutral oil for mixing; for frying use vegetable, canola, or peanut)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 teaspoons salt (total for mash + dredge; recipe specifies 1 tsp for mash, remaining in dredge)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Ingredient notes and substitutions:
- For gluten-free: replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- For extra richness: stir 1–2 tablespoons melted butter into the mash (changes vegan status).
- Use neutral oil for frying and a small amount of oil in the mash to keep the interior silky.
Step-by-step instructions
- Prep and boil: Scrub potatoes, cut into even 1–2 inch chunks. Place in a pot, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.
- Drain and steam-dry: Drain potatoes thoroughly. Return them to the hot pot for 1–2 minutes with the lid off to evaporate excess moisture—this helps keep the mash from becoming watery.
- Mash and season: Mash until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup oil and 1 teaspoon salt until incorporated. Taste and adjust lightly; keep it a little under-salted because the dredge adds salt.
- Chill the mash: Transfer mashed potatoes to a bowl, cover, and chill at least 30 minutes. Chilling firms the mash so you can shape clean bites.
- Make the dredge: In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, remaining salt (about 2 tsp), cayenne, and black pepper.
- Shape bites: With slightly oiled hands or using a small scoop, form the chilled mash into evenly sized bite-sized rounds or ovals—about 1–1.5 inches.
- Heat oil: Warm frying oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 350–375°F. Use a thermometer—temperature is key for crispness and quick cooking.
- Dredge and fry: Roll each bite in the dry mixture to coat. Fry in batches without overcrowding, about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp. Turn gently with a slotted spoon.
- Drain and rest: Drain on paper towels or a wire rack. Serve hot.
Safety notes: never leave hot oil unattended. Maintain consistent oil temp and don’t dump cold food into very hot oil—this causes splatter and temperature drop.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serve them immediately while hot for the best contrast of crisp and tender. Popular pairings:
- Dipping sauces: nacho cheese, chipotle ranch, spicy ketchup, or cilantro-lime crema.
- Turn them into loaded bites: top with warm queso, crumbled bacon, and green onions.
- As a side: accompany tacos, burgers, or a hearty chili for a satisfying plate.
For another crunchy snack to serve alongside these potato bites at your next gathering, try the easy fried string cheese bites—they make a playful, melty contrast to the potato texture.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate: Store cooled potato bites in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
- Freeze: Flash-freeze on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Re-crisp in a 375°F oven or 350°F air fryer for 5–8 minutes from refrigerated, longer if frozen (10–12 minutes), flipping halfway. Avoid microwaving unless you don’t mind losing crispness.
- Food safety: Cool to room temperature (no more than 2 hours out at room temperature) before refrigerating.
Pro chef tips
- Drain and dry the cooked potatoes well—extra water equals soggy bites.
- Chill the mash thoroughly; cold mash holds shape and fries cleaner.
- Use equal parts flour + cornstarch in the coating for structure plus crispness—cornstarch is the key to that glassy crunch.
- Keep oil between 350–375°F. If it’s too cool, bites absorb oil; too hot and outsides burn before heating through.
- Fry in small batches so oil temperature recovers quickly. A metal thermometer is the simplest tool to get this right.
Creative twists
- Baked/Air-fryer version: Brush shaped bites with oil and bake at 425°F until golden, or air-fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping once. Texture will be slightly different—less blistered but still tasty.
- Cheesy center: Press a small cube of cheddar or pepper jack into the center before sealing and dredging.
- Spicy: Increase cayenne or add smoked paprika and chile powder to the dredge.
- Sweet potato bites: Substitute mashed sweet potato, reduce added salt, and add a pinch of cinnamon for a sweeter variation.
- Gluten-free: Swap the flour for chickpea flour or gluten-free blend and use cornstarch as-is.
Common questions
Q: How long does this whole recipe take?
A: Active hands-on time is about 25–35 minutes (peeling, boiling, mashing, shaping, frying). Including chilling and batch frying, plan for 60–75 minutes total.
Q: Can I bake or air-fry these instead of deep-frying?
A: Yes. For a lower-oil option, brush bites with oil and bake at 425°F until golden, or air-fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping once. Expect a slightly different texture—still tasty but less blistered than deep-fried.
Q: Do these contain dairy or eggs?
A: The base recipe contains no dairy or eggs—just potatoes, oil, flour, cornstarch, and spices—so it’s naturally vegan if you use vegan-friendly oil and avoid adding butter or cheese.
Q: Can I shape and freeze raw bites, or should I freeze after frying?
A: Both work. For the best texture, flash-freeze shaped raw bites on a tray, then bag and freeze. Fry from frozen (a little longer) or thaw in the fridge and fry. You can also freeze cooked bites and reheat in an oven/air fryer.
Q: What type of potato is best?
A: Yukon Gold gives a creamy interior and holds together well. Russets can work too, but they are drier and may need slightly less mash handling to avoid a mealy texture.
If you want more snack ideas and riffs on fried finger foods, this recipe pairs nicely with other party hits and savory bites available on the site.
Copycat Taco Bell Potato Bites
Ingredients
For the potato bites
- 5 pounds golden potatoes (Yukon Gold recommended) Russets also work.
- 1/2 cup oil Neutral oil for mixing; vegetable, canola, or peanut for frying.
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Can substitute with gluten-free flour blend.
- 1/2 cup cornstarch Essential for crispness.
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 teaspoons salt Total for mash + dredge; 1 tsp for mash, remaining in dredge.
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Optional for extra spice.
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Scrub potatoes, cut into even 1–2 inch chunks. Place in a pot, cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.
- Drain potatoes thoroughly. Return them to the hot pot for 1–2 minutes with the lid off to evaporate excess moisture.
- Mash until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup oil and 1 teaspoon salt until incorporated.
- Transfer mashed potatoes to a bowl, cover, and chill at least 30 minutes.
Dredging and Frying
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, remaining salt, cayenne, and black pepper.
- With slightly oiled hands, form the chilled mash into bite-sized rounds or ovals, about 1–1.5 inches.
- Warm frying oil in a heavy pot or deep fryer to 350–375°F.
- Roll each bite in the dry mixture to coat. Fry in batches, about 2–3 minutes per side, until golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels or a wire rack. Serve hot.