Tasty Loaded Carne Asada Fries (Whole 30 Option)
My Tasty Loaded Carne Asada Fries are a lighter twist to a Mexican restaurant favorite. Just like my Za’atar Fries, these loaded fries are baked instead of fried. They’re topped with seasoned shaved steak and finished with all of your favorite toppings. You’ll love this recipe because it’s easy to customize to make it Whole30 compliant.
Original Post: August 2022 | Post Updated: August 2025
Traditional Carne Asada Fries are heavy on the fried potatoes and loaded with a ton of cheese. But making them at home with baked fries is a game changer. They’re crispy and flavorful- perfect for game day, parties, or even a fun weeknight dinner
This post contains affiliate links to products I love on Amazon. If you click through the links provided, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Why this recipe works
- Balanced flavors. Shaved steak pairs perfectly with creamy guacamole, tomatoes and just the right amount of cheese or dairy alternative. They’re delicious with my 4-Ingredient Guacamole and my Avocado Cottage Cheese Dip.
- Customizable for any diet. Keep it classic or go Whole30 by omitting dairy or make it vegan with plant based toppings.
- Lighter but still loaded. Similar to my Baked Chicken Tacos and my Za’atar Roasted Potatoes, baked fries cut down on the grease and oil.
Ingredients needed
- Russet potatoes. Russets are the best choice if you want your fries to be long. Yukon gold is delicious if you cut it into rounds or make sweet potato fries!
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Spices . Cumin, black pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder and paprika. Chili powder works too.
- Shaved beef. I use shaved beef often especially for recipes like my Low Carb Philly Cheesesteaks and for Shaved Beef Stir Fry. Though this recipe is perfect for using leftover carne asada meat, shaved beef is great because it’s thin and cooks fast. Also it is low in fat and high in protein.
- Sweet onion. White, yellow or red onion can be used as a substitute.
- Green bell pepper.
- Cilantro.
- Taco seasoning. The taco seasoning is for the shaved beef. This can be any taco seasoning of your choice or I highly suggest my Enchilada Spice. I use this enchilada seasoning all the time for tacos and it works great for this recipe too!
- Optional toppings: cheddar cheese, guacamole, diced roma tomatoes and sour cream.
How to make Loaded Carne Asada Fries
Step One: Start with preheating your oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and dry the potatoes before cutting. Cut the potatoes vertically on a cutting board, about a 1/4 inch thick. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step Two: Drizzle with olive oil and toss with the cumin, black pepper, salt, garlic powder and paprika. Place in the oven for 11 minutes then flip them with a spatula. Place back in the oven and bake for another 11-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Step Three: While the fries are cooking, start on the shaved beef. (You can skip this step if you are using leftover carne asada. If you are using leftover carne asada, reheat and cut into bite-sized pieces ) In a large pan over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil. When ready, add the onions and bell peppers. Let them cook for about 5-7 minutes and season with 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning.
Step Four: Then add the shaved beef to the pan. Sear for about 3 minutes and add the rest of the taco seasoning. Let the beef cook for about 10 min or until no longer pink. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and stir. When it’s done, remove the heat and set aside.
Step Five: Assemble the Carne Asada Fries. There are a couple of ways to go about this depending on whether you are serving it on the sheet pan for a crowd versus individually plating.
Best way to serve Carne Asada Fries
If serving for a crowd, keep the fries on the baking tray. Layer with a light sprinkle of the cheese. Then place the warm beef on top. Add the remaining ingredients: a dollop of sour cream, guacamole and diced tomatoes and fresh chopped cilantro.
If you are plating individually, start with fries, add light cheese and then the beef. Finish with adding your remaining favorite toppings. For the best flavor, enjoy them right out of the oven.
Pro Tip: If you want more melted cheese on top of your fries, place the fries back in the oven with the cheese on top and let it warm for about 4-5 minutes.
Storing and reheating
Store the fries and the shaved beef separately in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef in the microwave for about 1 minute 30 seconds and for the fries, heat the oven to 400 degrees F and place them on a sheet pan. Heat the potatoes in the oven for about 5 minutes.
Helpful tips for Loaded Carne Asada Fries
For best results, follow these tricks for making baked fries at home.
- Place the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Make sure not to over crowd the sheet pan because this will cause the potatoes to steam and not roast.
- After rinsing the potatoes, dry well with a clean kitchen towel.
- I recommend baking the fries in batches. This increases your cooking time but it results in crispy fries and not soggy ones.
- Olive oil is your friend when preparing baked fries.
- Be sure to flip the fries over half way through the baking process.
- Fries can be cooked in an air fryer as well.
- This recipe makes 4-6 servings. If you are serving for a crowd, 4 large potatoes work great. 4 medium sized potatoes are better if you are serving individually as a dinner meal. Consider using only 2 large potatoes if you want to control the serving size a bit and want more protein on it versus carb from the potatoes.
Serving suggestions for this Carne Asada Fries recipe
Healthy Carne Asada Fries make a tasty appetizer or a fun main dish. They’re perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, game day parties like Super Bowl or a casual dinner.
If you want to switch things up, try Carne Asada Nachos and switch the potatoes for your favorite tortilla chips.
Top your fries with a variety of delicious fixings like:
- Pico de gallo, red or green salsa or hot sauce.
- Nacho cheese (homemade or store bought) or cheeses like sharp cheddar cheese, mexican blend cheese, queso fresco, cotija cheese, or pepper jack.
- Green onion.
- Jalapeños or avocado.
- Black beans for more protein and added fiber.
- Lime juice for brightness.
- Other marinated steak or meat like my Greek Yogurt Chicken or use shrimp like in my Gluten Free Shrimp Tacos .
- If you want to keep this low carb , you can omit the potatoes and use roasted cauliflower.
Recipe Inspiration
Some of the best carne asada fries can be found all over Southern California from Los Angeles down to San Diego. My inspiration, though, comes from cheese fries at California Burrito here in Seattle- my daughter got me hooked while I was pregnant! I set out to create a Whole30 version for my blog incorporating baked golden fries and flavor packed toppings. I found using shaved beef was the easiest way to prepare these Carne Asada Fries if I didn’t have actual carne asada on hand.
Looking for other recipe ideas? Subscribe to my monthly newsletter and receive delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox!
Did you make this recipe and love it? Please leave a comment and give it a 5 Star Rating! THANK YOU!
Craving more flavors like this? Check out my Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas and my Low Carb Cauliflower Chili.
Tasty Loaded Carne Asada Fries (Whole 30 Option)
Save This Recipe
Want to get this recipe in your email? Just enter your email below and get it now along with new recipe updates!
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes sliced vertically
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided, plus more if needed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika smoked or regular
- 1 pound shaved Beef or leftover already prepared carne asada
- 1/2 medium sweet Onion thinly sliced
- 1 green Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro fresh, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning any brand
Optional garnishes
- lime
- sour cream
- cheese shredded
- roma tomatoes chopped
- guacamole
- hot sauce
- salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 425 degrees F.
- Place sliced potatoes a lined sheet pan with parchment paper, toss with 1-2 tbsp of olive oil with the cumin, kosher salt, garlic powder and paprika.
- Roast for 11 minutes. Flip them over with a spatula and then return the pan to the oven for an additional 11-12 minutes.
- Remove carefully when done and set it aside.
- Preheat a large pan on medium-low heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil.
- Add the chopped onion and peppers. Cook for about 3 minutes and add 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the onion start to sweat.
- Add the shaved beef. Separate and cook for the beef for 5 min. Add remaining taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water. Continue to cook for an additional 7-10 min. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
- Spread the beef on top of the roasted potatoes and serve with your favorite garnishes.
- Enjoy this as an appetizer or as a main dish.
Notes
Nutrition
Making this recipe? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @whensaltyandsweetunite or use hashtag #whensaltyandsweetunite
Oh I need to try this! I never thought to bake my fries.
Yay! Let me know how you like it!
I’m saving this for Super Bowl!