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Epicurious

Carne Asada Cheese Fries

By Rhoda Boone

3.5

(5)

Image may contain Food Meal Dish Platter Plant Lunch and Pizza
Photo by JP Bevins, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone

Meet the love child of cheese fries and nachos: crispy, seasoned fries loaded with skirt steak and silky cheese sauce. One taste and you'll understand why San Diego is so wild about them.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    45 minutes

  • Yield

    4–6 servings

Ingredients

For the seasoned salt:

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon sugar

For the fries and steak:

1 (22-ounce) package frozen French fries
12 ounces skirt steak, trimmed if necessary
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the cheese sauce and assembly:

4 ounces sharp cheddar (about 1 packed cup)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3–5 dashes hot sauce, such as Cholula (optional)
Cubed avocado, sour cream, cilantro leaves, salsa, and/or pico de gallo (for serving; optional)

Preparation

  1. Make the seasoned salt:

    Step 1

    Whisk salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, oregano, and sugar in a small bowl.

  2. Cook the fries and steak:

    Step 2

    Spread fries on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with 1 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, and bake according to package directions, tossing halfway through.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, rub steak with remaining seasoned salt. Heat oil in a large (preferably cast iron) skillet over medium-high. Sear steak 2–3 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain, then cut strips into 1" pieces. Transfer fries to a large platter; top with steak.

  3. Make the cheese sauce:

    Step 4

    Toss cheese and cornstarch in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour evaporated milk over and cook in microwave on high 40 seconds. Whisk and continue to cook in 20-second increments, whisking in between, until melted and smooth (about 2 minutes total). Stir in hot sauce, if using.

    Step 5

    Spoon cheese sauce over steak. Top with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, salsa, and/or pico de gallo, if using.

TagsSteakBeefMeatCheddarCheeseDairyPotatoRoot VegetableVegetableMainDinnerGluten FreeNut FreeQuickEasyWeeknight MealsCast Iron SkilletEpicurious

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