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This Southwestern Potato Stack has layers of tender potatoes, peppers and onions seasoned with Tex-Mex spices and cheese!
When my husband Jack and I plan a dinner party, we always try to come up with a well-balanced menu. Sometimes, the main dish is the star – while other times, we’ll prepare a simple, classic steak or roast chicken, then serve it with a show-stopper side dish.
I think this Southwestern Potato Stack falls into that “show-stopper side dish” category. It’s very delicious, and it looks super fancy – but it is actually quite easy to make!
How do you make a Southwestern Potato Stack?
You’ll start by sauteeing diced red and green bell peppers, red onion, and garlic in butter until just tender. Season with Southwestern-inspired herbs and spices including coriander, cumin, chili powder, and Mexican oregano, plus salt and pepper. Set aside.
Next, using a mandoline or very sharp knife, thinly slice peeled red potatoes. Place them in a bowl and coat them with melted butter.
Assemble your Southwestern Potato Stack in a buttered springform pan – placing the sliced potatoes, peppers and onions, and crumbled Cojita cheese in alternating layers. Bake covered with foil for 45 minutes. Then, remove the foil, sprinkle on more cheese, and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or so – allowing the top to brown and the potatoes to become tender.
Once out of the oven, allow your Southwestern Potato Stack to cool and set up for about five minutes, then sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Remove the outer ring of your springform pan, then slice to serve.
Like your foods a little spicier?
If you like your Tex-Mex foods with a little (or a lot) more heat – feel free to swap in some jalapeno or serrano peppers for some of the bell peppers. You can also adjust the seasonings for more heat.
What do I serve with this Southwestern Potato Stack?
This fantastic side dish goes great with grilled steak tips or pork chops, as well as chicken. You could also serve it for Cinco de Mayo with pulled chicken or beef.
This Southwestern Potato Stack is even delicious for breakfast or brunch – served with a fried egg on top!
Adapted from Taste of Home.
You may enjoy these other Southwestern recipes:
- One Pot Tex-Mex Pasta
- Southwestern Breakfast Muffins
- Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken Stew
- Southwestern Red Chile Sauce
- Southwestern Cheesy Corn Dip
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Southwestern Potato Stack
Ingredients
3 pounds large red skinned potatoes
1 stick butter, divided (8 tablespoons)
1 large red bell pepper, diced large
1 large green bell pepper, diced large
1 medium red onion (about a half pound), peeled and diced into large pieces
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch Cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups Cotija or farmer’s cheese (10 ounce wheel)
Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
Peel the potatoes and hold in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning.
In a large saute pan, heat three tablespoons of the butter over medium heat until melted and add the red and green bell peppers, red onion and garlic and saute for five minutes until tender.
Remove from heat and stir in the salt, pepper, coriander, cumin, chili powder, oregano and cayenne. Set aside.
With one tablespoon of butter, butter a 9” spring form pan. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the remaining four tablespoons of butter.
Using a mandolin, slice the potatoes 1/8th inch thick and place in a bowl and cover with the melted butter. Use your hands to work the butter onto all slices.
Layer one quarter of the potatoes onto the bottom of the pan covering the bottom.
Cover with one third of the onion and pepper mixture and ¼ cup of the Cotija cheese.
Add another layer of potatoes, then another third of the onion pepper mixture, ¼ cup of the cheese, another layer of potatoes, the remaining onions and peppers, another ¼ cup of cheese and the remaining potatoes. Cover the top with a piece of foil.
Wrap bottom of pan in foil and place on a parchment lined sheet tray.
Bake for 45 minutes covered.
Sprinkle on the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 15-30 minutes to melt and brown the cheese and finish cooking the potatoes. At the one-hour mark (45 minutes covered and 15 uncovered), poke the center with a paring knife to test for doneness and bake further if needed. Ours took one hour and ten minutes to cook through.
Top with chopped cilantro.
Let sit five minutes, remove springform pan and cut into pie shape servings with a sharp serrated knife and serve.
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