This healthy loaded fries recipe featuring sweet potato waffle fries, black beans, fresh produce, and queso fresco is the perfect guilt-free indulgence.
Jump to RecipeThis post may contain affiliate links. As Amazon Associates and through other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases if you click on a link – at no extra cost to you. We only promote products we actually use and truly love!
With the Super Bowl just around the corner, our minds have been stuck on junk food, party snacks, and all the delicious apps that come to mind when you think of a football party. Nachos, tater tots, french fries, soft pretzels, buffalo wings, dips, pizza… you name it. But it’s also still early in 2022, and we’re trying to actually stick to our New Year’s resolutions this time around. Which means lots of self-control when it comes to beer and snack consumption on game day.
And a little bit of creativity!
We can’t not have something yummy to snack on while watching the game – it’s part of the whole football experience – so we had to come up with a healthy alternative. Enter Alexia sweet potato waffle fries, our favorite “healthier” frozen french fry. We’d already made loaded tots and loaded nachos before, so naturally it was time for loaded fries.
To make our healthy loaded fries recipe, we leaned on the classic flavor combo of black beans and sweet potato and made sure to include lots of fresh produce. Here’s what our sweet potato waffle fries are loaded with:
- Organic Mexican-blend cheese
- Black beans
- Fiesta-style corn
- Tomato
- Red onion
- Chipotle mayo
- Fresh cilantro
- Queso fresco
It’s really that simple to make a delicious football snack that’s high in nutrients, with a modest sprinkling of cheese to tie it all together. The fresh produce provides a nice contrast to the savory (and sweet) waffle fries.
If you want to add even more superfoods to this snack, mash up an avocado, mix in some lime juice and a pinch of sea salt, and serve it alongside your healthy loaded fries! Dip away to your heart’s desire or dollop it over the fries once they’re done baking, and you’ve added another creamy, flavorful, and healthy component to this dish.
We were pleasantly surprised at how satisfying our healthier loaded fries were. Eating these felt like we were giving up on our resolutions. But we avoided getting hit by the dreaded sodium bloat later in the day, and we had put some good nutrients into our bodies. Using fresh produce, limiting the amount of cheese (but not getting rid of it – everything in moderation!), and subbing sweet potato fries for regular fries, tots, or tortilla chips makes a world of a difference when it comes to healthier and more nutritious eating.
It’s not a kale salad, but come on – who wants kale during a football game?
So if you’re also trying to stick to those New Year’s resolutions and want a healthy yet incredibly delicious snack for Super Bowl Sunday, try our recipe below!
(Or, if you’re looking for something more indulgent, check out our list of 6 Must Have Super Bowl Party Apps and browse our Game Day recipes here. We promise we won’t tell anyone.)
Loaded Sweet Potato Waffle Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen sweet potato waffle fries
- ⅔ cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- ⅔ cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup frozen roasted corn defrosted or drained
- ¼ small red onion* diced
- 1 small roma tomato* diced
- ¼ bunch fresh cilantro chopped
- Chipotle mayo for drizzling
- Queso fresco crumbled
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potato waffle fries according to package directions.*
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Transfer cooked sweet potato fries to a deep cast iron pan or baking dish. Top with shredded cheese, beans, corn, red onion, tomato, and a drizzle of chipotle mayo. Bake until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and queso fresco. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
Looking for kitchen inspiration? Head over to our shop to see what we cook with every day, plus recommendations for foodie gifts and eco-friendly products.