Taco John’s Potato Ole Seasoning
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Taco Johns Potato Ole seasoning is a little spicy, a little salty and so delicious! This copycat recipe for the potato oles is spot on!
There are a few things I miss TERRIBLY about Iowa and other than my best friend + her family – they are ALL food related!!! I’ve been on a quest to make them at home so I don’t have to have such a gorgefest when I get home. There are Maid Rites, Carlos O’Kelly’s Queso, Fareway Chicken Salad, Ginormous Pork Tenderloins and Taco Johns Potato Oles!!!
I used to eat these on practically a daily basis in college. They were on campus and my best friend & I would always go for lunch and get soft tacos and potato oles! They’re basically Crispy Crowns (flat tater tots) with zingy + spicy seasoning salt.
How to Make Potato Ole Seasoning
It’s super simple and now I have a jar of it ready to go anytime I want to have my fantastic Potato Ole’s at home!! Four simple ingredients: Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika and Cumin.
So you mix the ingredients together – shake it up – and then you’re done. That’s it!!! So simple!
What can you use Potato Ole Seasoning on?
- AWESOME Skinny Tater Tot Casserole
- Copycat Tacky Jacks Nachos
- Pulled Pork Totchos
You can also use this on hashbrowns, tots, eggs, chicken, and more. If you want to add some zing to something – just sprinkle away!
Enjoy this taste of home from me and – if you’re ever in Iowa – stop by Taco Johns. They also have the best churros ever!!
Other Copycat Seasoning & Sauce Recipes?
Copycat Taco Johns Potato Ole Seasoning
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 bag cooked Crispy Crowns (flat tater tots)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and sprinkle on fresh baked Crispy Crowns! Store in a ziploc bag or spice jar and you’re done!
Honestly a little goes a long way. I personally hate this spice caked on like in the photos. I cringe whenever I see people applying spice with a spoon. Use a freakin' shaker like a normal person. Don't store it in a ziploc. Mix it, yeah, but don't store it like that. Use an empty shaker and label it if you want.
If you don’t like it as heavy as it is in the photo, then put less on???!! Not rocket science.
I think that you should use a shaker, but don’t hate on people because they like to have more seasoning than you prefer.
Why do you care? Let people do what they’re going to do
Most people do not put mixed spices in a shaker. You sound high strung and like you worry too much about stupid trivial things in life. How strange to write a whole paragraph about that. You need to get out more.
That’s the most dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.
Sounds like you need a life
Thank you Anonymous for defending my honor! And Hey – Unknown – suck an egg!
Being from Nebraska (Scottsbluff) I grew up on Taco Johns, Miss it so much! Thanks for the recipe! Tried it without the cayenne, substituted chili powder, so much yum!
Yes, Lady Tass! I grew up on Torrington this recipe has been so appreciated. Thanks, Food Hussy
Nice! glad you liked it!
Woohoo! Thanks!
Live in Cheyenne, WY. Home of Taco Johns! Grew up waiting for Taco Tuesday every week!!!!
Love it! i've got a tater tot casserole coming in a couple of weeks using this seasoning – you'll love it!
Can't wait to try the seasoning! I loved their Potato Oles when I lived in Kansas City, MO. Didn't have a Taco John's in the Dallas area or in Florida where I now reside.
I love it – i use it all the time!!! be sure to check out my tater tot casserole with it too!
They're not fucking tater tots or knock offs and you know it
That's correct – they're Crispy Crowns and that is what Taco Johns serves. To be clear – Taco Johns doesn't serve fucking tater tots. 🙂
hey, we might be soul sisters 😂.I love this response.
hehehehe – i’ll take that! nice to meet you sister!
Is swearing here really necessary? Or are intelligent responses behond the grasp of some of you?
100% necessary – he started it. just as much as spelling is BEYOND the grasp of some of you.
Unknown… needs to get a life!!
Taco John’s is not ‘redneck Taco Bell’. Not anymore than Burger King is ‘redneck McDonald’s’. They’re just two different restaurant chains that serve the same kind of food.
The ingredients for taco John's potato ole seasoning is garlic salt, onion powder, and paprika. I don't know the ratios but that's all that it contains.
Its the internet
A series of tubes.
Ty for the recipe! Grew up 4 blocks from a TJ's, can't believe no other franchise hasn't tried to copy cat these yet.
For years I've just mixed equal parts Lawry's with Taco seasoning. It's pretty darn close to the real thing and even easier.
Yummmm. What do you do for the cheese? TJ’s cheese sauce is my favorite.
I just use the nacho cheese you can buy in a can or jar…
I MISS Taco John’s so much!!! Do you have a recipe for the taco meat? None of the packaged ones taste as good.
I don’t – but I’ll put it on my list to try and make – there’s a TJ a couple hours away – it’ll give me a reason to drive up there! haha
I’m definitely going to try this.
Can’t wait to try this! Now they just need to sell their taco sauce in a bottle!!
I hear ya – I really like Ortega Taco Sauce
I love taco John’s more than anything I’m 11 years old names Annastashia. When I was little my nana took me to taco John’s every day I loved the outside wed always get 2 mediums I just dont know how too make the cheese sauce best sauce ever! But I’ll try it sounds delicious I live in fond du lac WI but we cant make it as good as they do but sounds easy I think they deep fry there’s or somthing.
This is perfect! I’ve tried other recipes, but this is the only one that tastes exactly like Taco John’s. We have 3 here in town, but it gets expensive and greasy. I make the crowns in the air fryer and grab a can of nacho cheese and super potato oles are what’s for dinner tonight!
Oooh – I have a whole section of air fryer recipes – be sure to check them out!
This is soooo close! Thank you!! I also grew up on TJ’s and the closest one now is about an hour away. I feel like there is the tiniest bit of something missing although this recipe is damn close! Maybe black pepper? Thoughts?
I haven’t tried this yet but I think there HAS to be a little bit of sugar in there. That’s my favorite part! That tiny little bit of sweetness you get with all the seasoning. Like 3 grains of sugar per ole! lol I also would’ve thought there was celery salt. That flavor seems very dominant to me but maybe it comes from the seasoning salt?
I think the Lawry’s has a lot of good stuff in it…
I forgot to rate recipe with my post..5.
Used this on a quarter bag of potato bites.. WAS A MISTAKE. This is easily enough for a full bag+
Sorry about that – I like a lot of seasoning!
Just found this and I am going to put in on with a soup spoon, mix it in a bowl, and store it… wait there won’t be any to store because I will probably end up using the whole batch!!
yum!!!! for sure!
What is the best recipe for homemade crispy crowns please?
Thanks
Chantal
I’ll have to add that to my list of things to conquer!
I’m giving your recipe a 5-star rating, even though I didn’t make them as listed. I only had copycat Lowry’s seasoned salt and smoked paprika available, but it’s pretty darned good with them. I’m sure that it would be good with ‘real’ Lowry’s salt and non-smoked paprika, too.
This is great. Thank you. We love the Tater Oles dipped in TJ’s house sauce. I have scoured the internet for the house dressing recipe and have not found anything close enough. If you ever come up with the house dressing recipe, that would be so amazing.
Hi Sara, Taco John’s House sauce is simple, just 2 ingredients, Taco sauce and Creamy Italian dressing. your welcome😁
As someone who works at taco John’s, I’m not gonna say too much, but you’re close 🙂
I’ve tried to get this right myself a bunch and always failed. This recipe is as close as I’ve come. It really scratches the itch and takes me back to a simpler time. Bless you 🤘
Hahaha – if I could just find a Taco Johns – work there for a day – steal a jar of theirs – quit my job – then make sure I got it right 100% ahahahahaha! Glad this scratched the itch!
Can’t wait to try this for an upcoming Cinco de Mayo breakfast- thanks for sharing! If anyone asks, I will be sure to tell them a “hussy” shared the recipe 🙂 Now, if you only had the Taco John apple grande recipe from my own childhood!
oh man – never got to try that!!! but their churros are the bomb!
I will be making a six pack and a pound tonight !
sounds like a great recipe…has anyone tried smoked paprika instead I have it and I like the hint of smokeyness just a thought
egnore the mean comments- most of these people that have that much time to insult you either need a glass of wine or get laid
Thank you for this recipe, I’m trying it this week! All of our Taco Johns just closed today here in Fargo, ND and my husband is very emo about the potato oles.
We are CA transplants from Iowa. I so miss Latin King creamy parm dressing and Smitty’s tenderloins
oh Latin King!!!! be sure to check out my Casey’s pizza recipes! and my maid rite recipes
does this actually taste like it. our Taco John’s just closed and I’m super sad.
I tried to make the seasoning before but it just tasted off.
i think so – hope you like it
Pretty close to the actual taste. If you want that one seasoning that takes it almost to perfection, add in a pinch of celery salt/ground celery seed. I worked for TJs for years when I was much younger and I worked on this throughout the years. I also use the reduced salt Lawrys and it works to the advantage of more flavor. I also pulse it just a bit in the blender (I use one of the small shake ones from Ninja). It just blends the flavors so much better. Good recipe overall. If you want the exact nacho cheese they use as well, it is called Que Bueno. It is the best.
Thank you for the feedback!!!!
I was told they use a touch of cinnamon for that subtle sweetness. Has anyone tired that?
Most excellent, I didn’t have cayenne on hand so I subbed in half a tsp of chipotle paprika in addition to the normal paprika. spot on.