Loaded Tater Tots (Totchos)
Loaded Tater Tots (aka totchos!) are made with the same toppings as classic nachos but with the added crunch of Tater tots.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 711kcal
Equipment
- chef's knife
- skillet
- saucepan
- serving platter
Ingredients
- 28-32 ounces frozen tater tots
- 1 pound lean ground beef preferably 80/20 or 85/15
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 ½ cups nacho cheese sauce homemade or store bought
- 1 large tomato diced, with seeds removed
Toppings (Optional)
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper thinly sliced, *see Notes
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- sour cream
- guacamole
- crumbled Mexican cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Arrange tater tots in a single layer on a baking sheet. Transfer the pan of tots to the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes, until dark golden and crispy, or per package directions.
- Meanwhile, place a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add ground beef to the skillet. Using a wooden or silicone spoon, brown the ground beef, using the spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. If necessary, drain any fat from the pan.
- Add taco seasoning to the pan; Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine seasoning with beef, then follow the package directions for preparing taco meat.
- Warm the cheese sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If using store bought sauce, follow heating directions on the container.
- Assemble totchos
- Arrange baked tater tots on a large serving platter. Spoon cooked ground beef evenly over top. Top with diced tomatoes and sliced green onions.
- Using a large tablespoon, drizzle tater tot nachos with cheese sauce, then top with jalapeno slices and chopped cilantro. Add your favorite garnishes on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Jalapenos - To decrease the spiciness of jalapeno peppers, remove the inner membrane and seeds. Optionally, bake the slices on a sheet pan at 400°F for 10 minutes. This will give the peppers a fantastic roasted flavor!
- Cheese Sauce - any prepared cheese sauce will taste great.
- For additional Tex-Mex flavor, use ground chorizo or pork instead. Another great topping idea for totchos is to use Chili con Carne, or shred a few baked chicken tenderloins.
- Breakfast Totchos: For morning cravings, layer your tots with scrambled eggs, cooked slices bacon, and shredded cheese. Toss under the broiler just long enough to get that beautiful golden brown finish. Serve with hot sauce or a side of buttered toast for a brunch that’s sure to impress.
- Mini Tot Appetizers: Turn this into a finger food favorite by baking the tots in mini muffin tins.
- Vegetarian totchos: For a meatless version, skip the beef and sauté some garlic, onions, and black beans with taco seasoning. Top your crispy tater tots with the mixture, melted mozzarella cheese, and a spoonful of queso. Finish with chopped chives and a few pickled jalapeños for a savory, veggie-packed option.
- Because this dish has cold and hot ingredients, it really isn't possible to reheat the loaded tater tots after you assemble them.
- However, you can make extra, and then store the ingredients in your fridge in separate containers. This makes the meal easy to reheat, assemble, and enjoy later.
- The best way to reheat tots is in the oven at 350°F, on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Similar to an oven-baked fried chicken recipe, using foil helps to crisp up the outside of the potatoes.