My easy taco tater tot casserole recipe combines crispy tater tots with your favorite taco ingredients. This Tex-Mex twist on a tater tot hotdish is a cheesy, flavorful recipe that makes a great make-ahead dinner or zesty brunch dish. It’s bound to become a family favorite!
When it comes to easy dinner ideas, this taco tater tot casserole recipe is coming in hot! It’s nice and filling, which makes it great for feeding a crowd. It’s also super easy to make and packs a ton of flavor. Speaking from recent experience, if you make this for your family, they will clean their plates almost immediately and ask for seconds. Understandably. Who doesn’t love tacos? And tater tots?!
Juicy ground beef is combined with tender black beans, melted cheddar cheese, spicy enchilada sauce, and your favorite taco toppings. This easy tater tot casserole is perfect for game days, a casual weeknight dinner, parties, and more. Basically, you can make it whenever you want because nobody can resist crispy tater tots, especially if they’re taco tater tots!
As a final note, if you’re in the mood for another Mexican-inspired casserole, try this aptly-named easy Mexican chicken casserole. Or, change things up and try this chicken bacon ranch casserole, which is just as comforting!
What Makes This Crispy Taco Tater Tot Casserole Recipe So Good?
I mean, what’s better than a plate of crispy tater tots with taco seasoning and enchilada sauce? Here’s why I love this taco tater tot hotdish so much, and think you will too:
- Layers of flavor and texture. Each forkful of this casserole is filled with crunchy tater tots, soft black beans, juicy corn, tender ground beef, and creamy avocado if you choose to add it! Words can’t describe what a divine combination this is.
- Super easy to make. All you really have to do is cook the ground beef, assemble the casserole, bake it, and then add your toppings. Pretty much like a taco!
- Easy clean-up. It’s made in just one dish, so cleanup is quick, easy, and stress-free.
- Comforting: After a long day, there’s nothing like a warm plate of cheesy tater tot casserole. It’s so filling and comforting, and perfect for any time of year.
What Is Tater Tot Casserole? (a.k.a. Tater Tot Hotdish)
Otherwise known as a tater tot hotdish, a Midwestern tater tot casserole is a savory dinner filled with meat, potatoes, veggies, and cheese. It’s a lot like shepherd’s pie, topped with crispy tater tots instead of mashed potatoes. My version uses ground beef, enchilada sauce, and other taco ingredients for a fun taco night twist!
Recipe Ingredients
Let’s talk tater tot casserole recipe ingredients. You can find the precise quantities for each one in the recipe card below.
- Beef – Ground beef makes this casserole a hearty and flavorful dinner.
- Onion – Throwing in some chopped onion will bring out the savory flavors of this dish.
- Garlic – A small amount of garlic is all you’ll need to amp up this meal. Freshly minced garlic provides the boldest flavor.
- Green Chiles – You can never have enough veggies, and green chiles will add a touch of freshness to this recipe.
- Taco Seasoning – I like to use store-bought taco seasoning to keep things nice and simple.
- Salsa – It can be mild salsa, medium salsa, whatever you like!
- Black Beans – These are technically optional, but I love how hearty they make this dish.
- Corn – Throw in some corn for a pop of color and added texture.
- Cheddar Cheese – This casserole wouldn’t be the same without some shredded cheddar cheese. Freshly shredded provides the best flavor!
- Tater Tots – Grab yourself a bag of frozen tater tots! You could also try making this recipe with hash browns if you like.
- Red Enchilada Sauce – For a spicy kick, drizzle your dish with some enchilada sauce before baking.
Substitutions & Variations
My family is obsessed with this recipe, and I want you to love it, too! You can certainly substitute any toppings or add in more ingredients as you like. There are tons of ways to adapt this casserole to make it your own.
- Different protein: If you make your tacos with chicken or turkey instead of beef, either would go great with this dish.
- More melty cheese: If cheddar isn’t your thing, feel free to throw in some mozzarella or Monterey Jack instead!
- Choose your heat level: Want to make your casserole spicier? Substitute the green chiles for red ones. You can also skip the chiles altogether for a milder dish.
How to Make Taco Tater Tot Casserole
This comforting tater tot hotdish dinner comes together in a snap. Here’s how it all happens. If you’re looking for the full set of directions, scroll on down to the recipe card below.
- First, sauté the beef and veggies. Cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet until browned. Add the garlic towards the end, and cook for another minute before draining any excess grease, if needed.
- Add the taco ingredients. Next, add the green chiles, taco seasoning mix, salsa, black beans, corn, and 2 cups of cheese. Stir everything together. If your skillet isn’t big enough, you can do this step in your casserole dish.
- Assemble. Add the beef mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer on top of the filling. Lastly, pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the casserole.
- Bake. This taco tater tot casserole goes into a 375ºF oven, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes. Once the tater tots are nice and crispy, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top. Bake the casserole for another 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Serve with your favorite taco toppings, and dig in!
Optional Casserole Toppings
If you ask anyone in my household, they’ll tell you the best part about tacos is the toppings! These are some of my favorites:
- Cilantro – If you’re a fan of cilantro, be sure to add some to this casserole.
- Sour Cream – A side of tangy sour cream will go perfectly with this savory recipe.
- Avocados – Sliced avocados will add a cool and creamy element to your casserole.
- Tomatoes – Add diced tomatoes, or combine them with the above to make tomato avocado salsa to top this dish off.
Tips for the Best Tater Tot Casserole
Here are some tips and tricks that will ensure you get the best results with your tater tot taco casserole:
- Make it ahead. This casserole is an amazing meal prep recipe! If you want to make it ahead of time, just place it in an airtight container in the freezer before you bake it. I recommend using an aluminum pan covered with aluminum foil, but as long as you keep it covered, you’ll be fine. It freezes for up to two months. Thaw the casserole completely and add the frozen tater tots just before baking. If you don’t have time to let it thaw completely, you can always bake it from frozen and add a few extra minutes.
- Lean ground beef is best. It’s slightly leaner, and you (probably) won’t need to drain the cooking juices before you add the ground beef to the baking dish.
- Thaw the tater tots if you have time. I’ve baked this recipe many a time with frozen tater tots, but I’ve also found that if you thaw the tater tots beforehand, they’re less likely to become soggy while they bake. So if you have the extra time, consider thawing them first!
What to Serve With Taco Tater Tot Casserole
Wondering what to serve with this taco tater tot hotdish? It’s pretty filling, but these are some of my go-to options:
- Veggie sides: Roasted vegetables (like broccoli, asparagus, etc.) go super well with this meal.
- Salads: A fresh fruit salad is a great, light side dish option. Or keep the Tex-Mex theme going with a Mexican street corn salad.
- Refreshing cocktails: If you’re making this dish for a party or Cinco de Mayo celebration, I recommend pairing it with the fruity flavors of my easy watermelon elderflower cocktails. These mango margaritas are another tasty cocktail recipe that goes deliciously with taco flavors.
- Dessert: Enjoy a slice of homemade tres leches cake for a sweet finish.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Got some tater tot casserole leftovers? Here’s how to properly store and reheat them:
- To store: You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge, and your casserole will stay fresh for up to 4 days. Make sure you let it cool completely before sticking it in the fridge so it doesn’t get soggy.
- To reheat: The best way to reheat this casserole is to pop it back in the oven at 375ºF until warmed through, so that the tater tots regain their crispiness.
More Comfort Food Dinner Recipes
Easy Taco Tater Tot Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 1 ounce package taco seasoning mix
- ½ cup salsa
- 15 ounce can black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15.25 ounce can whole kernel corn
- 3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- 28 ounce frozen tater tots
- 1 ¼ cups (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
- Cilantro (optional)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Avocado (optional)
- Tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add the ground beef and onion to a large skillet and cook until browned and cooked through. Add the garlic towards the end of browning and cook for another minute. Drain.
- Add the green chiles, taco seasoning mix, salsa, black beans, corn and 2 cups of the cheese. Stir together to combine. If your skillet isn’t big enough, you could combine it all in your casserole dish.
- Pour the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange frozen tater tots on top of the mixture in a single layer.
- Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the casserole
- Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until tater tots are nice and crispy.
- Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top and bake for 2-3 minutes or until cheese has melted.
- Serve with cilantro, sour cream, avocados and tomatoes, if desired.
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
What can be used in place of enchilada sause
You could try salsa.
Has anyone tried this with sweet potato tots? Not sure if they would be too sweet, just curious. Thanks!
Not that I know of.
Has anyone tried this with green enchilada sauce? I’m only asking because I already have some in my pantry! haha
Not that I know of, but I’m sure it’d be fine.
This was very good, a nice change from an original tater tot casserole. Definitely a keeper!
This tater tot casserole was so easy and everyone loved it. Great dinner idea.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this a day or 2 after you posted it; it was delicious. Since there are only 3 of us, it gave us dinner 2 nights and multiple lunches. Definitely making again. Thank you.
Hi Lindsay – This looks delicious. I’m thinking of substituting quinoa for the meat to make it a hearty vegetarian meal. I love your little “slip-ins” of dinner recipes. 🙂
That sounds yummy! I hope you enjoy it! Glad you enjoy the occasional savory recipe!