This Easy Taco Tater Tot Casserole recipe combines crispy tater tots with your favorite taco ingredients! A cheesy and flavorful dish that makes a great brunch or dinner idea. It’s bound to become a family favorite!
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Taco Tater Tot Casserole is What Dinner Dreams Are Made Of
When it comes to easy dinner recipes, this casserole is perfect! 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! I guarantee that if you make this for your family, they will clean their plates and ask for seconds. And who doesn’t love tacos?!
What is Tater Tot Casserole? (a.k.a. Tater Tot Hotdish)
Otherwise known as a tater tot hotdish, this savory dinner is filled with meat, potatoes, veggies and cheese. It really has a little bit of everything, which is part of what makes it so good!
This version is made with ground beef, enchilada sauce and other taco ingredients to make it the perfect meal for taco Tuesday. It’s also made in just one dish so cleanup is quick, easy and stress-free!
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef: Ground beef makes this casserole a hearty and flavorful dinner.
- Onion: Throwing in some chopped onions 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.
- Green Chiles: You can never have enough veggies, and green chiles will add a touch of freshness to this recipe.
- Taco Seasoning: Every taco casserole needs some seasoning for flavor in each bite.
- Salsa: Add your favorite salsa to this recipe!
- Black Beans: Beans are another hearty ingredient that makes this dish stand out.
- Corn: Add corn for a pop of color and another delicious flavor.
- Cheddar Cheese: This casserole wouldn’t be the same without some shredded cheese.
- Tater Tots: Crispy tater tots make this recipe a family favorite!
- Red Enchilada Sauce: For a spicy kick, drizzle your dish with some enchilada sauce before baking.
Optional Ingredients
- Cilantro: If you’re a fan of cilantro, be sure to add some to this casserole!
- Sour Cream: A side of sour cream will go perfectly with this savory recipe.
- Avocados: Sliced avocados will add a cool and creamy element to your casserole.
- Tomatoes: Add a few slices of tomato to top this dish off!
How to Make Taco Tater Tot Casserole
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook Beef, Onion & Garlic: Add the ground beef and onion into a large skillet and cook until browned & cooked through. Add the garlic towards the end of browning and cook for another minute, then drain.
- Add Cheese & Taco Ingredients: 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, then you can combine it all in your casserole dish.
- Assemble Your Casserole: Pour the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange frozen tater tots on top of the mixture in a single layer.
- Add Enchilada Sauce: Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the casserole
- Bake: Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the tater tots are nice and crispy.
- Top With Cheese: Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top of the casserole and bake for 2-3 more minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve with cilantro, sour cream, avocados and tomatoes, if desired.
Variation Ideas
My family is obsessed with this recipe, and I want yours to love it too! You can certainly substitute any toppings or add in whatever else you like. There are tons of different things you can do with this casserole to make it your own.
- Meat: If you make your tacos with chicken or turkey instead of beef, either would go great with this dish.
- Cheese: If cheddar isn’t your thing, feel free to throw in some mozzarella or Monterey Jack instead!
- Chiles: Want to make your casserole more spicy? Substitute the green chiles for red ones.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re making this dish for a party or celebration, I recommend pairing it with my easy Watermelon Elderflower Cocktails. The fruity flavors are a great compliment to this savory dish. These Mango Margaritas are another tasty cocktail recipe that goes with the taco theme!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
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.
Can I Freeze Tater Tot Casserole?
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 will last for up to two months in the freezer! When you want to serve it, just make sure to thaw it out completely before baking (add the frozen tater tots just before baking). If you don’t have time to let it thaw completely, you can always just bake it for a few extra minutes.
PrintEasy Taco Tater Tot Casserole
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Easy Taco Tater Tot Casserole recipe combines crispy tater tots with your favorite taco ingredients! This cheesy and flavorful dish makes a great brunch or dinner. It’s bound to become a family favorite!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 oz package taco seasoning mix
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15.25 oz can whole kernel corn
- 3 cups (12 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
- 28 oz frozen tater tots
- 1 1/4 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
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 299
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 822.4 mg
- Fat: 13.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.8 g
- Protein: 20.1 g
- Cholesterol: 55.3 mg
Keywords: tater tot casserole recipe, best tater tot casserole, taco tater tot casserole, tater tot hotdish, taco casserole, taco casserole recipe, easy taco casserole
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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!