Tater tots are a perfect food, and these loaded tater tots are a perfect appetizer! A gooey, melty blanket of cheese and seasoned ground beef over crispy, crunchy tater tots is so delicious! Once I loaded them up with my favorite toppings, these totchos quickly became my new go-to game day app!
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Nachos supreme is one of my favorite appetizers of all time, but these loaded tater tots are claiming the ranks quickly. These totchos are the perfect balance of crispy, creamy, cheesy, and beefy goodness. I love that I can bake up a whole tray and let everyone go crazy with toppings. So yummy!
What’s in This Loaded Tater Tots Recipe?
- Tater Tots: I used frozen tater tots to make this recipe super easy, but homemade tater tots make these totchos insanely good if you have the time!
- Taco Seasoning: Adds classic taco flavoring to the tots and the beef. If you are gluten-free, make sure to double-check that the taco seasoning you buy doesn’t have any wheat (or make your own!)
- Ground Beef: I like to use 90% lean ground beef so there’s not so much fat, but 80 or 85% will also work; just be sure to drain off any excess fat.
- Onion: I like the neutral flavor of white onion, but any kind will work.
- Garlic: Creates a savory base of flavor for the meat.
- Cheese: Colby jack is my favorite cheese for these totchos, but any melting cheese will work. Mozzarella, Provolone, cheddar, or Mexican blend are all great choices!
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Tips for Success
- If you prefer, you can follow the air fryer instructions to cook the tots (they should be listed on the package). Just don’t forget to preheat your oven to melt the cheese!
- Shredding cheese from a block will give you the best melt.
- For extra gooey totchos, I like to swap out the shredded cheese for my favorite nacho cheese sauce!
How to Store and Reheat
While I highly recommend enjoying these loaded tots straight out of the oven, they will keep well for about 1 day in the refrigerator before becoming too soggy. Gently reheat in a 350°F oven until the cheese has melted and the meat is warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
I love to customize my loaded tater tots with pico de gallo, sour cream, guacamole, fresh herbs, and diced jalapeño peppers! Other great totcho toppings include refried beans, black beans, corn kernels, salsa verde, or diced tomatoes.
Loaded Tater Tots Recipe (Totchos)
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Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots (1 bag)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 8 ounces freshly shredded Colby jack cheese
Optional Toppings
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Sliced green onions
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Diced jalapeño peppers
Instructions
- Toss the tater tots with 1 tablespoon of the taco seasoning and bake them according to the package directions. Add a few minutes if needed to get them extra crispy. If not at 400°F, turn the oven to 400°F once the tots are done.32 ounces frozen tater tots, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- While the tots bake, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the ground beef, onion, garlic, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Cook, breaking the beef up with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound 90% lean ground beef, ½ white onion, 1 clove garlic
- Once the tots are cooked, scatter the beef mixture over the top.
- Top with shredded cheese and bake until the cheese is melted, about 7-10 minutes.8 ounces freshly shredded Colby jack cheese
- Remove from the oven and add your desired toppings before serving.Pico de gallo, Sour cream, Guacamole, Sliced green onions, Diced jalapeño peppers, Chopped fresh cilantro
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Loaded Tater Tots Step by Step
Bake the Tots: Toss 32 ounces (1 bag) of frozen tater tots with 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning and bake them according to the package directions. Add a few minutes if needed to get them extra crispy. If not at 400°F, turn the oven to 400°F once the tots are done.
Cook the Beef: While the tots bake, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in 1 pound of 90% lean ground beef, ½ of a diced white onion, 1 minced clove of garlic, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning. Cook, breaking the beef up with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent.
Scatter the Beef: Once the tots are cooked, scatter the beef mixture over the top.
Bake the Totchos: Top with 8 ounces of freshly shredded Colby jack cheese and bake until the cheese is melted, about 7-10 minutes.
Top and Serve: Remove from the oven and add your desired toppings before serving.
These turned out really well! I was a bit hesitant since it was the opposite of my usual tater tot dishes, with the tots on the bottom, but the meat topping and large amount of cheese were the perfect way to finish them off. I’ll be adding this recipe to my tater tot collection!