Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Spicy, hearty and tasty. This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole is pure comfort food!
Servings: 8 people
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce can refried beans
- 2 10-ounce cans original Ro-tel style tomatoes, divided; drained
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves divided
- 2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 2 cups Colby Jack shredded cheese
- 2 cups Mexican-style blend shredded cheese
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 can corn drained or 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 32 ounce package frozen tater tots
- Juice of 1 lime
Possible Garnishes:
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sliced scallions
- Shredded Mexican blend or Sharp Cheddar
- Sliced or chopped avocados
- Sliced black olives
- Sour Cream
- Chopped lettuce
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425°F and spray a 9x13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and set the casserole dish in the middle of the baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, combine refried beans, 1 can drained Ro-tel tomatoes, hot sauce, and ¼ cup cilantro; set aside.
- Place beef in a large skillet set oven medium heat. Cook until brown throughout, about 6-8 minutes, breaking apart the meat while it cooks. Drain into a colander; set aside.
- Add 1-tablespoon oil and onions to the skillet and set over medium heat. Cook the onions about 5 minutes, stirring often, or until translucent and tender.
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook, while stirring, an additional 1-minute.
- Add browned beef, 1 can (drained) Ro-tel tomatoes, corn, vinegar, brown sugar, and juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper; stir well.
- Stir and cook about 5-10 minutes or until juices reduce and mixture thickens.
- Spread the bean/tomato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle 2 cups cheese over the top.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bean mixture and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover the cheese layer with a single layer of tater tots and press down gently.
- Place the casserole dish (set inside the rimmed baking sheet) on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and the tater tots are dark golden brown.
- Transfer dish to a cooling rack and cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 708kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 997mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1328IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 477mg | Iron: 6mg