Taco Tater Tot Casserole
This easy Taco Tater Tot Casserole recipe features everyone’s favourite taco filling! It’s the perfect way to change up taco Tuesdays with a fun twist. Mexican seasoned ground beef is topped with the delicious, comforting texture of crispy tater tots and cheese. It’s a taco but with tater tots, for a crowd pleasing and satisfying weeknight dinner!!
If you love Tex Mex flavors try my taco casserole with Fritos, beef enchilada casserole, taco spaghetti, Mexican chicken casserole, Mexican lasagna and cheesy taco pasta bake.
Mexican Tater Tot Taco Casserole with Ground Beef
The hearty ground beef layer with black beans, corn and my homemade taco seasoning can be easily customized to suit any tastes.
Baked to perfection until the tater tots are crispy and golden brown with a bubbling filling.
Top with your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, lettuce, salsa, Guacamole and tomatoes for a cozy, tater tot casserole that everyone will love.
Serve with my Mexican jalapeño cornbread, sweet cornbread, honey butter, cilantro lime rice, Mexican street corn pasta salad, pico de Gallo, corn salsa with black beans or a green salad.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef – Use a 80/20 ground beef that is drained of excess grease after cooking
- Onion – medium yellow onion diced
- Garlic Cloves
- Black Beans – 15 ounce can of black beans drained and rinsed also use kidney or pinto beans
- Diced Tomatoes – 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes drained
- Corn – I used 1 cup of frozen corn kernels you can use fresh corn or canned corn kernels
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Smoked Paprika
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Dried Oregano
- Colby Jack Cheese – shredded or use your favorite cheese for melting like Monterey Jack, pepper jack or jalapeño cheese for extra heat or a Mexican cheese blend
- Tater Tots – 32 ounce package of frozen tater tots, I like to use Ore-Ida tater tots but you use your favorite ones or what is on sale
Substitutions & Variations: Substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken. Use a store bought taco seasoning instead of my homemade taco seasoning. Add diced jalapeños or spicy salsa on top for a kick of heat. Try sweet potato tater tots for a different flavor.
How To Make Taco Tater Tot Casserole
STEP ONE – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
STEP TWO – In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
STEP THREE – Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
STEP FOUR – Stir in the black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
STEP FIVE – Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
STEP SIX – Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded Colby Jack cheese over the beef mixture.
STEP SEVEN – Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the cheese, covering the beef mixture completely.
STEP EIGHT – Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the tater tots are crispy and golden brown.
STEP NINE – Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with chopped fresh cilantro, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, if desired.
Handy tip: Best crispy tater tots!
To keep the tater tots crispy, make sure they are in a single layer of top of the layer of cheese. This will ensure they are crispy and not soggy
Can I make this tater tot casserole ahead of time?
Yes, prepare the beef and vegetable mixture a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Assemble it with the tater tots when ready to bake to save time on busy days.
Storage and reheating instructions
Store by covering with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze by assembling the casserole without baking, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil to freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Reheat in a 350°F oven in a baking dish until heated through or in the microwave with a microwave-safe dish using 30 second intervals until heated through.
PrintTaco Tater Tot Casserole
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Description
This easy Taco Tater Tot Casserole recipe with everyone’s favourite taco filling is the perfect way to change up taco Tuesdays with a fun twist. Mexican seasoned ground beef is topped with the delicious, comforting texture of crispy tater tots and cheese. It’s a taco but with tater tots, for a crowd pleasing and satisfying weeknight dinner!!
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
1 (32 ounce) package frozen tater tots
Optional toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula, unNl browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook, sNrring occasionally, unNl the onion is soX and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
Sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded Colby Jack cheese over the beef mixture.
Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the cheese, covering the beef mixture completely.
Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or unNl the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the tater tots are crispy and golden brown.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with chopped fresh cilantro, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, if desired.
Notes
Storage and reheating instructions:
Store by covering with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze by assembling the casserole without baking, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil to freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Reheat in a 350°F oven in a baking dish until heated through or in the microwave with a microwave-safe dish using 30 second intervals until heated through.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
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