Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Taco Tater Tot Casserole – taco meat, diced tomatoes and green chiles, cheese, cheese soup, Taco Tater Tot Casserole recipe – taco meat, Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, gooey cheese, cheddar cheese soup, sour cream and tater tots – what’s not to love? We ate this twice in one day! Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for later. You can also divide it between two 8×8-inch foil pans and freeze one. Taco night never tasted so good!

Easy Mexican Casserole

Mexican food is a favorite at our house and this Taco Tater Tot Casserole is one of our favorite weeknight dinner recipes. Taco meat, melted cheese, Rotel diced tomatoes, and green chilies, sour cream, and crispy tater tots. I mean, what’s not to like! Top the hot dish with your favorite taco toppings – lettuce, tomatoes, olives, guacamole, and salsa. Taco Tuesday will never be the same!

How to Make Tater Tot Taco Casserole

This Mexican casserole is super easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain excess grease. Add a packet of taco seasoning mix, a can of Rotel tomatoes, and water. Simmer over medium heat for about five minutes. In a large bowl, stir together sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and cheddar cheese soup. Add frozen tater tots and the meat mixture. Spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread tater tot mixture in the pan and bake until bubbly. Garnish the finished casserole with some fresh cilantro or green onions.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

• There is no need to thaw the tater tots before making the casserole.
• Can substitute ground turkey for ground beef.
• If you don’t want to use the cheddar cheese soup, feel free to use an equivalent amount of queso dip. YUM!
• Here is our recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/
• What can I add to the casserole?
  • black beans
  • corn
  • pinto beans
  • green onions
  • black olives
• Use a can of hot Rotel or some sliced jalapenos for a spicy twist.
• You can use any cheese that you enjoy. Cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, Monterey jack, or pepper jack all are delicious.
• Can Taco Tater Tot Casserole be made in advance? Yes! You can assemble the casserole and refrigerate it overnight before baking.
• Can Taco Tater Tot Casserole be frozen? Yes! Assemble the casserole and cool completely. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place in the freezer.
  • To bake after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed above.
  • I like to split the casserole into two 8×8-inch foil pans. I usually bake one and freeze one for later.
• Can Tater Taco Casserole be made in the slow cooker? Yes! Mix the casserole together and spread it into the crock pot. Cook until bubbly – about 4 to 6 hours.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What to Serve with Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

This has quickly become one of our favorite casserole recipes. We ate this for dinner and had the leftovers for lunch the next day. It was delicious both times! We like to serve this with some black beans, Mexican corn, or a green salad. You can’t forget the chips & salsa and queso dip! Give this easy dinner recipe a try the next time you need a meal the whole family will enjoy!

Here are a few of our favorite recipes from the blog that go great with this easy casserole recipe:

Salads

Mexican Chopped Salad

Mexican Chopped Salad –  the perfect side to all of your favorite Mexican recipes! Lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, avocados,…

Vegetables

Southwestern Green Beans

Southwestern Green Beans with Rotel- only 4 ingredients and ready in about 20 minutes! Oven-roasted green beans, Mexican Rotel tomatoes,…

Dip

Superior Grill Salsa

Superior Grill Salsa – the salsa recipe from my favorite Mexican restaurant. So easy & tastes great. Tomatoes, pickled jalapenos,…

Mexican

Jalapeno Ranch Dip

Jalapeno Ranch Dip – so simple and tastes better than Chuy’s! I made this for a party and it was…

Recipe Print Recipe

Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Author: Plain Chicken

Yield: 8 people

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Taco Tater Tot Casserole – taco meat, diced tomatoes and green chiles, cheese, cheese soup, sour cream and tater tots – what's not to love? We ate this twice in one day! Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for later. You can also divide it between two 8×8-inch foil pans and freeze one.  Taco night will never be the same!

Equipment:

• 8-qt Mixing Bowl
• Rotary Cheese Grater
• 12-inch Non-Stick Skillet
• Meat Masher Tool
• 9×13-inch Baking Dish

Ingredients:

• 1½ lb lean ground beef
• 1 (1-oz) package taco seasoning
• 1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 (10.5-oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup
• 1 (16-oz) container sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 (32-oz) package frozen tater tots

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Cook ground beef in a large skillet until no longer pink. Drain fat. Stir in taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and green chiles and water. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked beef, cheddar cheese, tater tots, cheese soup and sour cream. Mix until throughly combined.
• Spread mixture into prepared pan.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until bubbly.

Notes:

There is no need to thaw the tater tots before making the casserole.

Here is our recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning made with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper: https://www.plainchicken.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/

Can substitute ground turkey for ground beef.

Can assemble the casserole ahead of time and refrigerate overnight or freeze for later.

To bake after freezing, thaw completely and bake as directed above.

Plain Chicken

https://www.plainchicken.com/taco-tater-tot-casserole/

All images and text © Plain Chicken, Inc.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @plainchicken or tag #plainchicken!

Steph