This Tater Tot Taco Casserole is a really fun spin on the classic Tater Tot Casserole (or “hotdish” if you’re from Minnesota!) that us Midwesterners love! If you aren’t from around here and have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s a filling with ground beef and vegetables and then topped with tater tots and ketchup. I grew up eating it and now my kids love it too! Here is our recipe for the original!
I think what I love about it is that it’s a total comfort food and comes together so fast! It’s easy to prep ahead of time and makes the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal!
Tater Tot Taco Casserole Tips
I decided to put a taco spin on this classic and I think I like it more. Brett said it was definitely an improvement from the original and both of my girls liked it a lot. It’s also just as simple and you basically add everything to a pan and then top with tater tots!
When deciding what to put in it, I did what I knew would be best for our family, but it’s honestly going to be great with whatever you want. Let’s talk about a few swaps. First of all, cheese! We are mostly dairy free in our family, but I think topping the meat mixture with cheese and then adding the tater tots would be amazing.
I also added a dairy free cream cheese to make it creamier, but I think a scoop of sour cream would do the same thing! I also didn’t add beans, but half to a whole can of black beans would be delicious too. There are so many options!
This Tater Tot Taco Casserole was a huge hit in my family and I hope your family loves it too! I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do. Here is the recipe:
Tater Tot Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 ½ Tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup corn
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes I used Rotel Mexican style – a little spicy
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 1/4 cup sour cream or cream cheese
- 1/2 bag tater tots
- 1/2 can beans optional
- chopped cilantro + sour cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Start by browning the ground beef over a medium heat and add onion.
- Once browned, add in taco seasoning and water and turn heat up.
- Once combined and slightly thickened, turn heat to low.
- Add in corn, diced tomatoes, salsa, and cream cheese or sour cream. (Beans would be great too!)
- Mix to combine and then add to an oiled cast iron skillet or 9 x 9 pan!
- Top with tater tots and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tater tots are golden brown and mixture is bubbling.
- Top with fresh cilantro and sour cream! Enjoy!!
