This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole recipe is packed with bold and savory flavor and a top layer of golden brown tater tots. The whole family will love this easy casserole dinner!
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Loaded with ground beef, corn and beans, and chiles for some extra heat, this easy casserole recipe combines frozen tater tots with Mexican inspired flavors.
Why this recipe works
Because it includes lots of nutritious ingredients like corn and beans, this recipe makes an entire meal in one casserole dish!
The end result is a comforting dish that's packed with flavor. Using taco seasoning emphasizes the Mexican flavors of this meal that's great for an easy dinner or even a special brunch.
And if you're still looking for more phenomenal casserole recipes, try my Big Mac Casserole or this One Pot Mexican Rice Casserole!
Gather your ingredients
- Ground Beef: You can use ground turkey or even ground chicken.
- Onion: For fantastic savory flavor.
- Taco Seasoning: Buy this from the grocery store or use my homemade taco seasoning.
- Veggies: Aside from onions, you'll also need corn, green chile peppers, and black beans.
- Enchilada Sauce: I use mild but you can use hot if you prefer.
- Salsa: Feel free to use your favorite brand of store-bought salsa or make your own!
- Shredded Cheese: A Mexican cheese blend is ideal for this dish, but you could also use something more simple like cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese.
- Tater Tots: No need to thaw first.
How to Make this Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Step 1: Cook the ground beef and diced onion in a large oven-safe skillet until the meat is browned.
- Step 2: Stir in the taco seasoning, chiles, beans, corn, salsa, and enchilada sauce.
- Step 3: Mix in about 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- Step 4: Top with frozen tater tots, sprinkle additional cheese on top, and bake until the tots are golden brown and crispy and the filling is hot and bubbly.
Recipe Tips
- Top your tater tot taco casserole with your favorite taco toppings like chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream.
- Other cheese options include mozzarella or colby jack cheese.
- Use bell peppers instead of chiles for a more subtle flavor with less heat.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in the oven until the tots are crispy and the filling is heated through.
Recipe FAQ's
Most taco seasoning blends include cumin, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Some also include some cayenne pepper for heat or a bit of oregano for a subtle herbal flavor.
If you find the tater tots end up soggy instead of crispy, hold off on adding the cheese topping until the end. Another option is to cook the casserole under the broiler for a minute or so for an extra crispy and golden crust.
You can also prepare this casserole ahead of time, then cover and freeze it. Simply pull it out of the oven and bake whenever you need it! You'll need some extra baking time if you're cooking from frozen.
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Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 packet of taco seasoning or 3 tablespoons homemade
- 1 4 ounce can green chiles
- 1- 15.5 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup thick salsa
- 3 cups shredded cheese divided
- 4 cups frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees if you don't have a 12 oven-safe skillet spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet on medium-high heat and add the ground beef and diced onion and cook until meat is browned, drain any extra fat.
- Add in the taco seasoning, green chiles, black beans, corn, salsa and enchilada sauce and mix until combined.
- Stir in 2 cups of the shredded cheese and mix.
- Place the frozen tater tots on top of the meat mixture, bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the tater tots. Return to the oven and bake another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Garnish with your favorite taco toppings and serve!
Notes
- Ground chicken or turkey can be used in place of ground beef.
- I like to use a thick salsa to prevent the meat mixture from being watery.
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