Tater tot nachos, or totchos, are like nachos, but better. You get a sheet pan piled high with golden, crispy tater tots, smothered in seasoned ground beef, black beans, and melted cheese, then loaded with all the taco toppings you can think of. Every single bite delivers crunch, protein, cheese, and whatever salsa-sour cream-jalapeño situation you’re into that day.
I first made totchos on a football Sunday when I had ground beef thawed but no tortilla chips in the house. The freezer had a bag of tots, though, and so I thought, “Why not?” My kids love tater tots, and now they request these more than actual nachos.
My favorite thing about these is how well the tots hold up. They stay crispy under all those toppings, and it won’t turn into mush while you’re answering the door or refilling drinks.
If you’ve ever thought that you don’t have time to host or entertaining is too much work, totchos are your answer. They are one pan and mostly hands-off. Everyone gets to add their own toppings, and you have time actually to watch the game.
I’ll walk you through exactly how to get the crispiest tots and all my favorite topping combos. Plus, I’ll share how to make these in advance for parties, so your life is even simpler.
Looking for more fun dinners for game day? Try Italian sub sliders, pulled pork nachos, or birria chili.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Tater tots
- Ground beef
- Taco seasoning
- Black beans
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Or whatever variety of cheese you like on your nachos.
- Fresh toppings: I include tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, green onions, cilantro, and lime wedges.
How to Make Tater Tot Nachos
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- While your oven heats up, get a skillet going over medium-high heat. Break up the ground beef as it cooks with a wooden spoon or spatula, crumbling it into small pieces. Once it’s nicely browned with no pink remaining, drain off the excess fat.
- Add your taco seasoning packet and ½ cup of water to the skillet. Bring everything to a boil, then let it simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces. You’re looking to cook off most of the liquid so you don’t end up with soggy nachos.
- Stir in your rinsed and drained black beans, then cook for about 5 minutes until heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside while you work on the tater tots.
- Spread your tater tots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10 minutes. This double-bake method ensures they’re golden brown and crispy on all sides.
- Once the tots are perfectly crispy, sprinkle the shredded cheese over them, then spoon the taco meat and bean mixture on top. Pop the baking sheet back in the oven for just 5 minutes to melt that cheese into gooey perfection.
- Add your diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, dollops of sour cream and guacamole, green onions, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. If you’re a cheese fanatic like me, go ahead and add even more shredded cheese. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.
Serving Ideas
I love serving these tochos at game-day gatherings because everyone can customize their plate exactly how they want. The best tater tot nacho night is when you set out a few extra options and let people build their own masterpiece.
Consider adding:
- Pickled onions and carrots for that bright, vinegary contrast that cuts through all the richness
- Salsa
- Corn for a touch of sweetness
- Sliced olives, if you want something briny
How to Store
Tater tot nachos are best eaten the moment they come out of the oven, while everything is still crispy and melty. But if you’ve got leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The tater tots will lose some of their crispness, but they’re still tasty. To reheat, pop them on a baking sheet and warm them in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese melts again and the tater tots warm through.
Makeahead Instructions
You can definitely get a head start on this dish. Cook and season your ground beef the day before, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Prep the fresh toppings, then refrigerate them separately.
Then cook the tater tots and assemble everything right before serving. It cuts down on stress and keeps that crucial crispy-tater-tot texture intact.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Texture is the secret to great totchos. So don’t skip the flip halfway through baking since it ensures even browning on all sides.
- I’ve experimented with swapping out the taco meat entirely. Ground turkey works beautifully if you’re looking for something lighter, and ground chicken is equally tasty. One night, I used shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, and that was delicious too. You can also go with shredded beef or chopped bacon if you want to venture into different flavor territory.
- Pinto beans or black-eyed peas can easily be swapped in for the black beans.
- You can also switch up the cheese. While cheddar is my go-to, pepperjack brings serious heat, and a Mexican blend adds its own charm. Sometimes I’ll even use a combination of two cheeses because, well, more cheese is never a bad decision in my kitchen.
Reader Questions
Yes, if you are making a half batch, the air fryer will work just as well as the oven. Cook your tots according to your air fryer’s instructions (usually around 400°F for 15-18 minutes), then move them to a piece of foil to add the toppings and melt the cheese.
The key is making sure your tater tots are fully crispy before adding toppings, and that your taco meat mixture doesn’t have excess liquid. After you add the taco seasoning and water, let it cook down until the pan is nearly dry.
Definitely, skip the ground beef and double up on the beans, or use a plant-based ground meat substitute.
I’ve never actually made homemade tater tots for this recipe because frozen ones are so convenient and get perfectly crispy. If you want to make your own, go for it, but I can’t promise the timing will be the same. Frozen tater tots are one of those convenience products I’m happy to embrace.
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Tater Tot Nachos Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 ounce tater tots 1 package
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning 1 packet
- ½ cup water
- 1 can black beans 15 ounces, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Toppings:
- 2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper sliced
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup guacamole
- ½ cup green onions sliced
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease it with oil or cooking spray.
- As the oven preheats, cook the ground beef. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then break the ground beef apart and brown it. Drain excess fat.1 pound ground beef
- Add the seasoning packet along with ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce is thickened and reduced. There should not be much liquid left.1 ounce taco seasoning, ½ cup water
- Stir in the beans and cook for 5 minutes until hot. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside.1 can black beans
- Once the oven is preheated, spread the tater tots out on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the tater tots and bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.32 ounce tater tots
- Top the tater tots with shredded cheese, then add the taco meat and beans. Place the baking sheet back into the oven for 5 minutes, just until the cheese melts.2 cups cheddar cheese
- Top with tomatoes, jalapeños, sour cream, guacamole, green onions, and cilantro. Sprinkle more cheese if desired. Serve with lime wedges.2 Roma tomatoes, 1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup guacamole, ½ cup green onions, Chopped cilantro, Lime wedges
Notes
- Ground turkey works beautifully if you’re looking for something lighter than beef, and ground chicken is equally tasty. One night, I used shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, and that was delicious too. You can also go with shredded beef or chopped bacon if you want to venture into different flavor territory.
- Pinto beans or black-eyed peas can easily be swapped in for the black beans.
- You can also switch up the cheese. While cheddar is my go-to, pepperjack brings serious heat, and a Mexican blend adds its own charm. Sometimes I’ll even use a combination of two cheeses because, well, more cheese is never a bad decision in my kitchen.
- Add your favorite tacos toppings, like corn, salsa, red onions or olives.
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
