Easy Mexican Tater Tot Casserole recipe is a taco tot hot dish the whole family will love! Creamy seasoned ground beef is layered under golden crispy tater tots and lots of gooey melted cheese.
If you love taco inspired recipes, you will fall in love with mexican-style tater tot casserole. Family weeknight dinner prep couldn’t be easier with this dump and cook casserole dish topped with crispy tots and lots of melted cheese.
Just serve and pile your favorite taco toppings, such as sour cream, salsa, lettuce, and avocado. It’s a great kid-friendly meal because you won’t have to help assemble countless tacos while trying to eat dinner!
If you are a mexican food lover, be sure to also check out Mexican Chicken Casserole, Mexican Hot Dogs, or Mexican Layered Frittata. And, of course, what is Mexican night without easy limeade margaritas!
Ingredient notes
Affordable taco bake recipes use a simple list of ingredients to make one extraordinary meal! Listed below are what I used to assemble this casserole, but scroll down to discover more ingredient modifications or substitutions.
For a different twist on tot casserole, also try Tater Tot Cheeseburger Casserole or Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole!
- Lean ground beef – I use ground sirloin to make the dish healthier and eliminate extra step of draining grease.
- Taco seasoning packet – Read label for gluten-free or make your own homemade taco seasoning
- Diced tomatoes with chilies – such as Ro-tel brand
- Frozen tater tots – Use Ore Ida brand for gluten-free
- Colby jack cheese – Freshly grated cheese off the block is best.
How to Make Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
- In a large skillet brown ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat.
- To the meat mixture add the taco seasoning, undrained tomatoes with green chiles, and vinegar. Cook and simmer until liquid reduces, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in black beans, 1 cup shredded cheese, and sour cream to the ground beef.
- Spread the beef mixture in a greased 9X13 casserole dish. Lay frozen tater tots in a single layer on top. This helps the tots become golden and crispy during baking because hot air can circulate around them.
- Bake in 400ºF oven for 45 minutes. Top the tater tots with remaining cheese and bake for 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
frequently asked questions
Just like tacos, this casserole can be served with a variety of toppings to customize each serving! I serve taco tot casserole with salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, lettuce, avocado, or cilantro.
Any type of ground beef may be used, such as ground sirloin, ground chuck, or ground round. To make the dish lighter in calories, use ground turkey or chicken.
It is gluten-free, but make sure to read the labels carefully. For instance, some tater tot brands may add wheat flour or gluten containing additives.. I use Ore-Ida brand tater tots since they are labeled “gluten-free” on the package.
This recipe also uses a taco seasoning packet. You can mix together your own taco seasoning or make sure to purchase one that doesn’t contain wheat flour. Old El Paso, McCormick, and Ortega brands are generally free of gluten containing additives.
Mexican-style Tater Tot Casserole is perfect for meal prep or a make-ahead freezer meal. Either double the recipe and freeze one in a disposable aluminum pan or make ahead to freeze.
Prepare the ground beef mixture and cool meat enough to not thaw the tater tots. Spread meat on the bottom of greased 9X13 baking dish and top with tater tots. Either sprinkle on the shredded cheese or leave off until ready to bake.
Cover the dish with plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn. Make sure to label the dish with the recipe name and baking instructions. Freeze up to 4 months.
When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and foil. Bake from frozen so the tater tots don’t thaw before. Add an additional 20-30 minutes to the baking time for the ground beef to thaw heat through.
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More Tips and tricks
- Using freshly grated cheese off the block is best gooey melted cheese.
- Substitute any preferred cheese for the colby jack, such as pepper jack, monterey jack, or cheddar.
- For meatless mexican tater tot casserole, use any additional can of black or pinto beans.
- Additional ingredients may be added to the meat mixture, such as corn, bell peppers, or green chiles.
- Make sure the frozen tater tots are in a single layer so they become crispy rather than soggy. If you like extra crispy tots, finish the baking with 1-2 minutes under the broiler before topping with cheese to melt.
More Family-Friendly Casserole Recipes
- Walking Taco Casserole
- Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
- Cheese Grits Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
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Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix* (1 ounce)
- 10 ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles, with liquid
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 can black beans (15.5 ounce), drained and rinsed
- 3 cups freshly grated colby jack cheese, divided
- 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots*
- optional toppings: sour cream, cilantro, green onions, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease and 9X13 casserole dish and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat saute ground beef, onion, and garlic together until beef is cooked and no longer pink. Drain grease, if necessary.
- Reduce heat to medium low and add taco seasoning and undrained diced tomatoes with chiles. Cook and simmer until liquid reduces, about 2 minutes.
- Add sour cream, black beans, and 1 cup cheese to the beef mixture. Stir to combine.
- Pour beef into prepared casserole dish. Top with frozen tater tots in a single layer. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tots are golden and crispy.
- Remove from oven and top with remaining 2 cups shredded cheese. Return to oven for 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve hot with suggested toppings.
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Recipe Notes
*Gluten-Free Ingredients
Some tater tot brands may add wheat flour or gluten containing additives. I use Ore-Ida brand tater tots since they are labeled “gluten-free” on the package. For the taco seasoning packet purchase one that doesn’t contain wheat flour. Old El Paso, McCormick, and Ortega brands are generally free of gluten containing additives.Tips and tricks
- Using freshly grated cheese off the block is best gooey melted cheese.
- Substitute any preferred cheese for the colby jack, such as pepper jack, monterey jack, or cheddar.
- For meatless mexican tater tot casserole, use any additional can of black or pinto beans.
- Additional ingredients may be added to the meat mixture, such as corn, bell peppers, or green chiles.
- Make sure the frozen tater tots are in a single layer so they become crispy rather than soggy. If you like extra crispy tots, finish the baking with 1-2 minutes under the broiler before topping with cheese to melt.
Make Ahead Freezer Meal
Either double the recipe and freeze one in a disposable aluminum pan or make ahead to freeze.- Prepare the ground beef mixture and cool meat enough to not thaw the tater tots. Spread meat on the bottom of greased 9X13 baking dish and top with tater tots. Either sprinkle on the shredded cheese or leave off until ready to bake.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap and then foil to prevent freezer burn. Make sure to label the dish with the recipe name and baking instructions. Freeze up to 4 months.
- When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and foil. Bake from frozen so the tater tots don’t thaw before. Add an additional 20-30 minutes to the baking time for the ground beef to thaw and heat through.
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