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Loaded Tater Tot Nacho Casserole Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Lina
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Loaded Tater Tot Nacho Casserole is a hearty and delicious comfort food recipe featuring layers of crispy baked tater tots, seasoned ground beef, sautéed peppers and onions, crispy bacon, and melted cheese. This easy-to-make dish is perfect for a crowd and combines the best of nachos with a fun tater tot twist.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tater Tots Layer

  • 1 bag (2 lbs) frozen tater tots

For the Beef and Vegetable Mixture

  • 1 pound lean 90/10 ground beef
  • 1 medium sweet onion, diced
  • 6 mini sweet peppers or 1 large bell pepper, diced
  • 6 strips center cut bacon, sliced
  • 4 tsp taco seasoning
  • 1/4 cup salsa

For the Cheese Topping

  • 56g (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 28g (1/4 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese

For Serving

  • Hot sauce
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt

Instructions

  1. Bake Tater Tots: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the frozen tater tots evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until crispy.
  2. Cook Bacon: While the tater tots bake, slice the bacon strips to help them cook faster, then cook them over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels, wiping down the pan to leave a small amount of grease.
  3. Sauté Vegetables: Add diced peppers and onion to the skillet with remaining bacon grease. Lightly season with salt and pepper and cook for about 1 minute until slightly softened.
  4. Cook Ground Beef: Add ground beef to the skillet and break it up with a spatula. Cook until browned but still slightly pink in the center.
  5. Add Seasoning and Salsa: Stir in the taco seasoning and salsa. Continue cooking for approximately 5 minutes until the beef is fully cooked through and all flavors combine. Remove from heat.
  6. Assemble Casserole Layers: Spray a 10.5-inch cast iron skillet with nonstick spray. Place a layer of baked tater tots on the bottom, then spread half of the ground beef mixture over them. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar and mozzarella cheese evenly on top. Add another layer of tater tots, pressing them hard to fit.
  7. Finish Assembling: Top the second tater tot layer with the remaining ground beef mixture, then sprinkle the crispy bacon pieces and the final 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese on top.
  8. Bake Casserole: Bake in the oven at 425 degrees F for an additional 10 minutes to melt the cheese and combine flavors.
  9. Cool and Serve: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Add any desired additional toppings such as lettuce, sour cream, or hot sauce. Serve warm by scooping out individual portions.

Notes

  • A deep cast iron skillet is ideal for easy layering, but you can also use a baking sheet, cake pan, or small baking dish.
  • If preferred, assemble all ingredients in bowls and serve immediately without the final bake step.
  • This recipe is flexible and forgiving—feel free to add other favorite nacho toppings or vegetables.
  • For an air fryer version of loaded tater tots, check recipes like the one from With the Woodruffs.
  • This dish is delicious but not designed to be low-calorie or low-fat.

Find it online: https://linadinner.com/loaded-tater-tot-nacho-casserole-recipe/