Description
Loaded Tater Tot Nacho Casserole is a deliciously hearty dish featuring crispy baked tater tots layered with seasoned ground beef, sautéed vegetables, crispy bacon, and melted cheese, all baked to perfection for a comforting and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 bag (2 lbs) frozen tater tots
- 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
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 4 tsp taco seasoning
- 56 g (1/2 cup) shredded cheddar cheese
- 28 g (1/4 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings
- Hot sauce, to taste
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- Bake the Tater Tots: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the frozen tater tots out evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
- Cook the Bacon: While the tater tots bake, slice 6 strips of bacon into smaller pieces for faster cooking. Cook the bacon over medium heat in a pan until crispy. Once done, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
- Sauté Vegetables: Using a spatula and paper towel, carefully wipe down the pan leaving a small amount of grease. Add the diced sweet onion and peppers to the pan, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for about 1 minute until slightly softened.
- Brown the Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the pan with the vegetables. Break it up with a spatula and cook until browned but still slightly pink in spots.
- Season the Beef: Stir in 4 teaspoons of taco seasoning and 1/4 cup salsa. Mix thoroughly and continue cooking for about 5 minutes until the beef is fully cooked and flavors meld. Remove from heat.
- Assemble the Casserole: Spray a 10.5-inch cast iron skillet with nonstick spray. Layer half of the baked tater tots evenly on the bottom. Spread half of the seasoned beef mixture over the tots. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese on top. Add a drizzle of hot sauce if desired.
- Continue Layering: Carefully add the remaining tater tots as the next layer fitting them to cover the beef. Top with the remaining beef mixture, then scatter the crispy bacon pieces on top. Finish with the last 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Bake to Melt Cheese: Place the skillet back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the skillet carefully from the oven and let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Add any desired extra toppings such as lettuce or sour cream. Scoop out portions and serve warm.
Notes
- Using a deep cast iron skillet is recommended for easy layering, but you can use a baking sheet, cake pan, or small baking dish instead.
- This recipe is flexible—feel free to add other favorite nacho toppings like jalapeños, olives, or tomatoes.
- Because all main ingredients are pre-cooked or baked, you can assemble in bowls and serve immediately without additional baking if preferred.
- For an air fryer method on loaded tater tots, check recipes such as those from With the Woodruffs.
- This dish is hearty and flavorful, best enjoyed fresh for optimal texture and taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
