Tater Tot Taco Casserole with Queso Recipe

Name: Tater Tot Taco Casserole with Queso
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 (16 ounce) package frozen bite-size potato nuggets (such as Tater Tots®); 1 pound ground beef; 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning; 1 cup water; 1 (15 ounce) jar nacho cheese dip; 1 (10 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained; 0.25 cup sliced black olives; 0.5 cup shredded Cheddar cheese; 2 tablespoons taco sauce; 0.5 cup shredded Cheddar cheese; 1 (10 ounce) bag shredded lettuce; 0.25 cup sour cream

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly.

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings:

1 (16 ounce) package frozen bite-size potato nuggets (such as Tater Tots)
1 pound ground beef
1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning
1 cup water
1 (15 ounce) jar nacho cheese dip
1 (10 ounce) can canned diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
cup sliced black olives
cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons taco sauce
1 (10 ounce) bag shredded lettuce
cup sour cream (Optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
Place the potato nuggets in the bottom of a glass baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through and crisp, approximately 20 minutes.
While the potato nuggets are baking, cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until it is no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the excess fat and discard it.
Stir in the taco seasoning and water. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Once the beef mixture is ready, spoon it over the baked potato nuggets in the dish.
Evenly pour the nacho cheese dip over the beef mixture.
Top with the canned tomatoes, sliced olives, cup of shredded Cheddar cheese, and taco sauce.
Bake in the oven for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is warmed through.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining cup of shredded Cheddar cheese.
Serve the casserole on a bed of shredded lettuce and optionally garnish with sour cream.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 408
Total Fat: 27g (35% Daily Value)
Saturated Fat: 11g (53% Daily Value)
Cholesterol: 59mg (20% Daily Value)
Sodium: 1283mg (56% Daily Value)
Total Carbohydrate: 26g (9% Daily Value)
Dietary Fiber: 3g (11% Daily Value)
Total Sugars: 3g
Protein: 16g (33% Daily Value)
Vitamin C: 4mg (4% Daily Value)
Calcium: 178mg (14% Daily Value)
Iron: 2mg (10% Daily Value)
Potassium: 378mg (8% Daily Value)

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

Note: If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

FAQ about Tater Tot Taco Casserole with Queso Recipe

Yes, you can prepare this casserole ahead of time. After assembling it, cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. When ready to bake, allow it to come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes, then bake as directed.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat the casserole in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes, or in the microwave until heated through.

Yes, this casserole can be frozen. After baking, allow it to cool completely, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through.

Yes, you can substitute ground turkey for ground beef. It will still work well with the taco seasoning and other ingredients, offering a leaner version of the casserole.

Absolutely! You can add vegetables like bell peppers, corn, or even zucchini to the casserole. Just be sure to cook any additional veggies thoroughly before adding them to the casserole.

Yes, if you like it spicy, you can add ingredients like jalapeños, hot sauce, or use a spicier taco seasoning mix. You can also choose a spicier nacho cheese dip.

Shredded cheddar cheese is the most common cheese used in this casserole, but you can also experiment with other cheeses like Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a Mexican cheese blend for added flavor.

A 9x13-inch baking dish is ideal for this recipe, but you can also use a smaller dish if you're making a half-batch or need a deeper casserole.

While it's best to use frozen tater tots for the crispy texture, you can substitute with freshly cubed and roasted potatoes. However, the texture may not be the same.

To keep the tater tots crispy, make sure to bake them until they are golden and crisp before adding the beef mixture. If you cover the casserole too early, the tater tots may become soggy.

Comments

Mary Gomez

08/05/2023 11:35:15 PM

Delicious! I opted to leave out the lettuce and sour cream on top so that whoever is eating it can add them later, and also to prevent the lettuce from wilting when reheating. I sprinkled some bacon on top for an extra burst of flavor. Despite accidentally switching the order of the tomatoes and cheese sauce, it turned out fantastic. Before topping it off, I mixed the tomatoes and olives to ensure an even distribution across the entire dish.

Joshua Gomez

08/14/2024 09:12:29 PM

My picky eater son absolutely loved this casserole and enthusiastically gave it a double thumbs up! I will certainly be preparing this dish again in the future. The only modification I made was substituting Mexican blend shredded cheese for the original cheese and using only 8 ounces of nacho cheese sauce. I added extra Mexican blend cheese to make up for the lesser amount of nacho cheese sauce.

Helen Sanchez

10/12/2022 10:04:16 PM

Everyone enjoyed it. I didn't have nacho cheese dip on hand, so I substituted a can of Fiesta Nacho Cheese soup. I also opted for plain diced tomatoes instead of the green chili variety to tone down the spiciness for my family members who aren't fans of spicy food.

Anna Flores

08/09/2022 02:21:10 AM

This recipe was simple and fast to make. I wasn't sure about the size of the glass dish to use, but a 9" glass pie plate worked perfectly. Since I couldn't find plain nacho cheese, using salsa and queso was a great substitute. I will certainly be making this dish again for my family.

Samantha Martinez

01/26/2025 06:16:16 PM

It was delicious! I believe adding some crushed corn or tortilla chips on top would provide a nice crunchy texture.

Anna Ramirez

11/04/2024 09:34:01 AM

Great variety of flavors. I would prefer the tots to be crunchier. The dish didn't appeal to me with lettuce as it became warm and soft, so I ended up eating it without.

Timothy Rivera

12/20/2022 02:40:21 PM

I wasn't sure what size pan to use as the recipe didn't specify, so I opted for a square glass dish, which turned out to be a good choice. However, my taco seasoning and water mixture didn't thicken as expected, and the tater tots didn't crisp up well at the low temperature of 350 degrees. I found the amount of nacho cheese sauce to be excessive, even though I didn't use a full jar. Overall, I felt that the dish took too long to make.

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Tater Tot Taco Casserole with Queso Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

FAQ about Tater Tot Taco Casserole with Queso Recipe