Loaded Tater Tots

If you need a quick an easy appetizer, casual side dish or a delicious game day snack these Loaded Tater Tots are calling your name! Crispy Tater Tots smothered in homemade queso, bacon, sour cream and green onions. No one can resist these!

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No one I know can resist these insane homemade loaded tater tots. I mean, we’re talking crispy hot tots topped with the best creamy cheese sauce. Whenever I make these loaded tots the family is so happy – we love them as a side dish with baked chicken! Trust me, everyone cleans their plates whenever I make these loaded tater tots.

This is a crowd-pleaser for sure, and whether you make it as a classic comfort food or simply as a great snack, everyone is going to enjoy it. Loaded tater tots are an easy recipe to throw together last minute, and they always turn out so delicious. Grab your favorite frozen tots and let’s get started!

Why these Loaded Tater Tots With Queso Work!

• This loaded tater tot recipe is made extra yummy because it’s topped with homemade queso — and you will love how easy it is! It’s creamy and cheesy the best topping for tots.
• All of elements in this recipe are so good. With crispy bacon, sliced green onions, drizzled sour cream, this recipes takes plain old tots to a whole new level.
• You can serve these loaded tater tots as a side dish, appetizer, or snack! They’re so easy to make and so delicious – you’re going to love them!

Ingredients for Loaded Tater Tots

• Frozen tater tots – You can use plain tots or seasoned ones, just grab a bag of whatever is your favorite!
• Bacon – I like to cook bacon in the oven! Then once it’s cooked and crispy, crush it into bacon bits and sprinkle it over the top for a salty, crunchy topping.
• Sour cream – You can drop spoonfuls on the hot tots or use a squeeze bottle to drizzle it over the top.
• Green onions – Slice some green onion and sprinkle over the tots for a pop of color and flavor.
• Unsalted butter – If all you have on hand is salted butter, that will work too!
• Flour – Combine the flour with some butter to thicken the queso.
• Milk – I like to use 2% milk for the queso, but you can use whole milk if you prefer. Or, try half and half for a richer cheese sauce.
• Shredded sharp cheddar cheese – I like sharp cheese for the best cheese sauce flavor.
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper – Use these spices to season things well and add a kick of heat!

Substitutions

What I love about this recipe is that it’s easy to swap ingredients with what you have on hand!

Tots: I love good old-fashioned potato tots, but you can use veggie tots, too, like cauliflower tots or broccoli tots. Just make sure they’re good and crispy!

Onions: Instead of green onions, try diced red onion or white onion. Or swap onions for diced jalapeno.

Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese is great for the sauce but you can use pepper jack cheese, too! Really you can use whatever cheese you want.

How to Make the Loaded Tater Tots

First, preheat your oven and then bake the tater tots following the package instructions. Or, if you have an air fryer, you can air fry tater tots!

Get the bacon going in the skillet or let it cook in the air fryer or oven. While it cooks, you can start the cheese sauce.

Melt the butter in the saucepan and add the flour. Stir to form a paste and then add the milk and then whisk until smooth.

Once thickened, take the pan off the heat and stir in the cheese a little at a time. Add the spices and stir until the queso is smooth.

Once the cheese sauce is done, load up the tots! Top them with the cheese sauce, drizzle the sour cream over the top, and add the bacon, and green onion garnish. That’s it!

A Few More Tips!

How to serve them for a party: Set up a tater tot bar so all of your guests can help themselves. Place all of the components in separate bowls so everyone can load them up they way they want.

Sheet-pan style: You can also dress up the tots right on the sheet pan and serve them like nachos!

Short on time? If you’re in a rush, you can skip the queso and just sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tots when they’re almost done baking in the oven. It’s good, but not gonna lie – the cheese sauce is so amazing and worth the extra few minutes it takes to make it.

Are loaded tots the same as totchos?

Pretty much! They’re both hot and crispy tater tots garnished with delicious toppings similar to nachos. Totchos often have taco meat on them too, which you can totally add to these.

How to Store Leftover Loaded Tater Tots

While these tots are best fresh, you can store leftovers. Allow the the tots to cool completely and then transfer to an airtight container.

FRIDGE: Place the airtight container in the refrigerator and store for 3-4 days.

FREEZER: Leftover loaded tots can be frozen too! Just use a freezer safe airtight container and then freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before reheating.

Can you reheat them?

I think loaded tater tots are best straight form the oven. However, you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days and then reheat them the microwave or oven, but the tots won’t be as crispy.

What to Serve with Loaded Tots

You don’t necessarily have to serve anything with this loaded tater tots recipe, but there are a few yummy things to pair with it. Some air fryer hot dogs and stovetop burgers would be so tasty.

It’s also great to pair with game day favorites like football pizza dip, jalapeño poppers, and cheeseburger sliders.

If your family loves tots, surprise them with these loaded tater tots! That creamy queso really takes them over the top – I know they’ll be a hit!

More Ways to Use Tater Tots

We love tots morning, noon, and night! Here are a few other ways to use them to make delicious recipes:

• Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is a hearty and comforting dinner you can make in your crock pot!
• My Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole is one of my favorite dishes to serve for a weekend breakfast or brunch!
• Try my Crock Pot Egg Bake! It has crispy tots and is so easy to make.

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

5 from 4 votes

Loaded Tater Tots

Easy side dish or appetizer recipes! These Loaded Tater Tots start with crispy tots that are topped with a cheese sauce, bacon, sour cream and green onions!

Prep:15 minutes mins

Cook:25 minutes mins

Total:40 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
• ▢ 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
• ▢ sour cream and green onions for serving
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup milk I used 2%
• ▢ 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
• ▢ salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

• Bake tater tots according to package directions on a sheet pan.
• While tater tots are baking, cook bacon slices to desired crispness. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate. Allow to cool and then crumble.

Cheese Sauce

• In a small saucepan on medium-high heat melt the butter. When the butter is completely melted add the flour and cook for 1 minute or until slightly golden, whisking to combine.
• Next, slowly add the milk and whisk to thicken. Cook for about 4 minutes until thickened.
• Remove the pot with the milk mixture from the heat. Add the grated cheese about a ¼ cup at a time stir with a wooden spoon to combine. When all the cheese has been incorporated add the spices. Taste the sauce and adjust the spices to your taste.

Assemble Loaded Tater Tots

• Assemble your tater tots on a plate and pile on your toppings. Start with the cheese, bacon, sour cream, and then the green onions, and enjoy immediately!

Tips

Substitutions

What I love about this recipe is that it’s easy to swap ingredients with what you have on hand!

Tots: I love good old-fashioned potato tots, but you can use veggie tots, too, like cauliflower tots or broccoli tots. Just make sure they’re good and crispy!

Onions: Instead of green onions, try diced red onion or white onion. Or swap onions for diced jalapeno.

Cheese: Cheddar cheese is great for the sauce but you can use pepper jack cheese, too!

How to serve them for a party: Set up a tater tot bar so all of your guests can help themselves. Place all of the components in separate bowls so everyone can load them up they way they want.

Sheet-pan style: You can also dress up the tots right on the sheet pan and serve them like nachos!

Short on time? If you’re in a rush, you can skip the queso and just sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tots when they’re almost done baking in the oven. It’s good, but not gonna lie – the cheese sauce is so amazing and worth the extra few minutes it takes to make it.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 514kcal (26%), Carbohydrates: 44g (15%), Protein: 12g (24%), Fat: 34g (52%), Saturated Fat: 12g (75%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 47mg (16%), Sodium: 970mg (42%), Potassium: 510mg (15%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 360IU (7%), Vitamin C: 11mg (13%), Calcium: 204mg (20%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

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We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.