Taco Tater Tot Casserole

This delicious and easy-to-make Taco Tater Tot Casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner. Made with ground beef, veggies, and crispy tater tots, it’s sure to become a family favorite.

This easy Mexican tater tot casserole is essentially a cross between my famous taco casserole and classic tater tot casserole. The result is a delicious, flavorful dish that the whole family will love! It’s loaded with gooey, melty Mexican cheese blend, seasoned ground beef and other yummy taco flavors. Add your favorite taco toppings to the finished product for the most amazing meal.

I love making this taco tater tot casserole recipe on a busy evening when we need a hearty dinner. It’s a fun way to shake things up on taco Tuesday, or simply make a yummy meal that everyone enjoys after a busy day. Make this amazing twist on a classic tater tot casserole! You’re going to LOVE it!

Why You’ll Love Taco Tater Tot Casserole

• This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe! You can build the whole casserole and then store it in the fridge or freezer to bake later — great for meal prep.
• The flavors in Mexican tater tot casserole recipe are so good! This a super family-friendly dish, not to spicy and loaded with delicious flavor.
• Make this in under an hour! And most of that is bake time, the prep time goes super quickly.

Ingredients for Taco Tater Tot Casserole

• Ground beef – For the best tater tot taco casserole, use lean ground beef. It’ll help keep the casserole from getting too greasy! You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken for a more lean option.
• Black beans – You can use a different type of beans if you want! Pinto beans and kidney beans would both work.
• Taco seasoning – Use a store-bought packet of taco seasoning or even make your own homemade taco seasoning to use in this casserole.
• Rotel – For an extra spicy casserole, use the hot rotel instead of the original or mild.
• Corn – Both canned corn and frozen corn will work in this recipe!
• Onion – Dice up a white onion or yellow onion to mix into your casserole. It adds a bold flavor and is super tasty!
• Mexican cheese – You can use a different kind of cheese if you want to. Shredded cheddar cheese, Colby jack and Monterey jack are all good swap for Mexican blend cheese.
• Enchilada sauce – Grab a can of your favorite enchilada sauce to make the ground beef mixture extra saucy!
• Tater tots – The key ingredient to this yummy casserole — tater tots. You’ll need 28oz of these potato puffs for your casserole.

How to Make Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and then spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick spray and set it aside.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, then add onion and ground beef to skillet. Cook onion and ground beef until beef is brown and cooked through. Drain the excess grease, then add taco seasoning and mix well.

Add the Rotel, enchilada sauce, corn, and black beans to the skillet. Mix until combined.

Pour the meat mixture into the greased baking dish and then sprinkle ½ of the cheese across the top.

Evenly distribute the tater tots, in a single layer, across the top of the casserole and add the remaining cheese.

Bake in preheated oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 mins. Serve immediately!

How to Store Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or wrap the casserole dish in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

FRIDGE: Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Just keep in mind that the longer you store, the soggier the tater tots will get.

FREEZER: Leftovers also store well in the freezer! Transfer to a freezer safe container and store for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw before reheating.

Can I make tater tot casserole ahead of time?

This is the perfect casserole to make ahead of time and store for later! Assemble the entire casserole, then pop it into the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also wrap your casserole dish tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Pull the casserole dish from the fridge for a little while when you preheat the oven, then bake. You’ll need to add on a bit of extra time to bake from frozen!

Toppings for Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

Use all of your favorite taco toppings on this Mexican casserole with tater tots! Here’s a few tasty ideas:

• sour cream
• diced green onion
• black olives
• diced bell peppers
• sliced jalapeño
• salsa
• cilantro

Why is my tater tot casserole soggy?

You may have squeezed too many tater tots onto the top of the casserole! Don’t overcrowd them so that they can bake evenly. It’s also important to make sure the tater tots are frozen and haven’t thawed, otherwise they’ll bake until they’re mushy.

What to Serve with Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

This is a meal in itself, but you can always serve it with tasty sides. Some Spanish rice would be perfect, and even chips and salsa would be yummy to serve with this!

For a cozy side, serve it with some homemade breadsticks or garlic bread. If you want to add more veggies into the mix, serve this with a quick side like roasted broccoli!

This easy Mexican tater tot casserole is a fiesta in one pan! I hope you enjoy it to the very last bite!

More Easy Casserole Recipes You’ll Love!

• This Tuna Casserole is truly classic comfort food in a dish. It’s so easy to make too!
• Cheesy Ham Casserole is a gooey, warm and cozy dish that the entire family is going to love.
• Make Sloppy Joe Casserole for a fun twist on a classic recipe!
• Easy Cheeseburger Casserole is for those moments when you just need some good comfort food that is easy to make.