Skip regular nachos and make these delicious ground beef totchos instead. These cheesy tater tot nachos are budget-friendly, easy to customize, and perfect for parties or a quick family dinner on busy days.
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I will confess that I had never even heard of totchos until we went to Walt Disney World a couple of years ago. We ordered the breakfast totchos at our resort and fell in love. They were so delicious that the second we came home, I went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients to make our own totchos.
Since then, we have experimented with different types of totcho recipes, including these easy ground beef totchos. Honestly, before I even made these tater tot nachos, I knew we would love them, as they are so customizable, budget-friendly, and super simple to prepare, making them perfect for busy days.
So, I thought I would share this hearty and cheesy totcho recipe with you, just in case you’ve never tried them before and you are looking for a new recipe to add to your weekly meal plan (they are perfect to make on taco night!). I hope you love this easy recipe as much as we do. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love These Ground Beef Totchos
- Quick and easy recipe with only 4 ingredients and minimal prep, it’s the perfect family dinner idea for busy weeknights.
- Budget-friendly because it uses simple and inexpensive ingredients for a hearty meal that will feed a large group. So, it’s not only great for quick family dinners but for parties, game day, and potlucks.
- Customizable, as you can keep it simple, add some extra spice, or turn it into breakfast totchos with eggs, bacon, or sausage.
- Family-friendly, because adults and kids love these tasty tater tot nachos, making them ideal if you have a picky eater in the family.
Looking for more easy recipes to make on busy weeknights?
- Easy Layered Nacho Casserole
- Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Easy Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Recipe
- Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
Easy Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)
Ingredients for Tater Tot Nachos
Your whole family will love these delicious totchos made with only 4 ingredients: crispy tater tots, ground beef, taco seasoning, and melted cheddar cheese, perfect for a game day snack or a quick weeknight dinner idea.
You will need:
- frozen tater tots
- ground beef
- taco seasoning
- shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Ingredients:
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
- diced tomatoes
- lettuce
- sliced jalapenos
- onions
- black beans
- black olives
How to Make These Easy Ground Beef Totchos
- Bake your frozen tater tots in the oven (or air fryer) according to the package instructions.
- While your tater tots are baking or air frying, cook your ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Then, drain any excess grease.
- Add your taco seasoning and ½ cup of water, then simmer until thickened (about 3 minutes).
- Once the tater tots are cooked, sprinkle with the taco meat and top with the shredded cheese.
- Place back in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Then, top with any of your favorite toppings such as salsa, sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes, or onions.
Variations:
- If you want your totchos to have some spice, you can top them with pepper jack cheese instead of shredded cheddar cheese, and drizzle some hot sauce with sliced jalapenos on top.
- Add some refried beans, black beans, or corn over the beef for a Tex-Mex style totchos.
- Try a bacon cheeseburger version by omitting the taco seasoning and seasoning your meat with some mustard and ketchup instead. Then add some cooked, crumbled bacon and chopped dill pickles on top.
- Make breakfast totchos instead (we love these!). Use breakfast sausage instead of ground beef, add some scrambled eggs, and top with your cheddar cheese and some sausage gravy.
- Love buffalo chicken? Try adding shredded rotisserie chicken mixed with buffalo sauce over your tater tots, then top with a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. Then, drizzle with ranch.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure to bake your tater tots until they are crispy before adding your toppings, so they hold up and don’t get soggy.
- Add your cold ingredients, such as the sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, and diced tomatoes, after the cheese has been melted in the oven.
- You can use a sheet pan or a large baking dish. If you are already cooking your tater tots in the oven, it’s easier to just add your taco meat on top. However, when I’m using the air fryer to cook my tater tots, I will usually just grab a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Use pre-shredded cheese because it will melt better than packaged shredded cheese.
Storage:
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Keep in mind the tater tots will soften in the fridge. You can reheat in the oven (10-15 minutes) or in the air fryer (5-6 minutes).
Easy Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen tater tots 28-32 ounces
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Bake your frozen tater tots in the oven (or air fryer) according to the package instructions.
- While your tater tots are baking or air frying, cook your ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Then, drain any excess grease.
- Add your taco seasoning and ½ cup of water, then simmer until thickened (about 3 minutes).
- Once the tater tots are cooked, sprinkle with the taco meat and top with the shredded cheese.
- Place back in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Then, top with any of your favorite toppings such as salsa, sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes, or onions.
Notes
Variations:
- If you want your totchos to have some spice, you can top them with pepper jack cheese instead of shredded cheddar cheese, and drizzle some hot sauce with sliced jalapenos on top.
- Add some refried beans, black beans, or corn over the beef for a Tex-Mex style totchos.
- Try a bacon cheeseburger version by omitting the taco seasoning and seasoning your meat with some mustard and ketchup instead. Then add some cooked, crumbled bacon and chopped dill pickles on top.
- Make breakfast totchos instead (we love these!). Use breakfast sausage instead of ground beef, add some scrambled eggs, and top with your cheddar cheese and some sausage gravy.
- Love buffalo chicken? Try adding shredded rotisserie chicken mixed with buffalo sauce over your tater tots, then top with a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. Then, drizzle with ranch.
Helpful Tips
- Make sure to bake your tater tots until they are crispy before adding your toppings, so they hold up and don't get soggy.
- Add your cold ingredients, such as the sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, and diced tomatoes, after the cheese has been melted in the oven.
- You can use a sheet pan or a large baking dish. If you are already cooking your tater tots in the oven, it's easier to just add your taco meat on top. However, when I'm using the air fryer to cook my tater tots, I will usually just grab a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Use pre-shredded cheese because it will melt better than packaged shredded cheese.
Storage:
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Keep in mind the tater tots will soften in the fridge. You can reheat in the oven (10-15 minutes) or in the air fryer (5-6 minutes).
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