Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
Mexican Tater Tot Casserole is a taco-inspired hot dish with ground beef, corn, bell peppers, taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, cheese, and of course tater tots!
I love a good tater tot hot dish! There's nothing like a creamy beef filling topped with some tots, right? Although I really do enjoy a classic tater tot hot dish, I couldn't help but think up all of the other types I could make.
First up was this Mexican Tater Tot Casserole and should I be embarrassed to say that my little family finished this entire pan?! Because I'm not 🙂 This taco inspired tater tot casserole was so darn good that Marc requested it become part of our "regular meal rotation." Done and done! It is definitely rivaling my Turkey Enchilada Casserole as one of the most requested meals!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Cheese! Not only is this tater tot casserole filed with Southwestern veggies like bell peppers and corn, but also a lot of cheese!
- Easy. The filling is so easy to make, as it utilizes a packet of taco seasoning and very little prep work.
- Can be Prepped in Advance. To make this an even easier weeknight dinner, the filling for this Mexican Tater Tot Casserole can be made in advance. I really like doing prep work all at once, making weeknight meals a breeze to put together. All you would need to do is prepare the filling up until the step of topping it with tater tots. Instead, place it in a tupperware container and refrigerate. Once you are ready to cook, put it in your baking dish, top with tots, and bake! It will need 5-10 additional minutes of baking time to account for starting with cold filling.
Ingredients
- Ground Turkey - This would also work with ground beef or ground chicken, if you prefer!
- White Onion - onion adds flavor and texture to this tater tot hot dish.
- Red Bell Pepper - bell peppers also add flavor and texture. I prefer using a red bell pepper but any color would work.
- Frozen Corn - you can also use canned corn if that's what you have on hand.
- Taco Seasoning - The addition of taco seasoning adds flavor and also makes seasoning the filling really easy. No measuring of individual spices - just add the taco seasoning and proceed to the next step!
- Enchilada Sauce - enchilada sauce also adds more flavor, along with some sauciness to the filling.
- Shredded Cheese - I couldn't make this Mexican Tater Tot Hot Dish without adding cheese!
- Frozen Tater Tots
Step by Step Instructions
This tater tot casserole recipe comes together super quickly and is very easy to make.
Photo 1. In a large skillet, add olive oil and ground turkey and cook over medium heat until browned, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
Photo 2. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook another 5-7 minutes, until softened.
Photo 3. Stir in the corn.
Photo 4. Stir in the taco seasoning and ¼ cup of water.
Photo 5. Cook until the water has mostly evaporated, about 1-2 minutes.
Photo 6. Add the enchilada sauce, stirring well to combine.
Photo 7. Add the cheese and stir to combine.
Photo 8. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish.
Photo 9. Top with tater tots.
Photo 10. Bake it all in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until the tots are golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can make the filling in advance, refrigerate and then top with the tater tots and bake from there. I would add 5-10 minutes to the baking time, as the casserole will start baking from a colder temperature.
Definitely. Simply make the Mexican tater tot casserole as instructed up to the baking instructions. Cover and freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bake according to directions. Add 5-10 minutes to accommodate the colder temperature that the casserole is starting from.
I think you could use a couple cans of black beans instead of the beef to make this vegetarian. Just start by sauteeing the onion and bell pepper in olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add the beans with the corn and follow the instructions from there. If you try this, let me know!
Other Cozy Casseroles to Consider...
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper stem and seeds removed, diced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 10 ounce can enchilada sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 3-4 cups frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large cast iron skillet or pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and ground turkey over medium-high heat, breaking it into pieces as it cooks.
- Once browned, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the onion and red bell pepper, and cook another 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Add the corn and stir to combine.
- Add the taco seasoning along with ¼ cup of water, stirring well to combine.
- Stir in the enchilada sauce, followed by the cheese.
- Top with tater tots. Note: you can also transfer the mixture to a 9x13" baking dish if your skillet isn't oven-safe.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until bubbling and tater tots are golden brown.
I’m a big fan of tater tots and this did not disappoint! Easy to throw together and a great flavor combo!
To make this a freezer meal, should I prepare it to completion and then freeze in casserole dish? Do I cook from frozen or defrost first?
Hi Anna,
Prepare the casserole up until the step of baking it. Cover and freeze and then once you're ready to make it, defrost in the fridge overnight and then bake. I always have to add ~10 minutes to the baking time to account for starting from a colder temp. Hope this helps!