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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!

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

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!

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

Not only is this tater tot casserole filed with Southwestern veggies like bell peppers and corn, but also a lot of cheese! The filling is so easy to make, as it utilizes a packet of taco seasoning and very little prep work. 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.

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients in Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

  • Ground Beef - I use 90/10 ground beef, but any ratio of fat will work.  This would also work with ground turkey 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
Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

How to Make Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

This tater tot casserole recipe comes together super quickly and is very easy to make.

  1. To start, you'll cook the ground beef. Once the beef is browned, add the onion and red bell pepper. The vegetables can cook in the leftover grease from the beef.
  2. Cook the vegetables until they're slightly softened, about 4-5 minutes.
  3. Next, stir in the corn, followed by the taco seasoning and ¼ cup of water. Cook until the water has mostly evaporated, which takes just a minute or two.
  4. Add the enchilada sauce, stirring well to combine, followed by the cheese.
  5. Top it all off with the frozen tater tots. I arranged mine nicely in circles but you can just dump and spread them out, too!
  6. Bake it all in a 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, until the tots are golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.
  7. Serve and ENJOY!
Mexican Tater Tot Hot Dish

Mexican Tater Tot Hot Dish Questions

Can this be made in advance?

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.

Can this be made into a freezer meal?

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.

Can I use ground turkey or chicken?

Yep! You might need to add a tablespoon or two of olive oil when you cook the onion and pepper, since turkey and chicken will not result in much grease, like beef does. The flavor will be slightly different, but it should be just as delicious!

Can this be made vegetarian?

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!

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

Tater tot casserole made with ground beef, corn, taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, and cheese!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 775kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 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, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into pieces as it cooks.
  • Once browned, add 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 775kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 1477mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2000IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 450mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @greensnchocolate to let me know!
Need more ideas?Find all of my recipe pins @greenschocolate

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