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!

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.

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

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 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!