You can think of Taco Tater Tot Casserole as the Mexican recipe version of a Shepherd's Pie.
This ground beef casserole is loaded with delicious Mexican flavors, topped with tater tots, and finished with a layer of cheese. It's a real family favorite.
Our family loves this flavorful easy to make dinner recipe. It's perfect all year round and of course a must have on Cinco de Mayo!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This casserole is easy to prep for.
- It's very flavorful and has great texture.
- Substituting ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken makes delicious recipe spin offs.
- Turning this casserole into a freezer meal is easy. See Recipe Success Tips for a detailed explanation.
- Chances are that you won't have to go shopping to make this meal. You'll probably have all of the ingredients already in your fridge and pantry.
What You'll Need
complete list of ingredients in recipe card
BEEF - I use lean ground beef (90/10). It has the right amount of fat to sauté the onions.
FILLING - Once the ground beef onion mixture has been cooked, add taco mix, green chili, diced tomatoes, corn, and black beans. Enchilada sauce is layered on the bottom of the casserole dish and the remaining sauce goes atop the tater tots.
TOPPING - Frozen tater tots and shredded cheddar cheese. Once out of the oven I like to add sliced black olives (or green olives) and chopped fresh tomato. This recipe is perfect with a side of fresh guacamole and a dollop of sour cream.
Variations and Additions
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken, or a combination of both.
- Instead of black olives, you can also use green ones.
- For serving, I recommend shredded romaine lettuce.
- More Topping Ideas: fresh cilantro, green onions, avocado. Adding a dollop or two of sour cream is quite delicious, too.
- For a bit of extra heat add some jalapenos.
How To Make This Taco Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic.
- Combine the ground beef mixture with canned diced tomatoes, green chiles, corn, and black beans.
- Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- Transfer the beef mixture into the casserole dish. Top with a single layer of tater tots. Sprinkle with the remaining enchilada sauce and top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit until the cheese has melted.
- Top with black olives and diced tomatoes. Serve and enjoy.
Serving Suggestion.
Serve over a bed of shredded lettuce. It's an easy way to sneak in a bit of salad. A side of sour cream, avocado, and a sprinkle of cilantro are optional but add extra deliciousness.
Recipe Success Tips
Storing and Keeping
Cover the dish with aluminum foil (or use this casserole dish which has a fitted cover!). The casserole will last 3-4 days in the fridge.
Taco Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Edition
- Follow all of the instructions - except don't bake Taco Tater Tot Casserole.
- Cover the casserole dish with a layer of cling film and the second layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- When it's time to cook, you don't have to defrost the casserole. Remove the plastic film and aluminum foil.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit.
More Easy and Delicious Casserole Recipe Ideas
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole - a reader favorite.
- Beef and Bean Casserole - high protein casserole the entire family can't get enough of
- Ham and Noodle Casserole - the classic German 'Nudelauflauf'
- Sausage and Hashbrown Casserole - perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner.
Taco Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
Beef Mixture
- 1 to 1½ pounds lean ground beef 90/10
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic
Filling
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 can black beans drained
- 1 cup corn frozen
- 1 can green chilis
- 1 (14 ounce) can tomatoes can, diced
Topping
- 1 can enchilada sauce
- 28 ounces tater tots
- 3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 (4 ounce) can black olives sliced
- ½ medium tomato diced, any fresh tomato you have on hand
Instructions
- Use a large skillet and brown the beef over medium heat. Once the beef has started to release some of the fat, add onions and garlic. Continue to cook until the beef is no longer pink. About 7-10 minutes
- Reduce heat to medium and add black beans, corn, green chili, taco mix, and diced tomatoes. Combine well.
- Spread 3 tablespoons of enchilada sauce and spread over the bottom of the casserole dish. Transfer the beef and bean mixture into the casserole dish. Add one layer of tater tots.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tater tots. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and bake uncovered at 400° Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and top with diced fresh tomato and black olives. Serve and enjoy.
