The Best Beef Totchos (2024)

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Totchos are a combination of 2 perfect foods: tater tots and nachos. This gluten-free recipe is topped with juicy ground beef and gooey cheddar cheese, and it’s super easy to make.

There’s something magical about snack foods. And believe me when I tell you that this totchos recipe is one of the best snack foods I’ve ever made. What are totchos, you ask? Well, it’s simple: they’re tater tot nachos. And they are every bit as good as they sound. Actually, they’re even better than they sound.

Totchos give you the best of both worlds. They have all the amazing flavor of loaded nachos, with the crispiness and heartiness of tater tots. It’s a combination made in heaven. This recipe has spicy and juicy ground beef, loads of melty cheese, and all your favorite taco toppings. Whether you’re making it as a midday snack, a party treat, or even as a dinner, it’s a perfect feast. And it’s so easy to make!

Why You’ll Love These Beefy Tater Tot Nachos

This is one of my favorite recipes. I’m pretty sure it will be one of your favorites, too. Here’s why.

• So easy. For a recipe that has such awesome flavors, these totchos sure are easy to make. The only work you need to do is cook the ground beef, and assemble the tater tot nachos. They’re so easy that you could make them in your sleep!
• Customizable. I’m a big fan of customizable recipes. It’s so fun to be able to tailor a dish to fit your tastes and what you’re craving. Totchos are perfect for that. You can completely change the direction of this snack depending on what toppings you put on it.
• Perfect for a party. I’ll be honest: sometimes I make totchos and eat them for lunch or dinner. And I make them just for myself or a friend all the time. But they’re perfect to serve at a party, whether you’re hosting people or attending a potluck. Totchos are finger food that everyone will love, and they’re still delicious even after they’ve cooled down. The next time you need a recipe for a party, you’ve got to try tater tot nachos.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s everything you need to make this easy and addictive snack. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page to see the exact amounts that you’ll need for each ingredient.

• Frozen tater tots
• Ground beef – I prefer using lean ground beef for this recipe.
• Taco seasoning
• Cheddar cheese – Pre-shredded cheddar cheese (or Mexican cheese blend) works perfectly for this dish, but you can also grate your own.

Make your own Homemade Taco Seasoning so you can control the sodium and other spices.

How to Make Totchos

Here’s how to make these tater tot nachos. This recipe couldn’t be easier!

• Prep. Preheat your oven to 450F.
• Bake the tots. Follow the instructions on the tater tot package to cook the tots until they are very crispy. This will usually take 20-25 minutes. You can also use make Air Fryer Tater Tots if you prefer.
• Cook the beef. While the tots are baking, cook the ground beef in a skillet until it is cooked all the way through. Then drain out the extra grease.
• Season. Add the taco seasoning and ⅔ cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Assemble the totchos. When the tots are done baking, cover them with a layer of ground beef and then a layer of shredded cheese.

• Bake. Put the totchos back in the oven and bake until the cheese is completely melted. This should take 5-7 minutes.

• Serve. After the totchos come out of the oven, cover them with your favorite toppings and serve.

Tips and Variations

Here are a few tricks for making the best tater tot nachos, and also some variations you can try.

• Really brown the meat. A common mistake people make when cooking taco meat is they don’t get enough color on it. Just like when you’re searing a steak, the bulk of the flavor in ground beef comes from browning it. Cook the beef on medium-high heat, and don’t stir it too often. Make sure it’s nice and brown before you add the taco seasoning and the water. Your totchos will be so much more flavorful that way.
• Different meats. I like ground beef best for this recipe, but feel free to switch it up. You can use ground chicken or turkey, or even cook up pieces of Air Fryer Steak or pork or Instant Pot Salsa Chicken. Whatever your preferred loaded nachos meat is, it will work with this recipe.
• Use homemade seasoning. One of my favorite recipes is this super easy Homemade Taco Seasoning. It only takes 2 minutes to make, and it tastes even better than the pre-mixed seasoning that you’ll find at the grocery store. It’s a great way to take your tater tot nachos to the next level.
• Mix up the toppings. There’s no shortage of toppings that you can put on these totchos. Anything that you might put on nachos or in tacos will work wonderfully on top of these cheesy, beefy, tater tot nachos. Have fun with the toppings!

Serving Suggestions

I like to dip these totchos in a classic Mexican sauce. Here are some of my favorite sauce recipes for serving with this dish.

• Guacamole
• Roasted Garlic Guacamole
• Restaurant Style Salsa
• Fire Roasted Salsa
• Roasted Chili Corn Salsa
• Smoked Queso

And of course, since it’s a Mexican snack food, totchos work perfectly with margaritas! Check out some of my go-to margarita recipes.

• Classic Lime Margarita on the Rocks
• Beer Margarita
• Pineapple Margarita
• Watermelon Margarita
• Skinny Margarita

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Totchos

This recipe will last in the fridge for at least 3 days if stored in an airtight container. However, the recipe will get a little bit soggy, especially after the first day. You can reheat the tater tot nachos in a 375F oven for 10 minutes.

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

I don’t recommend freezing totchos. The texture won’t be great after they’ve thawed, and this is such an easy recipe that you’re better off just making it fresh when you want some.

More Easy Mexican Foods to Make

One thing I love to do is serve these tater tot nachos with a big spread of snackable Mexican food. Here are some of my other favorite recipes to include … just make sure you serve them with the sauces and margaritas I mentioned before!

• Mexican Pizza
• BBQ Chicken Nachos
• Cheese Quesadilla
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Flautas

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