Skip the chips and make nachos with tots instead! These Totchos use Tater Tots as the base and are topped with seasoned meat, crisp corn, savory black beans, and loads of melty cheese! Add your favorite nacho toppings and dig in!
What Are Totchos?
If you’ve never had Totchos you’re in for a mega treat! Totchos are essentially nachos, but made with Tater Tots instead of chips. The tots create a delicious crispy potato base. On top of the base, these nachos are piled high with practically endless topping options — whatever you like best!
We love topping our Totchos with taco-seasoned ground beef, corn, black beans, and loads of cheese. Once they come out of the oven you can then add on other fresh toppings such as guacamole (or diced avocados), diced cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, fresh lime, etc.
These Beef Totchos make for a great addition to a game day menu or party, but they also make a fun weeknight meal.
Quick Tip
Tater Tots, trademarked by Ore Ida, are crispy potato puffs known by various names worldwide like potato croquettes, potato gems, and more. In Canada, they’re called tasti taters and spud puppies, proving their universal appeal.
What Are Totchos Made Of?
The secret to the best Totchos recipe is using tasty Tater Tots — they are the base after all!
Hands-down our favorite tots are Alexia® Crispy Bite-Size Sweet Potato Puffs (not sponsored). If you’ve never tried these, you are in for a real treat! They’re mega flavorful, light, and crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Here’s where to check if your local store carries them.
If you aren’t able to access these puffs, grab regular tots instead!
Topping Ideas
Just think about what you like on your nachos and go from there! Some to consider:
- diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
- diced bell or jalapeño peppers
- fresh cilantro or parsley
- a wedge or two of lime
- diced raw red onion
- diced or sliced avocado (or try this guacamole recipe)
- sour cream
Tips
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: If the Tater Tots are too close to each other or overlapping, they’ll steam instead of roast. I recommend using an extra-large sheet pan (15 x 21 inches) to get the tots nice and crisp.
- Serve quickly: Totchos don’t sit well. I recommend eating them right out of the oven as soon as they’ve been topped. (Leftovers aren’t great — halve the recipe instead!)
- Add freshly grated cheese: This helps to avoid grainy or greasy Totchos. Pre-shredded cheese has a cellulose coating that doesn’t melt as well in recipes like this one.
Variations
- Make Vegetarian Totchos: Use plant-based meat crumbles instead of ground beef or leave out the meat entirely. If leaving out the meat, add in an extra can of black beans. (Season the beans and corn with the same seasoning blend outlined in the recipe.)
- Healthy Totchos: To make a healthier version of this recipe, roast some sweet potatoes and use those as the base instead of Tater Tots. Here’s a recipe for our favorite roasted sweet potatoes. Replace the beef with ground turkey.
- Chicken Totchos: Prepare 3 cups of shredded chicken using this recipe: Rotisserie Chicken Tacos. Add the prepared seasoned chicken atop the Tater Tots and continue on with the recipe.
- Swap the meat: We’ve tested this recipe with ground turkey instead of beef and loved that as well.
More Game Day Eats
- Buffalo Chicken Tenders with ranch or blue cheese dressing
- 7 Layer Bean Dip with taco-seasoned sour cream
- Turkey Sloppy Joes on toasted and buttered buns
- Queso Dip Recipe with fire-roasted green chiles
- Smashed Potatoes with Parmesan cheese and chives
Totchos
Ingredients
- 2 bags (20 oz.) frozen tater tots (We love Alexia's sweet potato tots) (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb (16 oz.) lean (93/7) ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon each: paprika, cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon each: dried oregano, garlic powder, fine sea salt, & pepper
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1 can (15.25 oz.) black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese shredded (~2 packed cups)
- Optional toppings: halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced jalapeños, guacamole or avocados, sour cream, lime, cilantro
Instructions
- TATER TOTS: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Dump out both bags of Tater Tots on a large rimmed sheet pan. Space out tots as much as possible and bake for 20 minutes. Remove, flip, and bake for 15-20 more minutes (Note 2) or until tots are crisp and lightly browned.
- BEEF: Meanwhile, add oil to a large skillet (cast iron if possible) over high heat. Once pan is hot, add ground beef and let sear (brown) by not touching for about 1 minute per side then begin crumbling with a wooden spoon cooking until the meat is no longer pink. Avoid stirring/breaking beef up too much-- allow it to brown (more flavor!). If there is a lot of extra grease (from higher-fat beef), drain off.
- BEEF CONT.: Reduce heat to medium and add in the garlic and all the seasonings. Cook, stirring constantly, for ~1 minute or until very fragrant. Add in the tomato sauce and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add in the frozen corn and drained and rinsed black beans. Mix through until corn is thawed and heated through, another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to slightly cool.
- BAKE NACHOS: Back to the tots: position the tots on the sheet pan so they are all close together. Spoon the beef mixture evenly over the tots, then sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Return to oven and bake again until the cheese is melted, about 8-10 minutes.
- ENJOY: Meanwhile, prep the toppings you'll want for the nachos (cut up cherry tomatoes, thinly slice jalapeños, chop avocados, etc.) Remove nachos from the oven and immediately top with all your favorite totchos toppings and enjoy immediately!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
