Ditch tortilla chips and replace them with crispy tater tots to make sheet-pan tachos, also known as tater tot nachos. Pick your favorite tater tots, seasoned ground beef, and gooey nacho cheese. Plus, all your favorite toppings!
What are Tachos?
Tachos are another name for loaded tater tots or a tater tot casserole fixed with all your favorite nacho toppings. It is the ultimate comfort food for people of all ages and is perfect for entertaining!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tater Tots: You will need one 2-pound bag of frozen tater tots. Use regular tater tots or sweet potato tots.
- Oil: Saute the onions in a small amount of oil.
- Onion: Use finely diced yellow or white onions for this recipe.
- Ground Beef: I use 80/20 lean ground beef. If you use ground beef with a higher fat content, cook the meat longer to let it reabsorb all the liquid or drain the excess oil. You can also use ground turkey or chicken to make the taco meat.
- Tomato: Roma tomatoes work best since they have less liquid than other varieties.
- Garlic: I suggest using two fresh garlic cloves, but measure with your heart.
- Cilantro: Cilantro brightens the beef mixture.
- Spices: Season the ground beef mixture with taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. If you need a low-sodium taco seasoning, try my recipe.
- Toppings: Finish the tater tots with nacho cheese, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño peppers, green onions, black olives, and sour cream.
Additions and Substitutions
- Change the Protein: Replace the beef with ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground chorizo. This tater tot nachos recipe would also be a great way to use leftover ground beef, chicken, or rotisserie chicken. You can also use pinto beans, black beans, or ground Beyond Meat for a vegetarian option.
- Make Breakfast Tachos: Use ground sausage, scrambled eggs, and crumbled bacon to make the tater tot casserole – perfect for breakfast or brunch.
- Try BBQ Tachos: Replace ground beef with BBQ pulled pork or brisket slathered in BBQ sauce and pickled onions.
- No Tater Tots? Use french fries, tortilla chips, or onion rings instead of tater tots.
- Make it Cheesy: Replace the nacho cheese with queso or shredded cheese like cheddar cheese, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack cheese.
Tools Used to Make this Recipe
- Sheet Pan: You will need a rimmed baking sheet that is large enough to bake the tater tots. Line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Skillet or Saute Pan: Use a large skillet or saute pan to cook the ground beef mixture.
How to Make Tachos
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 450℉ (232℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Step 2: Spread the tater tots in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Meanwhile, warm avocado oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent and soften, for about 10 minutes.
Next, add ground beef and break it up with a meat chopper. Cook until brown and heated through for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the diced tomato, garlic, and cilantro, and season with 2-3 tablespoons of taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Tip: If using fatty ground beef, you will see liquid in the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat and continue cooking until the ground beef absorbs the liquid.
Step 5: Remove the tater tots from the oven and top them with the ground beef mixture. Then, spread the melted cheese or shredded cheese over the top. Bake for 5-8 minutes.
Step 6: Let the dish cool some before adding your toppings, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Cook the tater tots until they are crispy and golden brown to ensure they provide a sturdy base for your nachos.
- Serve the tachos straight off the baking sheet, or layer the tater tots, cheese sauce, and ground beef into a serving dish.
If you enjoy this recipe, try one of these sheet-pan favorites!
Serving Suggestions
Totchos are best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the oven, and here are some ideas for toppings and sides to serve them with.
- Spread: Hot Sauce, Sriracha, Avocado Lime Crema, Serrano Crema, Guacamole, Ancho Aioli
- Salsa: Pico de Gallo, Chunky Salsa, Mango Pico de Gallo
- Sides: Black Beans, Refried Beans, Mexican Rice, Avocado Tomato Cucumber Salad
What to do with the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – The tater tot nachos are best eaten fresh, but you can store the leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Freeze – Let the dish cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Tachos without vegetable toppings will freeze for three months.
- Thaw – Defrost the leftovers in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Preheat your oven to around 375°F (190°C). Place the tater tots on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10-15 minutes or until they become crispy.
More Appetizer Recipes:
Tachos
- 2 pounds frozen tater tots
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20
- 1 Roma tomato, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cans (13.5 ounces) nacho cheese, heated according to the package
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
- ½ medium red onions, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 can black olives, sliced
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- Preheat your oven to 450℉ (232℃). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Spread the tater tots in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm avocado oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent and soften, for about 10 minutes. Next, add ground beef and break it up with a meat chopper. Cook until brown and heated through for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the diced tomato, garlic, and cilantro, and season with 2-3 tablespoons of taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes. Tip: If using fatty ground beef, you will see liquid in the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat and continue cooking until the ground beef absorbs the liquid.
- Remove the tater tots from the oven and top them with the ground beef mixture. Then, spread the melted cheese or shredded cheese over the top. Bake for 5-8 minutes.
- Let the dish cool some before adding your toppings, and enjoy!
- Cook the tater tots until they are crispy and golden brown to ensure they provide a sturdy base for your nachos.
- Serve the tachos straight off the baking sheet, or layer the tater tots, cheese sauce, and ground beef into a serving dish.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.