Beef Taco Tater Tot Casserole is a cheesy beef casserole seasoned like tacos with cheddar cheese and potato tater tots. Topped with all the taco toppings. An easy dinner idea for busy nights for the family. #beefcasserole #beeftacos #hamburgercasserole
taco toppings of choice(lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, olives, avocado, etc)
Instructions
Heat a large pot over medium heat.
Cook the ground beef until cooked through, approximately 7-10 minutes. Drain excess fat.
Add the garlic, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Stir and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
Add the tomato sauce and water. Stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to combine.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Pour the meat mixture into a 6x9 inch casserole dish (see note). Sprinkle one cup of cheddar cheese across the top of the meat.
Layer the tater tots in rows across the top, using approximately 1 pound of tater tots (1/2 standard bag). Sprinkle the remaining cheese across the top of the tater tots.
Bake the casserole until the tots are cooked through when inserting a fork and the cheese is melted, approximately 15 minutes.
Remove the casserole from the oven. Top with your favorite taco toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, olives, and avocado. Serve immediately.
Notes
I found the smaller 6x9 inch baking dish was perfect for this recipe. A "normal" baking dish is much larger and would give you less meat for the same amount of tater tot coverage. Other options include doubling up the meat for a larger casserole, making more servings, or using any other smaller baking dish like loaf pans or square dishes.If you want it saucier, add an additional 1/2 cup of water. This also tends to make the tater tots break down more and less likely to hold their shape due to the moisture.I use onion powder to keep it more kid friendly, but you can easily use approximately 1/3 cup of diced onion instead of the powder.