Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)

If you're on the hunt for a crowd-pleasing snack, tasty appetizer or fun dinner (perfect for Game Day or Cinco de Mayo!), look no further than these Totchos! This easy-to-follow recipe swaps the tortilla chips in traditional nachos with mouthwatering tater tots that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The tater tot nachos are layered with juicy, seasoned ground beef and luxuriously creamy, punchy, homemade nacho cheese sauce, then finished with your choice of topping such as guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, olives, pickled jalapenos, etc. They're the ultimate crowd-pleasing, customizable, sharable comfort food that can be whipped up in no time and are guaranteed to be a hit!

Ingredients

TOTS AND CHEESE

1 32 oz. bag tater tots (unseasoned)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

freshly cracked salt

1 recipe Queso Blanco or favorite store-bought cheese sauce, warmed

GROUND BEEF

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup salsa (medium for more of a kick)

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 tsp EACH ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder

1/2 tsp EACH smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

dash -1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

SUGGESTED TOPPINGS

Sour cream

Guacamole

Pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes and cilantro

Sliced olives

Pickled jalapenos

Green onions

Instructions

Prepare toppings: Have all the toppings ready to go so you can quickly assemble the Totchos as soon as you add the cheese sauce. If serving toppings bar style, add to serving dishes.

Cook tater tots: Add tater tots to a large baking sheet and toss with 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and freshly cracked salt to taste. Bake according to package directions, adding 5-10 minutes to the cooking time so they’re extra crispy. While the tater tots are baking, make the cheese sauce and brown the beef:

Cheese Sauce: Prepare Queso Blanco (click HERE) according to recipe directions; remove from heat. It will thicken as it cools. When ready to use, gently reheat on the stove, stirring in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time if needed to thin.

Brown beef: Brown beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling as you cook, until almost cooked through; drain grease. Stir in the salsa and all spices/seasonings until well incorporated. Continue to cook until the beef is completely cooked through.

Assemble - You can either:

Create a toppings bar and let everyone assemble their own Totchos.

Spread the tater tots in a single layer on a large baking sheet and top with ground beef, followed by cheese and desired toppings; serve immediately.

Layer: Spread half the tater tots in a single layer on a large platter or baking pan. Drizzle about ⅓ of the cheese sauce over top; top with half of the beef. Repeat with the remaining tater tots, ⅓ cheese sauce and remaining beef mixture; top with remaining cheese sauce followed with desired toppings; serve immediately.