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!

Overhead image of the totchos on a tray

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.

Image of the sweet potato puffs used in this recipe

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!

Process shots of Totchos-- images of the Tater Tots being placed on a pan and roasting then the ground beef being browned

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

Process shots-- images of the seasonings, tomato sauce, corn, and black beans being added and mixed together

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.

Process shots of Totchos-- images of the beef mixture being added to the tots, then cheese being added and it all being roasted

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. 

Up close overhead image of the Totchos ready to be served

More Game Day Eats

5 from 1 vote

Totchos

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!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings (or 8 as an appetizer)

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 jalapeรฑos, 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:ย 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.:ย 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 jalapeรฑos, chop avocados, etc.) Remove nachos from the oven and immediately top with all your favorite totchos toppings and enjoy immediately!

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Tater Tots:ย Hands-down our favorite tater tots are Alexiaยฎ Crispy Bite-Size Sweet Potato Puffs (not sponsored). If youโ€™ve never tried these, you are in for a real treat! Theyโ€™re mega flavorful, light, and crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Hereโ€™s where to check if your local store carries them.
Note 2: Tater Tot baking times: Although the package indicates less baking time, I typically bake them a little longer since there are 2 full bags, not just one. If you aren't using Alexia's tots, roughly follow package directions for baking tots, adding time if needed to get them crisp and baked through (they don't crisp up much more once the beef and other ingredients are added.)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 803kcal | Carbohydrates: 123.9g | Protein: 47.9g | Fat: 43.3g | Cholesterol: 123.9mg | Sodium: 1757.6mg | Fiber: 12.7g | Sugar: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hi there! Iโ€™m Chelseaโ€“the recipe developer, photographer, writer, and taste tester behind Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron (although my little ones help me out quite a bit with the taste testing part!). I LOVE getting creative in the kitchen and then posting my creations here for you to enjoy.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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