Spicy, hearty and tasty. This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole is pure comfort food!
A lovely twist on the classic casserole, this Mexican Tater Tot Casserole is a mixture of taco meat, beans, corn, and cheese topped with tater tots and enchilada sauce. The family will love this one dish meal, with a spicy kick!
How To Make This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole – Step By Step
In a medium bowl, combine refried beans, Ro-tel tomatoes and cilantro; set aside.
Then, place beef in a large skillet set oven medium heat. Cook until brown throughout, about 6-8 minutes, breaking apart the meat while it cooks. Drain into a colander; set aside.
Add onions and oil to the skillet and set over medium heat. Cook until translucent and tender. Then, add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook, while stirring, an additional 1-minute.
Then, add browned beef, ) Ro-tel tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, and juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper; stir well. Stir and cook until juices reduce and mixture thickens.
Spread the bean/tomato mixture evenly into the baking dish, and sprinkle 2 cups cheese over the top. Then spread the beef mixture evenly over the bean mixture and top with the remaining cheese. Cover the cheese layer with a single layer of tater tots and press down gently.
Place the casserole dish (set inside the rimmed baking sheet) on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and the tater tots are dark golden brown.
Transfer dish to a cooling rack and cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with your favorite toppings.
Enjoy!
A Spicy Twist On The Classic Casserole
If you’re after a casserole fix but craving something a little different, whip up this Mexican-inspired Tater Tot Casserole. It’s an addictive mix between taco and casserole. With spicy taco beef, tomatoes, corn, cheese, and of course, a layer of crispy browned tater tots on top, this casserole is always a hit!
Toppings For This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
One of the best parts of this Casserole recipe is actually the toppings! You can load the finished casserole with all kinds of goodies; chopped tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, and cilantro. The veggies and cilantro give the casserole such a great fresh flavor.
Can You Freeze Mexican Tater Tot Casserole?
Yes, you can freeze Mexican Tater Tot Casserole. Just make sure it’s covered and eaten within 3 months.
Top Tips For This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Drain any excess fat off the ground beef, you can use a colander.
- Use a preheated oven.
- Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Top with garnishes such as chopped olives, tomatoes and cilantro!
Check Out These Other Mexican Inspired Dishes
Have you tried this recipe? Feel free to leave a star rating and I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 708kcal
- 1 16-ounce can refried beans
- 2 10-ounce cans original Ro-tel style tomatoes, divided; drained
- ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves divided
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 cups Colby Jack shredded cheese
- 2 cups Mexican-style blend shredded cheese
- 2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 can corn drained or 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 32 ounce package frozen tater tots
- Juice of 1 lime
Possible Garnishes:
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sliced scallions
- Shredded Mexican blend or Sharp Cheddar
- Sliced or chopped avocados
- Sliced black olives
- Sour Cream
- Chopped lettuce
Heat oven to 425°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and set the casserole dish in the middle of the baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, combine refried beans, 1 can drained Ro-tel tomatoes and ¼ cup cilantro; set aside.
Place beef in a large skillet set oven medium heat. Cook until brown throughout, about 6-8 minutes, breaking apart the meat while it cooks. Drain into a colander; set aside.
Add 1-tablespoon oil and onions to the skillet and set over medium heat. Cook the onions about 5 minutes, stirring often, or until translucent and tender.
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook, while stirring, an additional 1-minute.
Add browned beef, 1 can (drained) Ro-tel tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, and juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper; stir well.
Stir and cook about 5-10 minutes or until juices reduce and mixture thickens.
Spread the bean/tomato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle 2 cups cheese over the top.
Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bean mixture and top with the remaining cheese.
Cover the cheese layer with a single layer of tater tots and press down gently.
Place the casserole dish (set inside the rimmed baking sheet) on the middle rack of the oven and bake at 425°F for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly and the tater tots are dark golden brown.
Transfer dish to a cooling rack and cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Garnish with your favorite toppings.
Enjoy!
Calories: 708kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 1399mg | Potassium: 997mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1328IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 477mg | Iron: 6mg
