Cheesy Mexican Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Give this yummy taco tater tot casserole a try for your next Taco Tuesday! Taco-spiced saucy ground beef, black beans, and corn, topped off with crispy tater tots and cheese makes for an easy family-favorite dinner.

Why You'll Love This Taco Tater Tot Casserole

In case you haven't noticed, casseroles made a BIG comeback this spring. Which is really no surprise, since they're pretty much the ultimate in comfort food and just so darn effortless to make.

My family's been enjoying them on the regular lately, as well. Who doesn't love a simple and stress-free mealtime? While they're not traditionally on our summer menu, I know I'M not ready to give up their throw-everything-together-ease just yet... You either?

Then you totally need to check out this easy taco tater tot casserole! Slightly spicy, filled with a saucy ground beef, black beans, and corn mixture, and then topped off with crispy tater tots, it's a totally delish casserole that you can enjoy year round.

Why you should try this Mexican tater tot casserole:

• Taco tater tot casserole is made with just 9 ingredients.
• All of the ingredients are convenient canned goods or pantry staples.
• This recipe is extremely customizable to use whatever ingredients you have on hand.
• It stretches a pound of ground beef to feed my ENTIRE family (and that's really saying something).
• Prep time is just 10-15 minutes, and then it's smooth sailing, hands-free baking time. Which makes for a stress-free dinner -- something I'm always thankful for!

And let me tell you, my family EATS THIS STUFF UP! Even the tween, who totally turned up his nose, but then proceeded to down three HUGE bowls after tasting it...

I mean, I'll be the first to admit that casseroles aren't always the prettiest dishes once plated, but this one absolutely makes up for it in flavor and texture!

Easy Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Ingredients

The backbone of this tater tot casserole (and really ANY casserole) is the canned goods: sweet corn, black beans, diced green chilies, and enchilada sauce. Canned foods are what make casseroles so appealing, because they’re delicious, accessible, easy to use, and have a very long shelf life.

But what I think a lot of people don't realize is that canned goods are actually super nutritious! Canned produce goes from field to package within 4 hours (locking in nutrients at the peak of ripeness) vs. fresh produce which can take up to 24 days from field to store. Did you find that shocking? I know I did! (source: Can Manufacturers Institute)

Beyond nutrition, though, canned goods are just ultra convenient. They make adding a variety of fruits and vegetable to your diet simple, help cut down on meal prep, and also cut down on food waste. And I'm not just talking waste in your own home but OVERALL waste. Waste from the canning process – such as peels, cores and other inedible plant matter – is removed and re-used as agricultural feed or compost... #funfact

Anyhow, you're probably wondering what else you need to make this tater tot casserole recipe. The remaining ingredients are simple, too: a pound of ground beef, a small onion, taco seasoning, shredded Mexican cheese, and a package of frozen tater tots!

How To Make Taco Tater Tot Casserole

While this taco tater tot casserole doesn't have quite the same dump-and-bake simplicity of my easy tuna casserole, it's still super easy to prepare. I've made it enough times now that I can share all my favorite shortcuts to streamline the prep and pop it in the oven quickly.

1. Start browning the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it's broken up and releasing some of the fat, add the diced onions. Continue to cook until the ground beef is fully browned and the onions are translucent.
2. Turn off the heat, and drain the ground beef/onion mixture well. Then stir in the taco seasoning, corn, black beans, and green chilies. Pour in the enchilada sauce, add all but ½ cup of the shredded cheese, and stir to combine.
3. Transfer the ground beef mixture to a 9x13" casserole dish. Arrange the tater tots on top, and bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the reserved ½ cup of cheese over the top, and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.

And then the real fun begins -- choosing what you want to top this cheesy tater tot casserole off with!

Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Toppings

I mean it does look a little naked here, doesn't it? But the possibilities are endless... Anything you'd normally put on a taco is fair game.

More cheese? Go for it! Diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, and canned sliced black olives? Yes, please. Salsa from mild to hot and everything in between? Check! I even like to spice mine up with some pickled jalapeños.

Above all, though, don't skip the sour cream. Its cool and creamy flavor is the ideal complement to this dish!

What To Serve With Mexican Tater Tot Casserole

I highly recommend giving this Mexican taco tater tot casserole a try for your next Taco Tuesday dinner. Tacos + tater tots??? You really can't go wrong with this family favorite combo.

Serve it up with a simple side salad and you've got a perfectly delicious and easy weeknight meal! If you've got a little more time on your hands, this guacamole salad and/or this Mexican corn cake would also be excellent pairings.