Description
Mexican tater tot casserole brings hearty southwestern comfort to dinner tables across the country. Layers of seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and crispy tater tots create a satisfying meal you will crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 16 oz (454 g) package frozen whole-kernel corn with red and green bell peppers
- 1 12 oz (340 g) bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 16 oz (454 g) package frozen bite-sized potato nuggets (Tater Tots)
- 1 12 fl oz (355 ml) can enchilada sauce
- 1 12 oz (340 g) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1 oz (28 g) packet taco seasoning mix
- culinary spray for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and generously spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- In a skillet over medium heat, thoroughly brown the ground beef, stirring consistently for 5-7 minutes until no pink remains.
- Introduce frozen corn, black beans, diced onion, minced garlic, and taco seasoning to the browned beef. Sauté the mixture for 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to intensify and meld together.
- Transfer the beef and vegetable mixture to a large mixing bowl, and fold in approximately three-quarters of the Mexican cheese blend and potato nuggets, ensuring even ingredient distribution.
- Pour one-third of the enchilada sauce into the prepared baking dish, creating a thin base layer. Carefully transfer the beef and potato nugget mixture, spreading it uniformly and gently pressing to create a compact layer.
- Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly across the casserole surface, ensuring complete coverage.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the surface becomes golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Customize meat options by using ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian twist.
- Enhance nutritional value by adding bell peppers or zucchini to boost vegetable content without changing flavor profile.
- Reduce sodium by choosing low-sodium taco seasoning and using half the recommended packet for a healthier version.
- Make casserole gluten-free by selecting gluten-free taco seasoning and verifying all ingredient labels for potential wheat contamination.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 434 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg