Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

By Becky Hardin

Updated Sep 24, 2025

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Spicy, hearty, and so tasty—this Mexican Tater Tot Casserole is one of my go-to comfort meals! It’s everything I love about tacos, but even better, all layered together in one irresistible dish and finished off with a blanket of crispy, golden tater tots.

Mexican tater tot casserole with sour cream, tomatoes, and olives. - 5

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5-Star Review

“This was fantastic! My family asked to make it a regular dish. I also love that it can be made ahead and frozen.” – Deta

Easy Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

When I’m looking for a hearty one-pot meal but craving something a little different, I whip up this Mexican-inspired Tater Tot recipe. It’s an addictive mix between tacos and a casserole.

I created this hearty Mexican-inspired casserole as a lovely twist on the classic tater tot casserole , using a mixture of taco meat , beans, corn, and cheese, topped with tater tots and enchilada sauce. With layers of textures and flavors, I could devour it all in one sitting!

Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 16 oz. can refried beans
▢ 2 10-oz. cans original Rotel-style tomatoes divided; drained
▢ ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves divided
▢ 2 lbs. 90% lean ground beef
▢ 1 tsp hot sauce
▢ 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
▢ 1 medium yellow onion minced
▢ 2 cups Colby Jack shredded cheese
▢ 2 cups Mexican-style blend shredded cheese
▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
▢ 2 tbsp chili powder
▢ 1 tsp ground cumin
▢ 1 tsp ground coriander
▢ ½ tsp dried oregano
▢ 1 tbsp cider vinegar
▢ 1 tsp brown sugar
▢ 1 can corn drained or 1 cup frozen corn
▢ 32 oz. package frozen tater tots
▢ juice of 1 lime

Garnishes:

▢ ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, tomatoes, scallions, cheese, avocados, black olives, sour cream, lettuce

Video

Instructions

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.
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. 2 lbs. 90% lean ground beef
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. 1 medium yellow onion, 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook, while stirring, for an additional 1 minute. 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp dried oregano
Add browned beef, 1 can (drained) Rotel tomatoes, corn, vinegar, brown sugar, and juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper; stir well. 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 can corn, juice of 1 lime
Stir and cook about 5-10 minutes or until juices reduce and mixture thickens.
In a medium bowl, combine refried beans, 1 can drained Rotel tomatoes, hot sauce, and ¼ cup cilantro; set aside. 16 oz. can refried beans, 2 10-oz. cans original Rotel-style tomatoes, ½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves, 1 tsp hot sauce
Spread the bean/tomato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle 2 cups cheese over the top. 2 cups Colby Jack shredded cheese, 2 cups Mexican-style blend shredded cheese
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. 32 oz. package frozen tater tots
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! ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, tomatoes, scallions, cheese, avocados, black olives, sour cream, lettuce

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

How To Make This Mexican Tater Tot Casserole Step By Step

Get the oven going and prepare the pans: Heat the oven to 425°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Prepare the beef : Place 2 lbs. of ground beef in a large skillet set on medium heat and cook until brown throughout, about 6-8 minutes. Break apart the meat while it cooks and then drain in a colander; set aside.

Add onions and 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet and set over medium heat. Cook until the onion is translucent and tender. Add 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, and ½ tsp dried oregano and stir.

Add beef and corn to the pot with onions and seasonings. - 8

Add the browned beef, 2nd can of Rotel tomatoes, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 can corn, and the juice of 1 lime. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste, and then stir until the juice reduces and the mixture thickens.

Prepare the beans: In a medium bowl, combine 1 can of refried beans, 1 can of Rotel tomatoes, 1 tsp hot sauce, and ¼ cup cilantro; set aside.

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Prepare the casserole and bake: Transfer the bean mixture to the baking dish and cover with 2 cups of cheese. Then layer with the beef mixture and add the remaining 2 cups of cheese. Cover with 1 package of frozen tater tots and place in the rimmed baking sheet.

Bake the casserole for 30-40 minutes or until it begins to bubble and the tater tots are dark golden brown.

Transfer the casserole dish to a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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Serve: Garnish with your favorite toppings, serve, and enjoy.

How to Store

Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven.

You can either prepare this casserole ahead of time and freeze it to eat later, or just freeze any leftovers if you don’t plan to eat them in the next few days.

Let the casserole cool, either at room temperature (don’t leave it sitting out more than an hour to cool) or place it in the fridge overnight. Cover the casserole tightly, or transfer it to another freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid. Place it in the freezer and it will keep up to 3 months.

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Serving Suggestions

I find this casserole is super filling, but I do like to start my meal with a kale salad and often prepare some veggies on the side, like our easy air fryer broccoli or grilled asparagus .

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