Loaded Tex-Mex Tater Tots Recipe

No matter what sport you're gathering your friends to watch on game day, one thing is for certain: You better have some snacks. We've got plenty of dips, batched cocktails, and now, a brand new recipe for loaded tots to get you started on the right foot. These loaded Tex-Mex tater tots will be the star of your viewing party — no offense to the quarterback.

Similar to loaded nachos (like this easy baked version), this dish begins with a strong foundation of tater tots and ends with layers and layers of delectable toppings, which of course include a delicious melted cheese sauce. While the tater tots cook to crispy perfection, we recommend making the cheese sauce and getting all of your toppings ready for quick and easy assembly once everything is ready. Once the dish is assembled, it's best served immediately, and you'll be shocked at how fast the mountain of nacho-style tots vanishes from the table.

To make this recipe quick and easy, we've opted to use frozen tater tots. To prepare the cheese sauce, you'll need evaporated milk, shredded cheddar cheese, a little cornstarch, and some cayenne pepper. For quick pickling, you'll need a sugar, salt, vinegar, and one red onion and jalapeño. Other toppings you'll need to have on hand are black beans, sour cream, cilantro, red salsa, and sliced scallions.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Bake the tater tots for 25–30 minutes, until crispy.

Add the sliced onion and jalapeño to a small bowl.

Add the sugar, water, vinegar, and salt to a small pot and bring to a boil.

Pour the liquid over the onion and jalapeño mixture. Set aside to cool.

Add the evaporated milk to a small pot and bring to a simmer.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheese, cayenne, and cornstarch until smooth.

Add a splash of water to the sour cream to thin it into a pourable consistency.

Arrange the tots on a serving platter and drizzle with nacho cheese.

Drizzle sour cream and salsa over the cheese.

Top with the pickled onion and jalapeño, black beans, and scallions.

Serve hot.

We've covered the bases for most of the iconic toppings found in any loaded nacho (or in this case, tot) tray: homemade cheese sauce, quick pickled veggies, and black beans and sour cream. While these toppings are definitely enough to consider the tots "loaded," you might wanna take it even further — more power to you! First, let's consider more vegetables (for health, of course). A little fresh summer corn would be amazing piled on top of these tots, as would a ripe avocado or peak-season tomato — just dice them before sprinkling them on. While we used scallions in our recipe, you can easily swap these out for cilantro, parsley, or chives if you have them on hand.

Now, let's talk proteins. What about a little crumbled bacon, chorizo, or even pulled pork? To make this dish a little more meaty, ground turkey, sausage, or beef would work out perfectly. Or, if you're vegetarian or vegan, a little plant-based meat could do the trick — we'd recommend using a ground meat alternative.

Nacho cheese can be a lot of things, especially considering that there is no official definition or recipe for the beloved cheesy sauce. Generally, though, we know it and love it as the classic orange-hued, super melty, slightly salty cheese that goes on top of nachos or chili cheese fries. Whenever you want the best cheese sauce, we advise you make it yourself rather than buy something labeled "nacho cheese," which typically contains tons of additives and preservatives. Making your own nacho sauce is quick and can be done in less than 10 minutes! 

It goes without saying that the most important ingredient is the cheese. We're using cheddar for this recipe, which gives the sauce its signature color and a slightly sharp kick and flavor. If you don't have cheddar on hand or want to use something else, the best options are going to be white American cheese, Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, or queso blanco. These cheeses melt excellently, which is crucial for a smooth sauce.