We have several versions of Tater Tot Casserole in our Crock Pot Thursday recipe box, and each one has been a winner. This Crock Pot Tater Tot Taco Casserole is no exception. I loved the way the taco meat mixed with the tater tots, and the sour cream mixture adds a nice creamy layer to the dish.

This recipe is great for those with hearty appetites, and is also a hit with kids. My kids are a fan of tater tot anything, and of taco anything, for that matter, so Crock Pot Tater Tot Taco Casserole was really a no-brainer for my family. The only thing I need to look out for was the spice factor. For my six and eight-year-old, if it’s too spicy, it’s not happening.

This recipe isn’t spicy, but it does have nice taco flavors throughout, so everyone was happy. This dish is really lovely with fresh cilantro, green onions, or a few fresh, diced tomatoes on top. We served it with a dollop of sour cream, and my husband used some sriracha on his.

I used my 3.5 Quart Crock-Pot Casserole Slow Cooker to make this Crock Pot Tater Tot Taco Casserole. (affiliate link)

Crock Pot Tater Tot Taco Casserole

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Crock Pot Tater Tot Taco Casserole

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This Crock Pot Tater Tot Taco Casserole is a hearty, family-friendly dish!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 32 oz bag frozen tater tots (may not need entire bag)
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 (1.25 ounce) packets taco seasoning
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles, drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Instructions

1. Spray slow cooker crockery with cooking spray.
2. Place frozen tater tots in a layer on the bottom of slow cooker.
3. In a large frying pan over medium high heat, brown ground beef, working it into small pieces as it cooks. When meat is browned, drain fat, and following the instructions on the taco seasoning packets, add taco seasoning and water. Simmer according to seasoning directions (usually about 5 minutes).
4. Transfer seasoned meat to slow cooker into a layer on top of the tater tots.
5. Add drained tomatoes in a layer on top of the meat.
6. Add a layer of drained diced green chilis
7. In a bowl, combine sour cream and half of the shredded cheddar cheese, and spread over the diced green chilis.
8. Cover and cook on LOW 4-5 hours, or on HIGH 2-3 hours.
9. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole, and cover again until cheese is melted (about 10 minutes.)
10. Top with desired toppings, and enjoy!

Notes

Optional toppings include: sour cream, green onions, diced tomatoes, lettuce, hot sauce, or cilantro.

Feedback

Linda

(Linda used a biscuit base, and her feedback is what motivated us to switch the bottom layer to tater tots.) When I made this it was delicious, but I remember that the biscuit texture was totally lost in the meat mixture. I think tater tots are a great substitution, and I am glad that there were really tasty. I would make this again, it is hard to go wrong with a good meat casserole.

Sarah

This was so good. Like so so good. Every member of our family had a second helping and we all LOVED it! My husband hate tater tot casserole… but he loved this! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing! YUM YUM YUM!

Me

We really liked this recipe, and I loved the taco twist on traditional tater tot casserole. Since we are a bunch of carnivores, we appreciated the 2 lbs of beef, but if you wanted, you could cut the beef (and taco seasoning) in half and still have a respectable casserole.