Nobody will even miss the taco shells in this Taco Tater Tot Hotdish when they see perfectly browned tater tots staring back at them, covered in melty cheese!
I always know when the season is changing from summer to fall. Our days dwindle in daylight and the temperatures start to fall. My body starts to crave more comfort foods, and we use the outdoor grill less and the oven and stove top more.
Now I’m not saying I’m a fan of leaving summer behind, because I’m definitely not. But I will admit to liking the comfort that a steaming hotdish brings to our table come fall and winter.
This Taco Tater Tot Hotdish is yet one more riff on my famous Tater Tot Hotdish (with and without canned soup) and its awesome follow-up recipe of Kicked-Up Tater Tot Hotdish. Only this newest recipe has a tomato base, which makes its flavor completely unlike the others. If you are a taco fan (aren’t we all?!), you’re going to love this Taco Tater Tot Hotdish!
* This is a sponsored post, created in partnership with Red Gold®.
I am so honored to be partnering again this year with Red Gold. Right now Red Gold is busy, busy, busy bringing in their tomatoes that have been sustainably grown on 50 family farms. The tomatoes are the very highest quality with wonderful fresh flavor. I’m always amazed at how fresh they really do taste, straight from the can.
Hunger impacts families across the nation, with a staggering number of households not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Red Gold is a family owned company and understands the importance of a family meal.
This October, Red Gold is partnering with Feeding America®, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization, to launch the Red Gold Crush Hunger campaign. Together, they are encouraging families to share a family meal to help crush hunger. For each Red Gold product purchased throughout the month of October, Red Gold will donate a meal to someone in need. Their goal is to donate 1.7 million meals to Feeding America food banks across the country.
I think this is an awesome campaign.
Please join me this October in stocking your pantry with Red Gold tomatoes. Each product purchased equals one donated meal to someone in need.
#HelpCrushHunger
You can also join the conversation via social media, using the hashtag #HelpCrushHunger. When you share about a family meal experience via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using #HelpCrushHunger in the caption, you will be entered to win a Red Gold Family Meal Kit and $100 to donate to your local food bank. Visit HelpCrushHunger.com for more information.
This Taco Tater Tot Hotdish is a meal that not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit. Tacos are always a favorite meal at our house, and the flavors transfer in a most excellent way to this hotdish. Nobody will even miss the taco shells when they see perfectly browned tater tots staring back at them, covered in melty cheese. Set out some sour cream and taco sauce, and dig in!
Taco Tater Tot Hotdish
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- half of a large yellow onion diced
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 1 to 1.25 oz. package your favorite taco seasoning mix
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 small can sliced black olives drained, divided
- 1 14.5 oz. can Red Gold® Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
- 1 14.5 oz. can Red Gold® Petite Diced Tomatoes
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 12 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend divided
- 1 28 to 32 oz. package frozen tater tots
- Optional toppings and condiments: chopped cilantro chopped green onions, sliced black olives, taco sauce, sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Spray a 9" x 13" inch baking dish, or a dish of similar size, with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet to medium to medium-high heat. Add ground beef, red pepper, onion, and garlic, and cook while breaking the beef into small crumbles. Cook until beef is browned completely, about 10 minutes. Drain off any excess drippings. Add taco seasoning mix, black beans, corn, and most of the black olives (reserve a few slices of black olives for sprinkling over the top before serving) to the beef mixture. Then fold in both cans of Red Gold tomatoes (do not drain). Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 8 ounces of the shredded cheese and then transfer the mixture to prepared baking dish, spreading mixture into an even layer.
- Add tater tots to top and sprinkle them with a bit of kosher salt.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, or until hotdish is thoroughly heated. Then turn on broiler and place hotdish under broiler, turning regularly to brown the tater tots as evenly as possible.
- Remove pan from oven and sprinkle remaining 4 ounces shredded cheese over the browned tater tots. Broil for another minute or so, until cheese is melted and a bit blistered from the heat.
- Remove from oven and top with chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, and reserved sliced black olives, if desired. Serve with additional taco condiments, such as sour cream and taco sauce, if you like.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Be sure to check out the other tasty recipes I have created using Red Gold tomatoes…
Spicy Italian Tomato Grilled Cheese Dip
This post is sponsored by Red Gold. I am happy to be partnering with them again this year, bringing you delicious recipes bursting with fresh, rich tomato flavor. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this site possible.
No more messing around with frying tortillas! Yay! and it WAS a mess. . . ;)
This dish is amazing! I can’t wait to try it!! YUM!!
Yum! I definitely need to try this soon!
This would be perfect for the fall party we are throwing next weekend!!
It feels like autumn today! This comfort food would hit the spot!!!
This is kinda genius!!!
My nickname is tater-tot! Soooo, I think that gives me permission to eat ALL of this in one sitting. No shame…because this is amazing!
Now this is what I call comfort food!
what a great way to mix up Taco Tuesday!! my family will love this!
I adore hotdishes with tater tots! So good! This would totally replace taco Tuesday for us!
I love your hotdish recipes!! This looks amazing and my kids would FLIP if this was dinner. I need to make!
My kids would go absolutely nuts for this dish!!
Tater tots are my jam!! This dish is amazing!!
hey girl this looks so yummy! I love dishes like this! I am so ready for it to start cooling off more here in Oklahoma! Happy Fall!