This dish is a cozy, cheesy dinner packed with bold taco flavors, veggies, black beans, and crispy golden tater tots. An easy, family-friendly dinner everyone will love!
Ingredients
1½pounds80/20 ground beef
1largered bell pepper,diced
halfof a medium yellow onion,diced
2largecloves garlic,minced
1package(1 to 1.25 ounces) your favorite taco seasoning mix(or about ¼ cup taco seasoning)
1cupblack beans, rinsed and drained
1½cupsfresh/raw or frozen corn kernels
1can(2.25 ounces) sliced black olives,drained, divided
1can(10 ounces) petite diced tomatoes with green chilies(do not drain)
1can(14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes(do not drain)
salt & pepperto taste
10ouncesshredded Mexican cheese blend,divided
1package(24 to 28 ounces) frozen tater tots
½teaspoon garlic powder
¼teaspoonMorton kosher salt
Optional Toppings & Condiments
chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, sliced black olives, taco sauce, sour cream, avocado or guacamole
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, red pepper, and onion, and break up beef into small bites. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned completely, about 10 minutes. Drain off any excess fat/juices. Then stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
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 diced tomatoes.
Turn heat up just a bit, to medium-high. Cook for 5 minutes with the mixture vigorously bubbling, stirring occasionally, to heat thoroughly and thicken up the juices a bit. Once juices are mostly absorbed, taste test, and add salt and pepper as needed.
Remove skillet from heat. Fold in 8 ounces of the shredded cheese. Then transfer mixture to prepared baking dish, spreading into an even layer.
Line up tater tots across the top, leaving a 1" border of beef mixture showing around the entire perimeter. Sprinkle tater tots with garlic powder and salt.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Then turn on broiler to brown the tater tots until nicely golden and crisped, about 3-5 minutes.
Remove baking dish from oven and sprinkle remaining 2 ounces of the shredded cheese over the browned tater tots. Broil for another minute or so, just until cheese is melted and starting to blister.
Remove baking dish from oven and sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, and reserved sliced black olives, if desired. Serve with additional taco condiments, such as sour cream, taco sauce, avocado, and/or guacamole — see more serving suggestions in post section "How To Serve".
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.