Tater Tot Nachos (Loaded Blue Cheese Burger Totchos)

These Tater Tot Nachos (Blue Cheese Burger Totchos) are everything you love about a juicy blue cheese bacon burger, just layered over crispy, golden tater tots instead of a bun. It's comfort food meets party food in the very best way! We're talking sizzling ground beef tossed with tangy ketchup, then topped with smoky bacon, blue cheese crumbles, and chives. It's SO good!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• A total crowd-pleaser: These totchos are a guaranteed hit at parties, game day gatherings, or any casual dinner. Everyone loves tater tots, and loading them with burger toppings just takes it to the next level.
• Quick and easy to make: With minimal prep and ingredients you likely already have on hand, this recipe is weeknight-friendly and stress-free.
• Customizable: Not a fan of blue cheese? Swap it out for any cheese you like! Want to add pickles or jalapeños? Go for it. You can easily tweak this dish to fit your tastes.
• It's comfort food with a twist: It combines the flavors of burger night with the fun of loaded nachos. Tater tot nachos are crispy, cheesy, and flavorful in all the right ways.
• Great for leftovers: If you somehow have any leftovers, just reheat and enjoy them all over again. They'll always taste best right after serving but they're still pretty good (and perfect for lunch)!

What Are Tater Tot Nachos?

Tater Tot Nachos (aka "totchos") are exactly what they sound like: a fun twist on traditional nachos using crispy tater tots in place of tortilla chips. Instead of loading your nachos on a bed of chips, you use golden-brown tater tots as the base, then pile on your favorite toppings.

In this version, we're channeling the flavors of a classic blue cheese bacon burger. Seasoned ground beef, crispy bacon, melty blue cheese crumbles, and a drizzle of blue cheese dressing is layered over hot, crispy tots and finished with red onions and chives. It's insanely satisfying!

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this easy recipe:

• 1 (32 oz) package frozen tater tots: The crispy base for your totchos. Use your favorite brand or go with extra-crispy tater tots.
• 1 lb lean ground beef: Go with 85-90% lean.
• ½ cup ketchup: Adds a classic burger flavor to the beef.
• ½ cup crumbled cooked bacon: Salty, smoky, and adds more crispy texture.
• ½ cup blue cheese dressing: Drizzled over the tots for extra flavor and creaminess.
• ½ cup blue cheese crumbles: Crumbled over the top for loads of blue cheese flavor.
• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion: A nice balance to the blue cheese.
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives: Adds a nice pop of green.
• Optional: A drizzle of hot sauce, diced pickles, or crispy fried onions for even more burger flavor.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Cook the Bacon: If you haven't already cooked your bacon, now's the time. Fry it in a skillet or cook in the oven until it's crispy, then chop or crumble it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Bake the Tater Tots: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Spread the tater tots in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake according to the package directions, or until they're extra crispy and golden brown. (Crispier tots = better totchos!)
3. Cook the Ground Beef: While the tots are baking, heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the ground beef until browned and no longer pink. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the ketchup and simmer for just a few minutes, then remove it from the heat.
4. Assemble the Totchos: Once the tater tots are done, transfer them to a large serving platter or tray (a clean sheet pan works great for this). Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing, then top it with the warm ground beef mixture.
5. Add the Toppings: Sprinkle over the cooked bacon, blue cheese crumbles, red onion, and chives. Add any extras like pickles or hot sauce if you'd like.
6. Serve Immediately: These are best served hot and fresh!

Recipe Variations

This is one of those recipes that can be made with just about any flavors you like! Here are ten ideas for different ways to enjoy your tater tot nachos:

1. Street Taco: Shredded carnitas, pickled red onions, cotija cheese, jalapeños, chopped cilantro, salsa verde and/or chipotle crema, and a squeeze of lime
2. Buffalo Chicken: Shredded buffalo chicken, crumbled blue cheese, chopped celery, green onions, with a ranch or blue cheese dressing drizzle
3. Garlic Parmesan: Roasted garlic, shaved Parmesan, fresh parsley, and crispy pancetta, with garlic aioli or white queso
4. Hawaiian Barbecue: Pulled pork, pineapple chunks, red onion, mozzarella, and a d rizzle of smoky barbecue sauce
5. Loaded Guacamole: Taco-seasoned ground beef, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, shredded cheddar, sour cream or jalapeño lime crema
6. Nacho Supreme: Ground beef, black beans, olives, jalapeños, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and a classic nacho cheese sauce
7. Philly Cheesesteak: Thinly sliced steak, sautéed onions and bell peppers, provolone, cheese whiz or sauce
8. Elote (Mexican Street Corn): Fire-roasted corn, cotija, lime, chili powder, and a creamy mayo-based elote sauce with cilantro
9. Mediterranean: Ground lamb or falafel crumbles, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta, with a tzatziki or lemon tahini drizzle
10. Tex-Mex Chorizo: Mexican chorizo, black beans, pickled jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, with avocado crema or chipotle ranch

Tips for Perfect Totchos

1. Get the tots extra crispy: Bake the tater tots a little longer than the package suggests to get them extra crispy, especially since they'll soften slightly once the toppings are added.
2. Drain excess grease: If you're using beef or any other fatty meat, make sure to drain it well after browning. This keeps your totchos from getting soggy.
3. Layer with intention: For the best bites, layer your toppings evenly across the pan. It helps to do two smaller layers (tots, toppings, then repeat) so nothing gets lost under a mountain of cheese.
4. Use quality cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible, because it melts better and avoids the anti-caking agents that comes with store-bought shredded cheese.
5. Finish with the cold garnishes on top: Add fresh toppings at the end to keep them cool (like chopped onions or tomatoes, herbs, or sour cream).
6. Make it your own: Tater Tot Nachos are a blank canvas! Swap the protein, mix up the cheeses, or add something fun like crushed chips, avocado, or hot sauce.
7. Serve immediately: They're best served hot and fresh. If they sit too long, the tots can lose their crispiness.
8. Keep sauces separate for a crowd: Whenever I'm serving these to a group, I like to leave sauces like sour cream, guacamole, or dressings on the side so everyone can customize their own serving.

Storage, Reheating & Make-Ahead Tips

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you're prepping ahead or expecting leftovers, store the tots and toppings separately whenever possible to help prevent sogginess.

Reheating

• Oven: Preheat to 400ºF and bake tots on a sheet pan for 8-10 minutes or until hot and crispy.
• Air fryer: 375ºF for 5-6 minutes works great to crisp everything up.

If possible, reheat the ground beef separately in the microwave or stovetop and add it after the tots are hot. Fresh garnishes (onions, herbs, sauces) should be added after reheating.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prep Ahead: You can cook the ground beef mixture, bacon, and chop garnishes in advance. Store everything separately in the fridge.
• Day-of Assembly: Bake the tots and reheat your toppings just before serving. This keeps everything hot and crispy.
• Don't pre-assemble: Don't assemble them in advance, as the tater tots will absorb moisture from the toppings and lose their crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're as obsessed with nachos as I am, you're definitely going to want to check out my other nachos recipes! My healthy nachos are packed with lighter, wholesome toppings without skimping on flavor (yes, it's possible!). If you're after a foolproof method, this oven-baked nachos recipe walks you through all the best tips for crisp chips and gooey cheese every time. Then there's loaded fries, made with crispy fries instead of chips! And don't miss the cauliflower nachos with buffalo sauce - they're spicy, flavorful, and SO addictive (plus a sneaky way to get some veggies in)!

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Blue Cheese Burger Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos)

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

All of your favorite flavors and ingredients from a Blue Cheese Burger served over tater tots to create Totchos - an easy, crowd-pleasing dish!

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Ingredients

• 1 pkg tater tots (32 oz)
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup blue cheese dressing
• ½ cup cooked, crumbled bacon
• ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
• 2 tablespoon chopped red onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Instructions

1. Bake the tater tots as directed on package, either in the oven or the air fryer.
2. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Carefully drain any excess grease. Stir in the ketchup and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
3. Spread the hot tater tots onto a large serving platter or a clean sheet pan.
4. Drizzle with the dressing, then add the ground beef mixture, bacon, blue cheese crumbles, chopped red onions, and the fresh chives.
5. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 313mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 13g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is a five-time cookbook author, travel writer, and culinary instructor who has been developing recipes for national brands since 2009. A former personal chef, she learned to cook from her mother and grandmother before refining her skills at the Culinary Institute of America’s Boot Camp.

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