Totchos

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/1/21
totchos

The Spruce / Leah Maroney

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 pan
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
785 Calories
49g Fat
56g Carbs
33g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 785
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 49g 63%
Saturated Fat 23g 115%
Cholesterol 120mg 40%
Sodium 2482mg 108%
Total Carbohydrate 56g 20%
Dietary Fiber 5g 16%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 33g
Vitamin C 15mg 77%
Calcium 718mg 55%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 982mg 21%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

We've all heard of nachos, but totchos? It's like tater tots and nachos had a baby and, trust us, they're seriously out of this world.

Make a big tray for Sunday football or taco Tuesday. They can be a complete meal or a super hearty appetizer. To assemble, all you have to do is cover crispy tots in an easy homemade chipotle queso, tons of shredded pepper jack cheese, seasoned meat, salsa, scallions, and jalapeños. No one will be able to keep their hands off this tray of goodness and you're definitely going to need to pass around some forks and napkins—it gets messy in the best way.

The possibilities are truly endless with totchos because you can basically top them with anything savory. There are a ton of variations below, ranging from breakfast-style to Buffalo chicken. Try the traditional recipe and just mix up the meats—chorizo, shredded beef, chicken, and bacon are all great additions.

Ingredients

  • 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen tater tots

  • 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

  • 1 1/2 cups al pastor meat, or seasoned ground beef

  • 2 to 3 jalapeños, sliced

  • 1/4 cup diced red onion

  • 1/3 cup salsa

  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions

For the Chipotle Queso:

  • 1 pound Velveeta cheese block

  • 2 chipotle peppers

  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

  • 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients for the tots.

    totchos ingredients

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  2. Spread the tater tots over an aluminum-lined baking sheet. Bake in a 425 F oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Turn halfway through baking to make sure they are crispy on all sides.

    baked tater tots on a sheet pan

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  3. Gather the ingredients for the chipotle queso.

    Chipotle queso ingredients

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  4. While the tots are baking, heat the queso in a small crock pot or in the microwave until smooth and completely melted. Stir the queso frequently until it has melted.

    chipotle queso ingredients in a small crock pot

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  5. Layer the pepper jack cheese over the crispy tots and place the pan back in the oven until the cheese has melted and is browned slightly.

    Tater tots with melted cheese on top

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

  6. Heat up your taco or al pastor meat if needed. Spread the meat over the totchos.

  7. Top with some of the chipotle queso, onions, jalapeños, scallions, and more pepper jack if you want them extra cheesy. Serve immediately.

Tips

  • You must bake the tater tots before adding cheese. If you don't, the tots will not be crispy enough and they won't cook all the way through.
  • Add as much cheese to the tots as you want. If you want to melt the cheese quickly, just place it under the broiler. Make sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

Recipe Variations

  • Sub in sweet potato tater tots for the classic potato tots.
  • Chicken Bacon Ranch: Top with warm shredded chicken, ranch dressing, crumbled crispy bacon, and scallions.
  • Cheesy Chili: Top with homemade chili, shredded cheddar, sliced scallions, and dollops of sour cream.
  • Baked Potato: Top with shredded cheddar, dollops of sour cream, chopped chives, and crumbled crispy bacon.
  • Bacon, Egg, and Cheese: Top with shredded cheddar, cooked scrambled eggs, crumbled crispy bacon, and hot sauce.
  • Buffalo Chicken: Smother the tots with warm shredded rotisserie chicken, Buffalo wing sauce, ranch or blue cheese dressing, and chopped celery.

Who Invented Totchos?

Jim Parker of Oaks Bottom Public House in Oregon is the credited inventor of totchos or Tater Tot nachos.