Impress everyone with this totchos recipe! Tater tot nachos are endless fun, crispy and loaded with all the best toppings.

Looking for fun party food, or a tasty appetizer dinner? One word for you: Totchos! Just as you’d imagine, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside tots are just the thing for loading with nachos toppings. This Totchos recipe is our favorite way to make them: topped with black beans, corn, pico, guacamole, sour cream and lots of cheese. Here are the tricks to making your own pan of tater tot nachos!

What are totchos?

Tater tot nachos, aka totchos, are nachos where tater tots stand in for the tortilla chips. Mix up the toppings while the tots bake and you’ve got a hearty appetizer or even dinner. It’s unclear who invented tachos, but they’ve captured popular imagination and you can now find them on restaurant and bar menus.

We first tasted Totchos years ago at a restaurant in Montana, of all places! Around a table with my family and mugs of microbrew, we experienced the magic of totchos: crispy fried potatoes topped with black beans, avocado mash, and a white queso sauce. Between the “Mmmm’s”, Alex and I caught each others’ eyes. We’ve got to try this at home.

Ingredients in tater tot nachos

This Totchos recipe is an idea template: like with standard nachos, you can load them up with just about anything you like. This list of toppings is the combination of ingredients that we love. One thing to remember: you’ll want a good contrast of dry and gooey ingredients. In our opinion, the guacamole steals the show and is absolutely required here. Here’s what you’ll need for tater tot nachos:

• Frozen tater tots: look for a high quality brand with natural ingredients if possible! Our favorite is Alexia (or try homemade tater tots if you’re feeling adventurous)
• Black beans
• Spices: Garlic powder, chili powder, cumin
• Cilantro
• Red onion and green onion
• Jalapeño pepper
• Mexican-style blend shredded cheese
• Pico de gallo
• Corn
• Guacamole
• Sour cream (or Vegan Nacho Cheese or Cashew Cream)

Tips for serving this totchos recipe

Totchos is a very simple concept, but there are a few things to note about this recipe.

• Use either 1 pound or 1 ½ pounds. The topping amount should work for up to 1 ½ pounds tots, so use more if you’re expecting hearty appetites.
• Prep the toppings while the tots bake. You’ll want to serve the tots right away when they’re hot, so use this time to chop and assemble everything.
• When getting creative with toppings, make sure to balance gooey with dry textures. The tots and melted cheese are dry on their own, so be generous with the dollops of guacamole and sour cream to carry the dish. Or, use a queso sauce! See below.

More topping ideas

This totchos recipe is a template for you to get creative! There are lots of other ways to top your tater tot nachos. Here are some additional ideas to get your wheels turning:

Notes on vegan tater tot nachos

Tater tots are naturally vegan, so it’s easy to make this recipe into a dairy-free or vegan recipe! Here’s what to do:

• Omit the cheese
• Use Cashew Cream or Vegan Nacho Cheese in place of the sour cream. We highly recommend the nacho cheese, as it helps to add back the savory, cheesy flavor. If you don’t have to time to make homemade, Siete Foods also sells a great vegan queso.

More nacho recipes

Are you a nachos fan like we are? Try these spins on the classic: