Upgrade Frozen Tater Tots Into A Filling Meal With One Hearty Topping

From the freezer to the air fryer (or perhaps the oven), frozen tater tots are just a few button presses away from becoming a last-minute side dish or the answer to your midnight hunger pangs. As a full-blown meal, however, they might need something a bit more than that, and it’s a good thing the solution is already sitting in your pantry. You won’t even need to reach far, considering how near and dear canned chili is to everyday dinner routines.

Tater tots and canned chili are both comfort foods that bring the nostalgia, albeit in slightly different ways. Whereas frozen tater tots highlight potatoes’ earthy savoriness, boosted by the tender crisp exterior, canned chili is all about that hearty depth. One satisfies the most spontaneous munchies; the other warms your soul from within. When the two meet, possibly over melted cheese or imbued in the decadent warmth of the oven, you get all of that magic in one go. The chili surrounds the tater tots with its tomato-rich tang and spice-laden goodness, like a luscious sauce you never knew they needed. Tater tots, in return, give the chili somewhere to land, every bite seemingly more impactful with the starchy richness underneath. Together, they make for a dish that’s heartier than chili alone and far more exciting than those plain ole’ tots you’ve become familiar with.

There are so many creative ways to use frozen tater tots, especially when they are paired with canned chili. A chili tots casserole is one glorious example. Of course, you will need to layer ground beef and shredded cheese in between these two ingredients for a more decadent outcome. If you happen to have some tomatoes nearby, throw them into the baking pan for more flavor. Similarly, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are how you give the dish the most vibrant kick of heat, with a hint of smokiness to match the chili’s already smoky undertone. From there on, you can even make a cowboy casserole with the addition of canned veggies and taco seasoning mix.

These same ingredients also make for a pretty robust main course when tossed together in a skillet. You can turn them into a breakfast hash simply by laying a fried (or poached) egg over top, or serve them as is with a dollop of sour cream — as you would with classic chili. Moreover, you can even use the canned version of classic Cincinnati chili, only this time, instead of spaghetti, it’s bulked up by tater tot bites.

Alternatively, a sheet pan full of tater tots, smothered in chili, a melted cheese sauce, and a bit of salsa will give you a very distinctive nacho spin-off. This dish, known primarily by the portmanteau totcho, can be many things. It’s fantastic as a main course or the centerpiece of a game day feast, but you might also like it just as much for a late-night snack or crowd-pleasing appetizer.