Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe · i am a food blog (2024)

Do you ever wonder why tater-tots are only served by Mexican fast food joints? Why are tater-tots Mexican and French fries French? These are the kinds of deep questions that flow through my mind at 4 in the morning after marathon watching seven episodes of MasterChef Junior.

Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe · i am a food blog (1)

The tots were on my mind because, as we were watching those adorable kids cooking fancy things like chicken roulades and beef wellington, we had to get our snack on. My snack of choice: tater tot nachos, with an egg on top, of course! It wasn’t fancy, but I’m pretty sure the kids would approve.

Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe · i am a food blog (2)

A little late night googling revealed that tater tots aren’t Mexican at all. Like so many delicious foods, they were invented by Ore-Ida to use up their leftover scraps from french fries. Did you know that Ore-Ida is a combination of Oregon and Idaho? Their factory is on the edge of Oregon, right near Idaho. Wikipedia never fails to amaze me and I’m not saying that sarcastically!

Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe · i am a food blog (3)

Bonus info: tater tots are also known as juliennes, potato puffs, potato gems, potato royals, potato pom-poms and spud puppies. Whatever they’re called, they’re delicious, especially topped with jalapeños, fried eggs and cheese. I threw fried eggs on top because even though people say that the food trend of throwing an egg on it is so over, I’m not one to be afraid of kicking it old school. Nothing beats runny eggs and potatoes. Plus, putting an egg on top means it’s breakfast, right?

Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe
serves 4

  • 1 package tater tots
  • eggs, as many as desired
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 jalapeño, sliced
  • sliced green onions
  • chopped cilantro
  • sriracha or hot sauce, if desired
  • sour cream, if desired

Bake the tater tots on a lined baking tray according to the package. While baking, fry eggs sunny side up and set aside.

When the tots are done, remove from the oven and top with cheese, jalapeños and green onions. Bake until the cheese is melty and delicious. Remove from the oven and top with sunny side up eggs, cilantro, hot sauce and sour cream. Enjoy immediately.

Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe · i am a food blog (4)

38 Comments

  1. November 12, 2013 at 11:25 am

    This looks crazy delicious, and I now have a craving for it! (And I agree that the egg on top trend will never die for me. I’d eat one on just about anything.)

    Reply

  2. Sophie says:

    November 12, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    This looks AWESOME. It looks simpler than regular chip nachos, even — maybe because I’m too concerned with getting cheese/toppings on every single chip surface.

    Thankfully, at least in my lil’ Oregon town, tater tots are not just familiar on Mexican resaurant menus, but most bars serve a version (Cajun tots, side of sriacha mayo, sweet potato tots, etc) on their starter menus. I LOVE THEM. Move over, Napoleon!

    Reply

  3. JK says:

    November 13, 2013 at 5:11 am

    This looks pretty tasty, you can never go wrong with eggs, cheese, potato, and jalapeño for breakfast! I’m not sure where you got the idea that tater tots are a “Mexican” food, do you live in a place where there is no Mexican food? I’m genuinely curious. Here in San Antonio, tater tots generally accompany things like burger, hot dogs, and kids meals.

    Reply

  4. Jeff says:

    November 13, 2013 at 8:58 am

    Maybe it’s a Canadian oe western thing. On the east coast of the US, tater tots aren’t associated with Mexican food at all. We eat them at fast food joints, school lunch rooms, and as substitutes for fries at home. However, I’ve never seen them served with Mexican food here in the Southeast, or really anywhere else.

    As usual, your recipe looks great. Love your blog.

    Reply

  5. Jessica says:

    November 13, 2013 at 2:55 pm

    My husband would love this! Ha ha tater tots remind me of the movie Napoleon Dynamite!

    Reply

  6. Joy says:

    November 13, 2013 at 7:17 pm

    Be still my heart! Jalapenos, tater tots and nachos!

    Reply

  7. November 14, 2013 at 12:23 am

    Weekend breakfast… Done.

    Reply

  8. Sylvia says:

    November 15, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    Droolz

    Reply

  9. James says:

    February 22, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    This looks really tasty, I will have it. Come to Portland. Ore. sometime. You can get tater tots at most bars and some restaurants.

    Reply

  10. Julie says:

    November 11, 2014 at 8:38 pm

    Great idea!!! I am going to add in some chorizo for a little extra kick;)

    Reply

  11. November 17, 2014 at 3:35 pm

    Wow!! So simple yet i don’t think I would have ever thought of this!! Can’t wait to try it, thank u!!

    Reply

  12. Bec says:

    April 11, 2015 at 11:08 pm

    Yes please!

    Reply

  13. Bad Girl says:

    June 6, 2015 at 10:30 pm

    I like my tater tots mashed into a flat mass, fried in bacon grease on both sides so it is CRAZY crisp. Top with crumbled bacon, cheddar and american slices. Broil. Top with bacon grease fried eggs, salsa and sour cream. Scoop up with warm flour tortillas after you’ve gooped it up some or shovel directly into my mouth. Chase with a bloody mary or a beer or coffee. Oink. OK not oink because that would make me a cannibal. Slurpburpole!

    Reply

  14. Ben says:

    March 15, 2016 at 12:16 am

    I totally agree with you, put an egg on ANYthing and it’s a breakfast.

    Reply

  15. Dee says:

    December 24, 2018 at 1:32 pm

    I tried this and it was really enjoyable! I cut the recipe down for one and had it as a breakfast for dinner thing. I also didn’t have cilantro. It’s really good.

    Reply

    1. Stephanie says:

      December 26, 2018 at 12:25 pm

      breakfast for dinner is the best! :) thanks for taking the time to comment!

      Reply

  16. Nbtvi says:

    March 11, 2019 at 2:21 am

    U my kinda gal. Enjoy breaky

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Tater Tot Breakfast Nacho Recipe · i am a food blog (2024)

FAQs

Where did Tater Tot nachos come from? ›

Several restaurants in the Pacific Northwest offer a nacho version of tots known as "totchos", covered in nacho cheese sauce and toppings. Totchos were invented by publican Jim Parker in Portland, Oregon.

Are tater tots okay to eat for breakfast? ›

Tater tots are totally acceptable for breakfast, especially in the form of a pizza crust. For this recipe, try using potato rounds for a more flat crust.

What goes well with tater tots for breakfast? ›

My Tater Tot Breakfast Skillet is a fun play on poutine with crispy tater tots covered in scrambled eggs, smooth country gravy, and cheese. Then it's topped off with crispy bacon bits and chopped chives. Oh my.

What meat goes well with tater tots? ›

Just pile tots and your favorite nacho toppings onto romaine lettuce. Add protein with shredded rotisserie chicken, or leftover chili or pulled pork.

What are tater tots called in England? ›

In the UK we call these potato croquettes, which comes from the French word croquet, which means to bite or to crunch. We call them tater tots.

What were tater tots originally called? ›

Tater Tots History and Popularity

Created by Ore-Ida in the 1950s to limit waste during french fry production, tater tots (also known as potato rounds) have come a long way from their humble origin.

Can you eat left out tater tots? ›

The USDA says food that has been left out of the fridge for more than two hours should be thrown away. At room temperature, bacteria grows incredibly fast and can make you sick. Reheating something that has been sitting at room temperature for longer than two hours won't be safe from bacteria.

Can I use hash browns instead of tater tots? ›

Variations and Substitutions

Feel like shaking things up? Here are some ideas: Replace Tater Tots: Use hash browns or even cooked and diced potatoes for a different texture. Cheese Swap: Try gruyere or pepper jack cheese for a different flavor profile.

Are frozen tater tots previously fried? ›

The formed tater tots are then pre-fried in vegetable oil to partially cook them and give them a crisp exterior. After pre-frying, the tater tots are quickly cooled using industrial coolers or freezers to maintain food safety standards and preserve the quality of the product.

How do you keep tater tots from sticking together? ›

To make crispy tater tots, you'll need to preheat the air fryer to 400°F before placing them in it. Don't overcrowd the basket to ensure they cook evenly; put them in a single layer. Using cooking spray will prevent them from sticking and enhance their crispiness.

Does Mcdonalds serve tater tots? ›

McDonald's is introducing tater tots to its menu — officially named Hash Brown Bites — and of course, they're not available in the United Sates. The Hash Brown Bites are at McDonald's Australia, and they're described as "crunchy and golden on the outside and steaming, fluffy potato on the inside." ~FlUfFy PoTaTo~.

What to use instead of tater tots? ›

Zucchini Tots are a low-carb gluten-free alternative to classic tater tots. They've oven-baked, cheesy, tender and perfect as an appetizer!

What kind of fat is in tater tots? ›

Nutrition Facts
Crispy Tater Tots 1 Cup
Saturated Fat2 g
Trans Fat0 g
Cholesterol0 mg
13 more rows

Where was Tater Tot hot dish invented? ›

The first published recipe for hotdish was in a 1930s community cookbook published by the Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid from Mankato, Minnesota. The 90-year-old recipe was submitted by Mrs. C.W. Anderson.

Where did nachos originate from? ›

The common dish known today as nachos originated in Northern Mexico. Nachos are actually a relatively recent dish. So recent in fact that that researchers believe they have traced the original creator in the small Mexican city of Piedras Negras.

What is the history of Totchos? ›

Thirty-odd years before Oaks Bottom Public House owner Jim Parker would be credited with their invention, a proto-totcho recipe appeared in The Oregonian, made with a different potato base. A Portland bar owner is often credited with inventing "totchos," which are tater tots given the nacho treatment.

Where did all these little tater tots come from? ›

These potato pieces were too small for proper fries, but there were too many of them to be discarded. One day in 1953, F. Nephi Grigg came up with a delicious solution: He chopped up the potato scraps, shaped them into bite-size cylinders, then fried them golden and crunchy. Thus were born Ore-Ida Tater Tots.

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