17 *Genius* Ways to Hack a Bag of Frozen Tater Tots
Remember the time you were tempted to buy that bag of frozen tater tots at Costco and totally caved? We’ve all been there, and we all still have the tots sitting in our freezers to prove it. Lucky for you, it doesn’t have to be a complete waste. There are plenty of tater tot recipes out there that are more than capable of bringing out your inner Napoleon Dynamite. The following 17 recipe hacks (including, breakfast casseroles and savory waffles) are sure to use up that whole bag of tater tots and leave you wanting more.
1. Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole: Why eat a cheeseburger with tater tots on the side when you could pile everything on a plate and go to town? You may be skeptical, but you won’t regret it. (via Plain Chicken)
2. Bacon Wrapped Tater Tot Bombs: Say a big HELLO to your new favorite appetizer. These crispy bites of bacon and potato are going to be the talk of every party from here on out. (via Dinner, Then Dessert)
3. Big Mac Tater Tot Nachos: Nachos with chips are so passé. Give a nod to your favorite fast food burger and load up crunchy tots with all the fixings… including the “special sauce.” (via The Girl on Bloor)
4. Buffalo Chicken Tater Tot Nachos: Who doesn’t love a little buffalo chicken action? Pile it on tater tots and top with blue cheese and scallions to get game-day ready. (via Shared Appetite)
5. Cheesy Tater Tot Breakfast Bake: When you think about it, tater tots are *basically* tiny hash browns. Layer them with cheese, eggs and bacon, and they will make an unforgettable brunch casserole. (via Chew Out Loud)
6. Chicken Tater Tot Casserole: If you have picky eaters in the house, they will flock to the table for this dish. It’s cheesy, creamy and knocks it out of the park in the flavor department. (via Gonna Want Seconds)
7. Tater Tot Waffles: Dust off your waffle maker this weekend and be prepared for your life to change forever. Load it up with tater tots and wait for them to become even crispier, top with a runny egg and devour ASAP. (via Damn Delicious)
8. Kicked Up Tater Tot Hotdish: Hotdish is a classic Midwestern dish that frequents almost every potluck. It’s traditionally made with canned cream soups, but here you’ll make everything from scratch. (via The Pioneer Woman)
9. Smoked Gouda and Bacon Loaded Tater Tots: When you’re using a simple store-bought ingredient like frozen tater tots, it’s essential to incorporate gourmet ingredients. Use the finest smoked Gouda to make your cheese sauce and you’ll take everything up a notch. (via Life As a Strawberry)
10. Loaded Tater Tot Skewers: Whether you’re tailgating or watching football at home, these tater tot skewers are the real MVP. Accent with whatever toppings you like, but cheese and bacon are a must. (via Made With Happy)
11. Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole: Overnight guests can be stressful, but not when you have this casserole prepped and ready to go. Although… you may have a problem getting them to leave after they eat. (via Chef in Training)
12. Tater Tot Breakfast Pizza: Pizza is totally acceptable for breakfast, especially when it comes with a tater tot crust. For this recipe, opt for the tater tot rounds to get a flat surface to work with. (via The Gunny Sack)
13. Tater Tot Pizza Casserole: Pizza night will never be the same after you try this easy casserole. For maximum crunch-factor, use a cast iron skillet and bake the tots before topping with cheese and pepperoni. (via Oh Sweet Basil)
14. Tater Tot Chicken Pot Hotdish: This hotdish meets chicken pot pie dish is a genius comfort food mash-up. Bake in one big dutch oven or individual ones for personal portions. (via My Name Is Yeh)
15. Taco Tater Casserole: No taco shells? No problem! Go for a Mexican-style casserole that’s layered with taco meat, beans and cheese. (via The Girl Who Ate Everything)
16. Waffled Tater Tot Grilled Cheese: Once you’ve mastered the art of tater tot waffles, the natural progression is a tater tot grilled cheese waffle. Be sure to serve alongside a steaming bowl of tomato soup for dipping. (via Real Food by Dad)
17. Tater Tot Taco Pizza: This drool-worthy pizza is the best of three worlds. Pizza night, taco Tuesday and tater tot Thursday (that’s a thing, right?) all in one. (via The Gunny Sack)
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