Loaded Tater Tots

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Servings: 12
Yield: 12 servings

Description

These loaded tater tots are baked with crisp bacon, sour cream, and shallots for a rich, cheesy, crowd-pleasing casserole great for tailgate snacking.

Ingredients

1 (32 ounce) package frozen bite-size potato nuggets (such as Tater Tots®)
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons sour cream, or to taste

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2 Spread potato nuggets in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3 Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
4 Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook bacon in the hot skillet, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, then chop coarsely and set aside.
5 Make sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir shallot in hot butter until fragrant. Stir in flour and cook until light golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and sour cream; stir until smooth and thick, about 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and nutmeg. Stir in 1 cup Cheddar cheese until fully melted.
6 Transfer potato nuggets to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle bacon on top. Pour cheese sauce over nuggets. Cover with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.
7 Bake in the preheated oven just until cheese melts, about 7 minutes. Garnish with green onions and sour cream to serve.