Pepperoni Totchos – Tater tots are tossed in an herb butter, covered with mozzarella cheese and mini pepperoni and served with marinara sauce to make the best tater tot nachos you’ve ever had!
Football season is among us, people! We put on our first football game the other night and it felt so good. It signaled the beginning of cooler weather, oversized scarves, and delicious tailgate foods. Yay!
We are choosing to stay home for football games this year so we’ll be enjoying it from our living room and cozy couch. I actually prefer it this way, health crisis or not, so bring on the homegating!
To celebrate the start of the season, I have a new sharable treat for you. It’s a recipe for these Pepperoni Totchos. I looooove totchos. They’re just as they sound – nachos made from tater tots. No tortilla chips here! They’re easy to make at home but much more exciting than boring chips.
But before we dive into the recipe, let’s take some time to looks at these yummy totchos!
Making these totchos
Just like nachos, totchos come together super fast. You are simply layering toppings on top of tater tots. How simple is that?
But before you can start layering, the tots have to be cooked and crispy. Otherwise, they will be all soggy under all the toppings. So bake or fry the frozen tots according to the directions on the package before getting started on the totchos.
Next, toss the cooked tots in an herb butter made by adding Italian seasoning to melted butter. This step ensures that the tots are coated in delicious flavor.
Then, place the tots in an even layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella, and mini pepperoni. I like using mini pepperoni because it ensures that you get pepperoni in every bite without being too overpowering.
Finally, the tots are baked for 10 minutes to melt the cheese and crisp the pepperoni. Remove from the oven and serve with marinara sauce for dipping.
Tips & Tricks
- If you can’t find fin mini pepperoni, simply buy normal pepperoni and cut into quarters.
- Make sure the tots are cooked and crispy before you continue layering on toppings. Otherwise, the tots will get soggy and yucky.
- These tots are best served warm. They come together so fast, though, so no need to do any prep ahead of time.
Loaded Totchos
Ingredients
- 1 32-ounce bag frozen tater tots
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3 ounces mini pepperoni
Instructions
- Cook tater tots according to package instructions. Add melted butter and Italian seasoning to a large bowl and mix together. Add cooked tots and toss into melted herb butter.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay buttery cooked tots onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the tots. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese and mini pepperoni over the cooked tater tots. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted. Remove from oven. Serve immediately with marinara sauce.
Nadalie Bardo says
How have I never heard of Totchos before? Is this an American thing? They look tasty.
Bella says
oh these look so tasty!!! such a great recipe! tarter tots are m fav!!
Marta says
My kids will love making these. Thank you for sharing!
Kristen Wood says
My kids loved these, thanks so much!!
Beth says
These are so delicious and perfect for gatherings that are just a hit here every time! Excited to make these for our movie night tomorrow,so yummy and easy to make!
Tisha says
My kids are going to love these!!
Alejandra says
What a great recipe, this is the perfect snack food for a casual night when I have friends over!
Andrea says
What a fantastic recipe for game day or just the weekend to snack on. The whole family will love this.
Serena says
Such a fun take on nachos. Can’t wait to try this!