Use whatever toppings you’d like for these totchos – just keep the ratios about the same and you should end up with slightly crisp tater tot nachos that are not soggy. Too many toppings with bog down the tots and will end up making them a bit mushy. It’s not the end of the world, but erring on the side of “less is more” will ensure that the tots end up perfectly cooked and not at all soggy.

These totchos do well when baked on a large baking sheet if you don’t have a cast iron skillet or baking dish. I like the little extra crisp that the cast iron gives these tater tot nachos, but really any baking vessel that you’ve got will work just fine! Just make sure it’s something large enough that the tots can spread out or slightly overlap in.

The tater tots are best when baked from frozen, so no thawing required. In fact, I would recommend not thawing them so that the tots get nice and crispy on the outside.

Any type of cheese will work well for these totchos. I like to use pepper jack, but sharp/medium cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or American will all taste great. I highly recommend getting a block of cheese and shredding it yourself, as opposed to purchasing the pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded cheese is typically coated in cellulose to ensure that it doesn’t clump together, but this also impedes it from melting well. Shredding your own block will ensure that you get the meltiest cheese possible!