17 Delicious Toppings for Fully Loaded Tater Tots

A beloved cousin of french fries and hash browns, tater tots are ideal when you want to enjoy a potato dish in a different format. And while you can always dunk them in your favorite dipping sauce once they’re cooked, we suggest loading tater tots up with your favorite toppings to impart additional flavor, texture, and color.

Simply put, there’s a lot of room for creativity when it comes to making loaded tater tots, particularly in regards to combining taste and texture. To help you create the best loaded tots out there, we’ve listed some of the best and most flavor topping options for the potato side dish.

We’ll discuss what each ingredient offers as a tater tot topping, in addition to suggestions for pairing your loaded tots. The great thing about this list is that many of the toppings work marvelously together, creating a harmonious mixture that you’ll crave well after eating them. You can make them from scratch or grab from your favorite frozen tater tot brand. Either way, you’re going to have a lot of inspiration once you read this list.

Cheese may be an obvious choice for topping your loaded potato dish, but there’s so much room for variation when picking your desired cheese. You can go with any type of cheddar cheese, for instance — we love an aged cheddar to give it a more complex profile — but you can essentially pick anything your heart desires.

Mozzarella will offer a stringy cheese pull as you pick up your tater tot, which can also enhance the aesthetic appeal. Monterrey jack and pepper jack melt quite nicely, while the latter offers a peppery punch to your dish. Alternatively, you could find inspiration from nachos and use a cheesy sauce to load up your tots.

With that in mind, try making loaded Tex-Mex tater tots that include a homemade cheese sauce with cheddar cheese, cayenne, and cornstarch. There’s no wrong cheese or wrong way to use it. Plus, queso offers a creamy mouthfeel and a satisfying base that goes well with other ingredients, such as scallions, black beans, and salsa.

Since chili cheese fries are a thing, why not chili tater tots? This fairly popular option can be made with homemade chili if you have it, though canned versions are often just as good (and take less effort).

Now, chili is almost a catch-all item to include on this list because the flavorful topping contains multiple ingredients (such as beans, various spices, and tomatoes). On that note, it can turn an appetizer into a filling meal, especially if your chili has any added vegetables — green and red bell peppers work beautifully — or a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.

Keep in mind that this has the potential to be quite messy. To make things easier, be sure to spoon the chili onto your tots in strategic areas rather than simply pouring it over the entire thing. You may want to use a fork or spoon to eat the finished product, too, so you aren’t handling the chili with your hands.

Give your tot dish a colorful boost and an acidic umami component with tomatoes. Granted, tomatoes shouldn’t be a standalone topping for loaded tater tots, but they can play nicely with a plethora of other ingredients.

We recommend dicing tomatoes, then setting them aside for a moment to drain excess liquid; the added moisture can turn your food soggy very quickly otherwise. Canned tomatoes are as effective as freshly diced tomatoes, as well, so feel free to go that route. You could also use a smaller tomato, like a cherry tomato, and slice it in half or into coins for a different look and flavor profile. After all, cherry tomatoes tend to be slightly sweet.

Tomatoes will stand out among the landscape of beige from the potatoes and cheese, bringing a brightness to your tots. They’re also fantastic if you want to make a vegan tot dish, particularly with guacamole, pickled jalapeños, and vegan cheese sauce.

Ranch dressing is a beloved dipping sauce for many dishes, so using it on tater tots is well within the realm of reason. Like cheese or sour cream, ranch dressing can provide a creamy, fragrant, and herby profile to loaded tots. In fact, if you make a homemade version of the dressing, you can liberally add as many herbs as you’d like (think parsley, dill, chives, and garlic) for a thoroughly enjoyable and flavor-packed condiment.

To ensure you get a hint of flavor in every bite, drizzle it over the top of your dish. Some ranches are thinner while others are thicker; both are completely tasty, though, and offer a different consistency to your dish. Pair your ranch with crispy, salty bacon, lots of shredded cheese, and scallions for a bacon and ranch-centric side dish. You can even add ground beef or shredded chicken for a protein-rich meal. 

If you want a topping that appeals to the masses, you can’t go wrong with something like sour cream. It has a familiar flavor and a rich, creamy mouthfeel, but it also has the added bonus of the tanginess promised by the name.

Sour cream brings more than one note to your dish without being off-putting. Adults and kids alike are familiar with the dairy product, making it a good option when making a loaded tater tot meal for the family. You can place a spoonful in different areas of the tray to incorporate it, or turn the sour cream into a sauce. To do so, add a small amount of water, milk, or lime juice to thin it out, making it more of a drizzle than a dollop. This will provide a more aesthetically pleasing option, since you can create zig zags or another desired design. Additionally, sour cream pairs well with other classics like chopped tomatoes, bacon, and scallions.

You can top loaded tater tots with cooked ground beef for a nice protein boost alongside the carbohydrates. When seasoned, the meat brings a lot of flavor, enhancing the overall profile of your potato dish.

With that in mind, we suggest using a prepared taco seasoning when making ground beef for tots, or making a batch yourself (like this smoky taco seasoning made with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and other spices). A homemade mix can also be used in a range of additional dishes and meats beyond tater tots, so it’s worth preparing.

This tasty topping can be combined with any number of other ingredients to create the ultimate loaded tater tots — one your family will dream of for weeks to come. Furthermore, ground beef loaded tater tots taste great with Colby Jack cheese, pickled jalapeños, salsa, and shredded lettuce.

One of the best things about guacamole is that you don’t have to make it the same way twice in a row. You can add a little flair every time you make it, whether you keep it simple or incorporate added spices and ingredients for more flavor and texture. Whichever way you prefer to make it, it can be a fantastic enhancement to your loaded taters.

For instance, a handful of fresh cilantro can provide an uplifting and fragrant addition to your guac. You could give it more complexity with red onions, chives, jalapeños, tomatoes, and pepitas, as well, while spices like cumin, pepper, and cayenne can add dimension and heat. It all depends on what you’re in the mood for. Simply put, this flavorful and comforting green topping pairs beautifully with numerous other ingredients.

Try adding spoonfuls throughout the tot dish to bring a colorful component that livens up your food. You can also use it as cooling element against the warmth of the tater tots (and other toppings) — unless the guacamole is loaded with chiles, that is.

If you’re seeking hearty ways to boost your tater tots with protein, you might want to consider something like chicken. You can opt for shredded chicken, diced — whatever works best for you. We love the simplicity of incorporating rotisserie chicken, for instance, as it’s cooked, saving you some prep time. However, you can make the poultry yourself if you prefer.

One option is grilled chicken, which adds a fantastic smoky element. You can season your cooked poultry with chipotle and lime for a spicy yet tangy element, too, that’ll have you drooling with every bite. This flavor profile tastes delicious with a range of other toppings, like guacamole, salsa, and a rich cheese sauce.

Additionally, you can go a different route by making Buffalo chicken tots instead, which blends the buttery heat you get from a homemade Buffalo sauce with chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese, and scallions. The sauce gives your creation a reddish hue to add a visual element. Drizzle the sauce over the prepared and loaded tater tots so you can ensure you get a bit of heat in each bite.

Since hash browns are associated with breakfast, there’s no reason we can’t turn loaded tater tots into a more morning-associated option, as well. To achieve this, try topping your spuds with a fried egg or two (or more, if preferred).

Now, if you opt for a multi-egg option with this tater tot topping, avoid cooking the eggs separately. Instead, cook them together in one pan so they establish a larger surface area to cover your tots, in addition to being a time saver. A runnier yolk can add more flavor and a touch of liquid to the dish, providing a satisfying savory addition, too.

More than that, these loaded tater tots are a great meal option at multiple times of day. Serve them at a Sunday brunch with friends or family, for example, perhaps with crumbled bacon, avocado or guacamole, cheese, and scallions. A sprinkle of salt and pepper on your eggs, and you’re good to go (try a flavored salt, like garlic rosemary, for more depth).

Given how often we’ve mentioned jalapeños as a compliment to other loaded tot toppings, you might’ve caught on that they’re a great topping option for the potato dish. The peppers work well with numerous ingredients (including sour cream, bacon, green onions, and shredded cheese), and are particularly pleasing when you want to incorporate flavor elements beyond savory ones. The colorful and spicy chili pepper brings heat, especially if you leave the ribs and pith (the inner portion of the chili), which contains the most capsaicin.

Now, you can opt for pickled jalapeños when you want a little more of a vinegary tang. These are a bit softer, so you won’t get the same snappy bite of a fresh one, but the pickled options bring a multifaceted nature to your dish. It’s very easy to purchase pickled jalapeños at the store, as well, making it a convenient option to keep in the pantry or fridge.

Start by taking out the desired amount of pickled jalapeños, chopping them, and allowing them to drain. They retain a lot of liquid, after all, and you don’t want your potato dish turning soggy the moment they come in contact with each other.

When you’re looking for a new topping for loaded tots, look no further than the powerhouse ingredient that is kimchi. This fermented condiment is often made with cabbage and other veggies (like carrots and radishes), which can be a wonderful way to incorporate vegetables into your spud-loaded meal.

To be sure, making kimchi is a lengthy process, but it’s also a labor of love. The cabbage is washed, drained, chopped, salted, and then covered in a paste made from ingredients like garlic, ginger, onion, hot pepper flakes, fermented salt shrimp, and fish sauce. The result is the fragrant and flavorful kimchi that you can’t help but devour.

Of course, while you can absolutely make it yourself, store-bought kimchi is a flavorful option, too. Top the spuds with the kimchi, green onion, and cheese, baking everything in a dish until the cheese melts and the kimchi browns. This is the ideal meal to make when you crave something packed with tangy heat that goes beyond pickled jalapeños.

Black olives are the perfect loaded tater tot option when you want a salty and briny addition. It gives a chewy texture that can help balance any crispy or soft elements in your meal, and you don’t have to load them up to enjoy the taste (though you’re certainly welcome to) as a little goes a long way.

You can use canned sliced olives or slice them yourself; either way, we recommend cutting them into smaller pieces. They can be a little chewy when eaten whole, after all, which might mess with the mouthfeel of the rest of the ingredients. Top the tots with beans, cheese, jalapeños, cilantro, pico de gallo, and olives for a meal that’s as eye-catching as it is tasty. Since some people aren’t big fans of olives, you can also choose to place them on half of the tater tots, or put olives in a separate dish so they can be sprinkled on each person’s plate individually.

Corn is a staple addition to loaded tater tots, especially paired with ingredients like black beans, tomatoes, and salsa; you’ll often find these items together in other types of dishes, too, because they are associated with Mexican flavors that we know and love. Fresh corn cob, frozen corn, or canned sweet corn works great (as long as you drain the liquid), but we encourage you to take it a step further. 

For robust flavor, try charring your ear of corn on the grill or gas stove top before topping the tater tots. For a different option, you can easily find fire-roasted canned corn that incorporates the smoky flavor component without having to do any extra work. Pair the corn with pulled pork, guacamole, a generous sprinkle of cheese, sour cream, and cilantro for the ultimate loaded tater tots. This version creates a satiating dinner that’s fantastic when you want something outside of the standard dinner rotation.

While we mentioned a brunch-centric loaded tater tot dish earlier, we’re circling back to that mealtime with a different flavor profile. This time around, we suggest using gravy to coat your spuds.

You can pair the rich, salty condiment with plenty of dishes, like fried eggs with sausages, sliced bell peppers, onion, and cheese. It’s a mouth-watering option to eat in the morning with the family that doesn’t involve pancakes. It’s filling — with a bit of veggies, protein, and carbohydrates — and unlike your average breakfast.

You could even do a poutine-inspired tot dish with cheese curds and gravy. This is the perfect dish to make for a game day appetizer or even a movie night. The umami profile of gravy might not be the first thing you think of with tater tots, but you should give it a try. Our only suggestion is to use a thicker gravy. After all, if it’s too liquidy, you risk your taters turning to mush.

It’s high time cilantro gets a spotlight as an option for loaded tater tots. Fresh herbs can liven up any dish they touch, which is the case when using cilantro with tots. It brings its classic vibrant green hue into the mix to bring a focal point to your tater tot dish.

Between its flavor, aroma, and color, cilantro is an excellent pick for the potato dish. The herb has a lemony, peppery flavor that can help lighten the heaviness of fried crispy tater tots — particularly if they’re also topped with other items like sour cream, cheese, ground beef, or bacon. To use it, simply chop or tear the cilantro into pieces, then sprinkle it over your spuds.

Cilantro also works well with diverse ingredients, so you don’t have to fret about what to match it with. Alternatively, if you don’t want the cilantro to be front and center, you could mix it into something like salsa or beans instead.

There are many unique ways to jazz up your tater tot dish, like involving teriyaki sauce. In fact, if you’re bored with ranch, ketchup, and other sauces, then this multi-dimensional savory condiment is the way to go.

Teriyaki sauce is a delectable mix of sweet and salty, with ingredients like soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and honey. But why stop there? You can give it more dimension by incorporating heat, like red pepper flakes or sriracha, or opting for additional toppings, such as pineapple, red onion, cilantro, and shredded cheese, 

To build your spuds dish, first pile on any toppings, then drizzle the sauce over everything. If you don’t want to go that route, you could instead use teriyaki sauce to flavor up your protein, like cooked chicken. Either way, your creation will look like something you’d pay a pretty penny for at a restaurant.

Another fun option for loaded spuds is bacon. The salty, smoky, and crunchy meat can go in many directions, after all. You can try keeping it simple with a bacon and ranch type of dish, or combine the pork with freshly chopped chives for a bit of freshness.

If you’re after something more spicy, consider pairing the bacon with Buffalo sauce, chicken, and tomato. Conversely, if you prefer bacon take a backseat, combine it with chili and cheese. You’ll still get the salty crunchiness, but it’ll be pared down by the powerful bean-based chili.

With so many options at your disposal, bacon can be either the star of loaded tater tots or one of many ingredients — it’s up to you. Whatever your liking, there’s almost certainly a way to include the flavorful option as a topping for tater tots.