We all love loaded nachos, but have you ever tried loaded totchos?
This is my take on the popular loaded totchos from Disney World: crispy hash brown bites (tater tots or potato barrels) topped with a quick Tex‑Mex chilli, melted cheese, sour cream, spring onions (scallions) and a scattering of lightly crushed tortilla chips.
I could eat this every single day.
We’re a family of Disney fans — Spirit Jerseys, Loungefly bags and even room sprays that smell like the parks. We love recreating our favourite Disney dishes at home. These loaded totchos are inspired by Woody’s Lunchbox in Hollywood Studios and are fun, comforting and perfect for sharing.
📋 Ingredients
Tex‑Mex chilli
Minced beef — 10–15% fat works well; the extra fat helps deepen the flavour.
Salt — add a little at the start; adjust later because stock cubes and some seasonings contain salt.
Fajita seasoning — found in most supermarkets. If you prefer, taco or Cajun seasoning can be substituted, but they have slightly different flavour profiles and heat levels.
Hash brown bites and toppings
Hash brown bites — barrel‑style hash brown bites (tater tots) work best for an authentic texture. In the UK you can find them in the freezer section of major supermarkets. Cheesy versions are fine too.
Tortilla chips — plain, lightly salted chips add crunch. Doritos or similar would also be good.
📺 How to make it
Full recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
- Cook the hash brown bites in the oven or air fryer according to the pack instructions.
- While they’re cooking, make the chilli (see the recipe card below).
- When the tots are ready, divide them between four bowls and spoon the chilli over the top.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese, add sour cream, scatter crushed tortilla chips and finish with sliced spring onions. Serve immediately.
Pro tip
When adding the passata to the chilli, use a splash of water to swill the jar and pour that into the pan so you include every last bit of sauce.
I recommend dividing the totchos into individual bowls to avoid arguments—this dish is surprisingly competitive at the table!
🍽️ Change it up!
Want alternatives to tater tots? Try:
- Jacket potatoes topped with chilli for a classic, warming meal.
- Crispy chips served alongside chilli for dunking.
- Smashed potatoes for a similar potatoey comfort.
The slightly spicy, tangy chilli pairs perfectly with crispy, golden hash brown bites.
🍲 More fantastic fast‑food inspired recipes
Appetizers
Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls
Asian
Bourbon Chicken
Appetizers
Pizza Fries
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Loaded Totchos (hash brown bites)
Ingredients
Quick chilli
- 1 tbsp oil
- 500 g (1.1 lb) minced beef (10–15% fat)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp fajita seasoning mix
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
- 2 tbsp hot pepper sauce (e.g. Frank’s)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 400 g (14 oz) passata
- 400 g (14 oz) tin black beans, drained
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 120 ml (½ cup) water
Also
- 700 g (1.5 lb) hash brown bites (tater tots/potato barrels)
- 100 g (1 packed cup) grated mixed cheese
- 4 tbsp sour cream
- 30 g (1 oz) plain tortilla chips, lightly crushed
- 3 spring onions (scallions), roughly sliced
Instructions
- Cook the hash brown bites in the oven or air fryer following the pack instructions (usually ~20–22 minutes in the oven or 15 minutes in an air fryer).
- While the tots cook, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium‑high heat.
- Add the minced beef, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until browned, breaking up any large pieces.
- Add the onion, red and yellow peppers and garlic. Fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened.
- Stir in the fajita seasoning, smoked paprika, crumbled stock cube, hot sauce and tomato puree. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Add the passata, black beans, light brown sugar and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook for 5–10 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened.
- When the hash brown bites are ready, divide them between four bowls and top with the chilli.
- Sprinkle over the grated cheese, add a tablespoon of sour cream to each bowl, then scatter the crushed tortilla chips and sliced spring onions. Serve immediately.
Notes
Where to find barrel‑style hash brown bites in the UK
- Freezer section of Sainsbury’s (own brand)
- Freezer section of Tesco (Birds Eye)
- Morrisons sells a smaller mini version
- Cheesy hash brown bites are available in Iceland and Morrisons and will work fine
Make ahead
You can make the chilli ahead and refrigerate for up to two days. Cook the hash brown bites just before serving. Reheat the chilli until piping hot and assemble as directed, adding cheese and other toppings at the end.
Freezing
Freeze the chilli (without toppings) in portions. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat. Hash brown bites generally come frozen and are cooked from frozen according to packet instructions.
Scaling
Double the recipe for a crowd or halve it for two people, keeping ingredient ratios the same.
Nutritional information is approximate and per serving (serves 4).
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 103 g |
Protein: 50 g |
Fat: 40 g |
Saturated Fat: 12 g |
Fiber: 22 g |
Sodium: 1723 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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