Mini Taco Tater Tot Cups

Ingredients

• Non-stick cooking spray

• 16 ounces frozen bite-sized potato nuggets (such as Ore-Ida® Golden Tater Tots, approximately 60 tots total)

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• 8 ounces lean ground beef

• ½ of a 1-ounce package of taco seasoning

• ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese

• ½ cup shredded lettuce

• ¼ cup salsa (add more to taste if desired)

• ¼ cup sour cream (adjust quantity to preference)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and gather all your ingredients. Coat all 12 cups of a standard-size muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Drop 5 tater tots into each of the 12 prepared muffin cups, then place the pan in the preheated oven to bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven once the time is up.

3. Use a kitchen tamper or the flat bottom of a small glass to press the softened tater tots down and outward, shaping them into a cup that lines the bottom and sides of each muffin cavity. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes to set the crispy tot shells.

4. While the tater tot cups bake, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and taco seasoning, then cook and stir for 5 to 7 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles as it cooks, until it is fully browned through. Drain off and discard any excess grease from the skillet.

5. Divide the cooked seasoned ground beef evenly between all 12 baked tater tot cups, then sprinkle shredded Cheddar cheese over the top of each portion.

6. Return the muffin pan to the oven and bake for roughly 5 more minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cups cool for 3 minutes on a wire rack. Finish by topping with shredded lettuce, salsa, and sour cream before serving.