This recipe was originally shared on October 2, 2012. I recently updated the photos and added more step by step photos!
Snack, appetizer or meal? I'm not sure but I first had ‘totchos' in Portland earlier this year and believe me they were memorable. Totchos are tater tot nachos! Instead of tortilla chips, the tater tots serve as nacho chips…and usually topped with nacho cheese and other toppings, they are amazing.
Original photo from when this recipe was originally published October 2, 2012
First, make the pico de gallo. This is my no fuss way to make pico and we love it on top of tacos and with fajitas.
Cut up the tomatoes.
I have to show you how to cut jalapenos. First wear gloves…you don't want to accidentally touch your eyes later in the day and scream! Not that I know from experience.
Cut both ends off and then cut in half lengthwise. Then, working on one half at a time, slide the knife between the ribs and the jalapeno.
There you go, the ribs are detached. Reserve the seeds by scraping with your gloved fingers.
Slice the jalapeno half into thin strips.
And then dice them finely.
Prep the onions.
Mix in the jalapeno with the seeds and the onion.
Add salt and lemon juice.
And stir. Then, cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Heat your oil according to directions on your bag of frozen tater tots. I think it's really important to have a thermometer when deep frying.
Fry those puppies (or tots) up and be patient. I used my slotted spoon to keep them moving around and from sticking to each other while frying.
Using a slotted spoon, add the tater tots to a baking sheet that's lined with foiled and topped with paper towels – to soak up the oil.
You can fry them…or you can bake them according to the instructions on the bag.
Original photo from when this recipe was originally published October 2, 2012
And then eat them! Soooooo I have to give credit where credit is due, while I was frying the tater tots, Curtis looked at me and said why don't you put a fried egg on top? Whatttttttt? was my reaction. He thought I was mad from my reaction but I just answered with “pure genius”. You're a genius, honey!
The funny thing? He doesn't like runny eggs but he knows how obsessed I am with putting eggs on ramen noodles and tons of other things. I wish I thought of this…
Here's how to fry an egg with crispy edges!
I have these mini cast iron skillets that I love to fry eggs in. Melt a pat of butter in the skillet.
Crack an egg.
And let it cook for about 4 minutes if you want the egg to still be runny and the edges crispy. If you don't want it runny, you can cook it for as long as you want.
So there you have it…totchos with a fried egg on top (Curtis' idea). The eggs make it heavenly…this is comfort food!!!
Totchos Recipe
Ingredients
Pico de Gallo
- 1/2 of a large red onion, diced small
- 3-4 medium tomatoes, cored and seeded, diced small
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & cored, diced small (reserve the seeds)
- 1 1/2 limes, juiced
- salt
Tater Tots
- 1 pound frozen tater tots
- vegetable oil for cooking
- salt and pepper
Other toppings
- sharp white cheddar, grated
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 2 eggs, fried
- sour cream, optional
- guacamole, optional
Instructions
Pico de Gallo
- Combine the diced onions, tomatoes, jalapenos (include seeds if you'd like) and lime juice into a medium-sized bowl. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate while preparing the tater tots and eggs.
Making the Tater Tots
- If you're frying, prepare a baking sheet lined with foil and covered in paper towels. Fry the tater tots according to instructions on the bag. The brand I used instructed to heat the vegetable oil to 375 degrees.
- Allow the tater tots to slightly cool and the oil to drain on the baking sheet. Top the tater tots with salt and pepper.
- If you're baking, follow the instructions on the bag.
Fry the Eggs
- In a cast iron skillet, melt a pat of butter. Add two eggs and fry them sunny side up until crispy, about 4 minutes. Cook them longer if you don't want the yolk to be runny. (If using a nonstick skillet, you might not be able to get the edges as crispy.)
Assembly
- On two plates, add tater tots and top with cheddar cheese. Optional: melt cheese on top the tater tops in the oven on the baking sheet or in the microwave on microwave-safe plates.
- Top with pico de gallo and green onions and then the fried eggs. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream or guacamole.
Nan says
Cannot serve this with jalapeños- one No spicey food child. What can I substitute?
Otherwise this looks really delish and can’t wait to make it.
Julie Deily says
Hi Nan,
You can totally omit the jalapenos from the pico de gallo. If you want the crunch factor, you an substitute using green bell peppers but it’s not necessary to substitute!
Hope you enjoy it!
Mary says
That’s the kind of breakfast I like to have on a busy day. I have that same mini frying pan, it’s one of my favorites. It’s the best non-stick pan, too. The more you use it, the smoother the surface gets. It’s my go to pan for frying anything in small quantities.
CakeSpy says
HOLY CRAP this is good enough to come back every month, much less every few years!! Awesome, Julie!
Aggie @ Aggie's Kitchen says
Totally craving this!! Love the fried egg on top!
Patty K says
Totally my kind of breakfast!!!
Melissa says
We made ours ultimate TOTchos by adding beans! So delish!
gina @ skinnytaste says
This is such a fun idea, I bet you can bake the tots to make them lighter. Looks like awesome college food 🙂
Joanne @ Inspired Taste says
Yes, please! This is pretty much the best thing I’ve seen all day 🙂
Aggie says
Holy cow how did I miss this?? I want a plate of these for lunch!
Stevie Z says
There is a restaurant chain in Canada called Taco Time (think Taco Bell but with MUCH better food) that has been doing the Tater Tots-as-nachos idea for years and years. They taste SO amazing! I’m definitely going to try the eggs on top idea though – sounds like a great breakfast….
baker street says
I’m up for anything with tots! and pairing it with an egg was a lovely idea.
Jen @ BeantownBaker.com says
This looks amazing. And what a brilliant idea Curtis had. I put eggs on everything. Had some edamame with an egg on top for dinner the other night.
cheryl says
Would you share your ‘no-fuss way’ of making your Pico de Gallo, please? We’ve never found a recipe we really cared for, and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong??? Thanks so much…Cheryl
Julie Deily says
Hi Cheryl, my recipe for pico de gallo is included in this recipe for totchos. Hope you enjoy it.
Kelly Senyei says
Such a cute idea, Julie! And the colors are striking!
Tesa @ 2 Wired 2 Tired says
These look amazing! I can’t wait to try them. I Pinned the recipe so I can make it this weekend.
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
I. Am. Drooling. And speechless. Tater tots as nachos? This is the best idea in the entire freakin’ world. And I LOVE that you topped it with a fried egg. I mean, heaven.
Samantha says
Tots!!!! with an egg! I am in love. For real.
Jersey Girl Cooks says
Great idea! Definitely comfort brunch food!
Katie says
I am a sucker for most anything with tater tots – and those look awesome, egg and all!
shelly (cookies and cups) says
I NEED this. NEEEEEEEEED!
Want to come over and fry up some tots for me this morning??
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
I’ve had something similar but never with the clever name “totchos” and never with a fried egg on top, that is brilliant! I think you should run for president! 😉
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Oh my, it’s making me hungry! Love the added egg on top!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Smart man you’ve got there, the fried egg on top is the perfect finish!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
Aaah, tater tots. I miss tater tots. I tried making them homemade, but they’re just not the same as the ones out of a bag! And this looks amazing. Totchos are completely new to me. Can’t wait to go back to the US and try them. 🙂
Koko @ Koko Likes says
Indulgent!! YUMMMMM
Emily says
This seriously looks SO good to me!
Carlas Confections says
Looks amazing to me!!! Love this! And great thinking Curtis with the fried egg!!! 😀
Lolli @ Better in Bulk says
This look surprisingly delicious! (great pictures, too!)
addie @ culicurious says
Oh Julie this looks great!! 🙂 We a restaurant in NOLA that does this dish too but it doesn’t look nearly as good as yours!
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
My jaw is seriously dropped. This is the most genius idea I have heard in a long time. Not only are they TOTchos but they have a fried egg?!?! Someone hold me.
Thomas says
Great combination. I love nachos and tots!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
To quote my husband, “Those look all kinds of awesome.” And I couldn’t agree more. I’m trying this evilness this weekend and already have the tots in the freezer.
averagebetty says
This almost makes me WANT to have a hangover just so I can cure it with TOTCHOS!!
Food is medicine, indeed 🙂
Jay @craftyspices says
Very interesting way to eat tots, have never heard about it. Sound great!
Thanks for Sharing.
Leslie says
Tater tots serves as nachos….tell the truth!!! OMG. amazing!
Meghan says
Oh my goodness, I love this! The runny egg on top is pure perfection!!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
This is totally crazy–I have never heard of Totchos before, but I LOVE tater tots!
Ashley - Baker by Nature says
Holy mother of all good things… I want this in my belly.
Lan | angry asian says
i love tater tots, they remind me of being a kid… and then you add the egg on top and it’s all grown up! genius, indeed.
Tasha @ Thatssoyummy.com says
Comfort food to the 10th degree… DROOLING!!!!!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Well who wouldn’t love this? Fried potatoes are the quintessential comfort food!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
i am totally going to have to try this!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com says
I’d like to have this for my breakfast!
Jenny @ BAKE says
wow! these are not what you want to read about on the first day of a diet! they look absolutely incredible!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
I love that you deep fried the tots first! I always bake them but I think I need to deep fry them first – you’ll never get that real deep crispness with the bake method. And those nacho toppings? AMAZING! Jason is going to love this. Oh and you know that fried egg is my ultimate weakness!
Eliana says
Hmmm – this looks so delicious. I would certainly enjoy this morning, noon or night!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
I just recently had tots with fried quail eggs and I fell in love with! Great idea to make nachos using tots!
Linda @ My Foodgasm Journal says
Curtis is brilliant! I love ‘runny’ eggs on almost everything – toast, ramen, steak…they’re da bomb, right? This is so yum! Easy and delicious – definitely on my list.
Patti at Worth The Whisk says
Ok, THIS is a super fun idea for potatoes, I know Larry is gonna LUV this. Ssharing the Idaho potato harvest experience with you was a great treat, you are hilarious and smart. Here’s hoping we enjoy another food blogger fam trip together in the future. Warmly, Patti
Julie @ Table for Two says
I’m heading out to PDX this weekend – where is this so I can try it?! It looks amazing, Julie!!
alexandra @ sweet betweens [blog] says
yes puh-lease! I’m thinking these would be a perfect vehicle for the chili that’s about to be making its way out of my crockpot. runny egg included, of course!
Jen @ Savory Simple says
hell to the yes! WANT.
Carolyn says
Totchos! I’d never even heard of these. Sounds and looks delicious, though.
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
I’d have to eat the tots without the egg, but otherwise, yum!
Dianna says
Oh, dear. I have a secret love for tater tots… which is why I never, ever buy them. It would totally become a problem. But Totchos?? I think I might have to revisit that whole, “No Tots Allowed” rule. Looks so yummy, Julie!
Meagan @ Scarletta Bakes says
OK, I have been waiting patiently for my Tater Totchos, and these were well worth it. That last shot of the runny egg yolk?!?!? My brain literally fell out of my head, I picked it up, dusted it off, and put it back again, after which it fell out one more time.
I’m clearly going to have to get some Duct Tape involved for tonight when I serve myself and the hubs some Tater Totchos with fried egg over-easy on top.
B.R. I. L. L. I. A. N. T.
Zach says
We have recently been experimenting with new dishes to top with an egg . . . this is a great idea! Thanks for posting!
amy @ fearless homemaker says
Totchos?! That is genius! I’ve never heard of these before, but i’m sooo glad I have now. will definitely be trying this at home soon!
Inez says
Oh, drool. It’s right around lunchtime for me and this would so hit the spot!
Mal @ The Chic Geek says
Oh wow, this looks so fantastic!
claire @ the realistic nutritionist says
OMG YES. yes. just yes.
Cate says
I just had these this past weekend (will be up on the blog within the next week), and they rocked my world. I only wish I’d heard about them sooner! Next time I’ll have to give it a try with the egg!
Cassie says
Beyond brilliant. The runny egg is perfection. I love this, so amazing!
melinda says
that looks so good. I love tater tots but only if they are super crunchy and only frying them will get you a good crunch.
fabiola@notjustbaked says
Oh wow, I would have love love loved to be on that trip! I always want to learn about farmers, crops, and the ins and outs. So much that I am thinking of getting a bachelors in agriculture. And these tots looks amazing! I am right there with you though, I can put a fried egg on pretty much anything.
Kathy - Panini Happy says
Oh boy…tots nachos!! That’s some brilliance right there. 🙂
Julia says
I can’t wait to make this! I’ve had a weird tater tot craving and all the extras on this are perfect!
Sarah E. Wilson says
Was there any special reason why you deep fried instead of baked?
Looks ‘lish!!
~Sarah
Julie Deily says
Hi Sarah, I like them to stay crunchy for this dish. I actually bake my tater tots all time…I would definitely try them baked as well! Hope you give them a try!
Kristen says
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant!
Rachel Cooks says
Love these! Especially that runny egg. A runny egg might be the first thing I eat when I’m done being pregnant.