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These easy Sonic-inspired chili cheese tots are the ultimate comfort food. They are loaded with crispy tater tots, cheese sauce, and homemade chili.
Easy Homemade Chili Cheese Tots (Sonic Copycat Style)
If you have ordered chili cheese tots at Sonic, you know how irresistibly satisfying they are. The crispy tater tots, layered with cheese sauce and delicious chili, are perfect for afternoon snacks or cozy nights in. With only a few ingredients, you can have them ready in no time at all. Top them with some onions and green peppers, and you have total comfort in every bite, just like you get at a Sonic drive-thru!
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you need to make this recipe, along with some simple substitutions.
- ¼ cup white onion – Adds a crunchy texture to the dish. You can use yellow or green onions as a substitute.
- 20 ounces of tater tots – Tater tots are the base of the recipe. Use waffle fries or potato wedges as a substitute.
- Sonic Chili Recipe – Adds a savory, beefy flavor to the dish. Use canned chili as a substitute.
- 1 can of cheddar cheese sauce – Cheesy goodness that ties everything together. Use nacho cheese for a little spicier flavor.
- 2 cups cheddar cheese – Fresh cheese is best, but you can use pre-shredded cheese if needed.
How To Make Chili Cheese Tots
To make these cheese tots, make the chili, cook the tater tots, warm the cheese sauce, load the tater tots, garnish, and serve. Let me show you how.
- Prep the chili: Make the Sonic-style chili in advance so it’s ready to go when the tots come out of the oven. It reheats well and even tastes better the next day.
- Bake the tater tots: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Grease a baking sheet, spread the tots out in a single layer, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.
- Warm the cheese sauce: While the tots are baking, pour the cheese sauce into a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until smooth and warmed through.
- Assemble the tots: Place about 10 to 12 baked tots into a bowl or plate. Spoon over roughly ⅓ cup of cheese sauce, followed by ½ cup of chili. Top with a sprinkle of diced white onion and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Add garnishes and serve: Top it all off with sliced jalapeños and a bit more onion, if desired. Serve hot.
Recipe Tip
Broil (optional) – After layering everything, pop the assembled tots under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes for extra melted cheese and crispy edges.
Make the chili thick – A thinner chili will make the tots soggy. Let it simmer until nicely reduced.
Serve immediately – Tots lose their crispiness quickly once topped, so dig in while everything is hot and melty.
Make It A Meal
Serve these chili tater tots with a refreshing Swig Waikiki Drink (Copycat) or Swig Shark Attack Drink Copycat.
Sonic Chili Cheese Tots
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Small saucepan
- Mixing spoon
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- box grater
Ingredients
- 20 ounces of tater tots
- Sonic Chili Recipe
- 1 can of cheddar cheese sauce
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup white onion, diced
GARNISHES:
- Sliced jalapenos
- White onion, diced
Instructions
- Make the sonic chili recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
- Place the tater tots on the sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- While the tater tots are baking, add the cheddar cheese sauce to a small saucepan and heat on medium-high for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Assemble the chili cheese tots by adding about 10-12 tots to the bottom, then top with about ⅓ cup of cheese sauce, followed by ½ cup of the chili mixture, a white onion, and finally, top with 2 Tablespoons of cheddar cheese.
- Garnish with the white onion and sliced jalapeños.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chili Cheese Tater Tots Recipe FAQs
You do not need to defrost the tater tots first. Bake them according to the package instructions, frozen.
Do not undercook the tater tots. You want them nice and crispy. Assemble them just before serving to prevent them from getting soggy.
The air fryer works great for baking tater tots. The package should have cooking instructions for you to follow. You can then layer the tater tots as instructed in the recipe.
I love diced white onions and sliced jalapenos. Some other yummy ideas include sour cream, green onions, and some Fritos chips.
More Copycat Recipes
If you love copycat recipes as much as I do, you need to check out these copycat recipes!
