Cowboy Tots Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray.

Toss the frozen tater tots with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper so they are evenly coated.

Spread the tots in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, leaving small gaps so they crisp evenly. Bake for 20–25 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deep golden and very crisp.

While tots bake, cook the bacon: place bacon slices in a cold skillet over medium heat. Cook, flipping occasionally, until crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool, then roughly chop into bite-sized pieces.

Trim scallions, discard root ends, and thinly slice on the bias. Separate whites from greens if you want to reserve greens for garnish (use about 2 scallion stalks for mixing and remaining for garnish).

If using store-bought prepared queso blanco, gently warm it in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, and thin with up to 1–2 tablespoons milk if too thick. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

To make a quick cheese sauce (approx. 1 cup): in a small saucepan over medium-low, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Whisk in 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour and cook 30 seconds to form a roux. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup whole milk until smooth. Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar-jack and 1/2 cup queso blanco (or replace with 1 cup total cheese if you prefer). Stir until melted and smooth. Season with a pinch (1/8 tsp) ground cayenne if using, and keep warm.

When tots are crisp, transfer them to an ovenproof platter or keep on the baking sheet. Evenly spoon or drizzle the warm queso blanco/cheese sauce over the hot tots so it melts into them.

Sprinkle the chopped crisp bacon and 2 stalks worth of sliced scallions evenly over the cheesy tots.

Scatter the remaining shredded cheddar-jack (if any reserved) over the top and briefly return the platter to the oven for 2–3 minutes just until the cheese softens and melds.

Remove from oven. Drizzle 2–3 tablespoons barbecue sauce over the tots in a thin zigzag pattern. Garnish with scallion greens and optional cilantro.

Serve immediately, with extra BBQ sauce on the side if desired.