To Know:

Who doesn’t love a potluck? The cooking responsibilities are shared, the dishes are minimal, and you can usually count on all your favorite comfort foods being represented on the sprawling table or countertop. But sometimes seeing all your favorites can get a bit repetitive, especially if you wind up with three people bringing their “famous” potato salad and another four showing up with their spinach and artichoke dip. My inspiration for these Nacho Taters was two-fold, wanting to mix things up a bit and also needing something for varying diets, such as meat free and gluten free. Cheesy potatoes are a ubiquitous potluck dish, from breakfast to dinner, and every nosh between; 7-Layer Taco Dip [click here] is another staple, so I thought, why not combine the best of both into one crowd-pleasing dish. These Nacho Taters can be made ahead, served hot or room temperature, and will be sure to please the masses. And just like traditional nachos, they are infinitely changeable. See what you think of this recipe then make it your own, perhaps with a toppings bar so that your guests can top their Nacho Taters with whatever they like. Enjoy!

To Get:

16-ounces low-fat sour cream

8-ounces low-fat cream cheese, room temperature

1  tablespoon ground cumin*

2  teaspoons garlic powder*

2  teaspoons chili powder*

1  teaspoon onion powder*

2  teaspoons kosher salt*

1/2  cup milk or water

2  cups shredded cheese (any type will do, but taco-seasoned cheese adds extra zip)

Hot sauce, to taste

1  2-pound bag frozen diced potatoes, preferably thawed

1  can black beans, drained and rinsed well

1 can low-sodium Rotel, with the juice

1  can “fiesta-style” corn, drained

3  scallions, chopped, keep white and green parts seperate

1-2  cups corn or tortilla chips, crushed

Nacho toppings such as chopped cilantro, red bell pepper, black olives, and/or sliced jalapenos for garnish, optional

*Substitute 1 packet of low-sodium taco seasoning for these 5 ingredients if you do have or wish to buy the individual spices.

To Do:

1. Coat a 13×9 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside; preheat the oven to 350 degrees if you are baking immediately.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the light sour cream, light cream cheese, the spices and salt, cheese, milk, and optional hot sauce, until well combined.
3. Gently fold in the potatoes, black beans, Rotel, corn, and the chopped scallion white parts.
4. Once combined, transfer the mixture to the baking dish, cover first with parchment paper, then tightly with foil and bake 60 – 75 minutes until the potatoes are tender. (If the potatoes are still frozen I would bake for 90 minutes to ensure tender taters).
5. Top the casserole with the crushed corn or tortilla chips, the green scallion parts, and anything else you desire before you serve and nosh!

Serves 8-12, easily