Tater Tot Casserole

This is the best tater tot casserole recipe around with ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, frozen veggies, cheese, and tater tots -- your family will go crazy over this easy dinner recipe!

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Table of Contents

WHAT IS TATER TOT CASSEROLE MADE OF?
TATER TOT CASSEROLE RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
HOW TO MAKE TATER TOT CASSEROLE
WHAT FOOD GOES WITH TATER TOT CASSEROLE?
CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR TATER TOT CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?
TATERTOT CASSEROLE STORAGE
TATERTOT CASSEROLE RECIPE FAQs
MORE FAVORITES YOU’LL LOVE
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This easy homemade tater tot casserole is a simple family favorite. Loaded with ground beef, seasonings, lots of cheddar cheese, and veggies then topped with a layer of golden brown crispy tater tots, this quick dinner recipe is a crowd-pleaser.

Try our easy recipes for ground beef stroganoff and grandma’s meatloaf recipe as well!

overhead shot of a baking dish of tater tot casserole garnished with parsley

WHAT IS TATER TOT CASSEROLE MADE OF?

tater tot casserole raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (I used a blend with green beans, carrots, peas, and corn)
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
32-ounce bag frozen tater tots

TATER TOT CASSEROLE RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS

MEXICAN: Add black beans, taco seasoning, green chiles, enchilada sauce, and corn to spice up Taco Tuesday. Serve your Mexican tater tot casserole with sour cream on top.

SOUP: If you don’t like cream of mushroom, you can use another cream soup such as cream of celery or cream of chicken soup instead.

BACON: You could also crumble crispy bacon bits on top before serving.

MEAT: You can choose different ground meats for this hearty casserole such as ground pork, ground sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken.

HOW TO MAKE TATER TOT CASSEROLE

PRO TIP:

This is a fantastic make-ahead dish. You can prepare it up to the baking step and store it in the fridge or freezer covered in foil or plastic wrap before baking it later.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.

STEP TWO: In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and garlic on medium-high heat until beef is cooked through. Drain if needed.

tater tot casserole process shot of beef being cooked on a skillet with diced onions and garlic

STEP THREE: Add cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce to the ground beef mixture and mix thoroughly.

tater tot casserole process shot of ingredients added to the beef mixture

STEP FOUR: Stir mixed vegetables into the beef mixture.

tater tot casserole process shot of frozen vegetables added to the beef mixture

STEP FIVE: Place the beef and vegetable mixture in the bottom of the 9×13 casserole dish.

STEP SIX: Top the meat mixture with 4 ounces of freshly shredded cheddar cheese.

tater tot casserole process shot of beef mixture topped with shredded cheese in a baking dish

STEP SEVEN: Place frozen tater tots in an even layer on top of the cheese layer. Depending on the size and shape of your dish, you may have some leftovers.

PRO TIP:

For best results, make sure the tater tots are spread evenly in a single layer on top.

tater tot casserole process shot of shredded cheese topped with tater tots in a baking dish

STEP EIGHT: Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

STEP NINE: Remove from the oven and add the remaining 4 ounces of freshly shredded cheddar cheese on top of the tater tots. Bake for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

tater tot casserole process shot of tater tots topped with shredded cheese in a baking dish

WHAT FOOD GOES WITH TATER TOT CASSEROLE?

Even your picky eaters will love this delicious tater tot casserole. Add a simple Caesar salad on the side for a complete meal. This is a great recipe to throw together on a busy weeknight and is nice and hearty to fill up your family’s hungry tummies.

MORE CASSEROLE RECIPES

Casserole Ideas

Cheesy Potato Casserole

Casserole Ideas

Mexican Casserole

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR TATER TOT CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?

This is a great recipe to make ahead of time. Prepare it up to the baking step and keep it in the fridge or freezer covered in aluminum foil until you are ready to bake it.

TATERTOT CASSEROLE STORAGE

IN THE FRIDGE: You can make this easy tater tot casserole recipe 24-hours ahead of time and keep covered with aluminum foil in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days after baking.

IN THE FREEZER: After baking, store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

close up shot of a plate of tater tot casserole garnished with parsley

Classic comfort food at its best, this hearty cheesy tater tot casserole is a family favorite that everyone will love. Seasoned ground beef is mixed with veggies and topped with tater tots and cheese before baking for a simple, delicious weeknight dinner.

TATERTOT CASSEROLE RECIPE FAQs

Can I use hash browns instead of tater tots on top?

For a thinner crust on top, you can substitute hash browns or even mashed potatoes for the regular tater tots.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time and freeze it before baking?

You can prepare this easy casserole recipe right up to the baking step. Freeze until you are ready to serve it, thaw in the refrigerator, and bake.

Can I use different ground meat for this recipe?

If you would prefer to use ground pork, turkey, chicken, those would taste great in this dish.

Is Tater Tot Casserole a Midwest Thing?

Tater tot casserole is a dish that originated in the midwest. If you grew up in that area, it’s likely you grew up enjoying this comforting food.

How Do You Make Tater Tots Extra Crispy?

To crisp up your tater tots, you can turn the oven to broil for the last 2-3 minutes of baking, but keep a close eye on the casserole so that you don’t burn them.

What is Another Name for Tater Tot Casserole?

Tater Tot Casserole is also known as Tater Tot Hotdish.

What is the Difference Between a Hotdish and a Casserole?

Casserole generally refers to the dish that the meal is cooked in while a Hotdish is the actual meal itself. Casseroles also tend to be made with lighter meats such as chicken or tuna while a hotdish often uses meats such as beef. Hotdishes also use potatoes but usually do not include rice or cheese while casseroles do.

MORE FAVORITES YOU’LL LOVE

Tatertot Casserole

5 from 11 votes

This is the best tater tot casserole recipe around with ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, frozen veggies, cheese, and tater tots — your family will go crazy over this easy dinner recipe!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

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Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen mixed veggies, I used a blend with green beans, carrots, peas, and corn
8 ounces cheddar cheese freshly shredded, divided
32 ounces frozen tater tots

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until beef is cooked through. Drain if needed.
Add the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and Worcestershire sauce to the ground beef and mix thoroughly.
Stir in the mixed vegetables.
Place the beef and vegetable mixture in the bottom of the 9×13 casserole dish.
Top the beef and vegetable mixture with 4 ounces of freshly shredded cheddar cheese.
Place the frozen tater tots on top of the cheese layer. Depending on the size and shape of your dish, you may have some leftover.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with the remaining 4 ounces of freshly shredded cheddar cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Notes

This is a fantastic make-ahead dish. You can prepare it up to the baking step and store it in the fridge or freezer covered in foil or plastic wrap before baking it later.
For best results, make sure the tater tots are spread evenly in a single layer on top.

Nutrition

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This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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Tater Tot Casserole Recipe