Tater tot casserole made with ground beef, loads of cheese, and crispy tater tots is a comfort food classic and one that never has leftovers at our house!
If you haven’t made tatertot casserole yet, do it. Do it now! Trust me on this one. Creamy, cheesy, gooey, meaty, and crispy on top. Ah. It’s just the best! Try it alongside our homemade cranberry sauce and finish the meal with some yummy lemon cookies!
Tater tot casserole
Tater Tot Casserole
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Tater tot casserole ingredients
- Ground beef – You could also use ground chicken, turkey, or even sausage.
- Onions – Diced.
- Mixed veggies – I like to use a bag of frozen veggies. Canned or fresh work too.
- Condensed cream soup – Use your favorite (my kids are partial to cream of bacon).
- Worcestershire sauce – Soy sauce will work in a pinch.
- Milk – If you don’t have milk you can sub water.
- Cheddar cheese – Shredded.
- Tater tots – A bag of frozen tots is perfect.
How do you make tater tot casserole? (Step-by-step)
⭐ First, brown ground beef with onions, drain excess liquid.
⭐ Next, mix in veggies, cream of mushroom soup, worcestershire sauce, milk, and spices. Spread mixture into a casserole dish.
⭐ Then, sprinkle cheese evenly over ground beef mixture and top with a layer of tater tots.
⭐ Finally, bake until browned and crispy on top.
Preparation
Can you make tater tot casserole ahead of time?
You can prepare the casserole up to a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator, or up to a few weeks in advance if kept in the refrigerator. If you bake the casserole from frozen you’ll want to add about 45 minutes to the bake time.
What kind of vegetables for tater tot casserole?
We like to use a bag of frozen mixed vegetables, but canned or fresh work too. If your family isn’t into mixed vegetables, substitute whatever they like best. Sometimes we just use green beans and corn.
Storage and leftovers
How long does tater tot casserole last?
Tatertot casserole will last 2 – 3 days in the refrigerator in a covered/sealed container. If the casserole was left out at room temperature for more than two hours, leftovers should be discarded.
Can you freeze tatertot casserole?
You can freeze the casserole either before or after it’s baked. If you freeze after it’s baked (as leftovers) allow it to cool first before putting in the freezer so as not to lower the temperature of the freezer.
What is the best way to reheat tater tot casserole?
If you’re reheating individual portions, they can be done in the microwave on high power for 30 – 60 seconds. If you’re reheating the dish, it can be done in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
Recipe variations
🟢 Try adding barbecue sauce to the veggie/meat mixture for a cowboy kick.
🟢 Stir in some sriracha for a little spice.
🟢 Mix it up with a packet of taco seasoning for some Mexican flare.
Nutrition
How do you make tater tot casserole healthier?
If you’re following a low fat diet, try using reduced fat cheese and low fat cream soup. You can also substitute ground turkey or ground chicken instead of ground beef. You could even use shredded pre-cooked chicken.
To make a low carb tater tot casserole, skip the tots and top with chopped cauliflower (trust me on this!).
Is tater tot casserole gluten free?
Yes. Make sure you check your individual ingredients for additives, but nothing in the recipe specifically calls for gluten containing products or ingredients.
Complete the meal with our recipe suggestions
We know just what to serve with our easy tater tot casserole! I like it alongside a bright salad like this creamy cucumber salad or fresh broccoli salad. It also pairs well with a batch of quick dinner rolls, and don’t forget some classic banana pudding or strawberry poke cake for dessert!
More awesome casserole recipes
- Sloppy joe casserole recipe
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- See all our easy casserole recipes!
More amazing ground beef recipes
- Mexican pizzas
- Spaghetti sauce sloppy joes
- Ground beef shepherd’s pie
- Chipotle meatballs
- More awesome ground beef recipes
Tools we love
- Santoku knife – My favorite knife for cutting vegetables! This knife is the perfect size and shape, handles great, and is super reasonably priced. Also, I just love that it’s fun and colorful!
- Le Creuset braising pan – This is maybe my all time favorite pan. Great for everything from browning meat on the stove top to baking casseroles in the oven!
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How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup diced onions
- 2 cup mixed veggies
- 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup about 15 ounces
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded cheddar
- 2 pound bag frozen tater tots
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onions, drain excess liquid.
- Mix in veggies, cream of mushroom soup, worcestershire sauce, milk, salt, and black pepper.
- Spread ground beef mixture into bottom of 9x13 casserole dish.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly over ground beef mixture.
- Top with a single layer of frozen tater tots.
- Bake in a 425F oven for 25-30 minutes.
Video
Notes
- I used frozen mixed veggies, but you can use canned or fresh. Sometimes I use JUST corn, or JUST peas & carrots, whatever I have on hand.
- You can really use any flavor condensed cream of soup. I've done it with cream of celery, cream of bacon, and even condensed cream of cheese (which was really good).
- It's not necessary to cook the onions with the beef (especially if using already cooked ground beef), I just think it brings out the flavor a little more.
- I've made this with all kinds of cheese, and mild cheddar is our favorite.
Nutrition
Can’t get enough tater tots? Try this tater tot breakfast casserole!
Tater Tot Casserole
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Kristyn says
Yum! We love this all year long! It’s creamy, but crisp & so tasty!
Matt Taylor says
This looks so good and easy to make. I love tater tot dishes!
Krissy Allori says
This is comfort food at it’s finest! And I don’t know about you but I’ve been needing a lot of comfort lately. I’m adding this to my menu for next week right now!
Jennie says
The family loved this! Comfort food at its best! I did have to tweak the recipe some to make it gluten free. For example, in place of condensed cream soup I used beef broth (15 oz) plus a tablespoon of corn starch to thicken, and made sure the tater tots were also GF. I didn’t have Worcestershire sauce so used steak sauce in its place. And because I never have milk on hand, used sour cream. The flavor was fantastic! Thanks for a great recipe.