Tater Tot Casserole
Tater Tot Casserole is a classic comfort food your family will love! It has a layer of ground beef mixed with a creamy veggie sauce and topped with crispy Tater Tots and melted cheddar cheese.
Who doesn’t love a warm, hearty casserole on a busy weeknight? This Tater Tot Casserole is comfort food at its finest—simple, satisfying, and packed with flavor. It’s the kind of dish that brings the family together around the table, even when life feels chaotic.
This recipe is a go-to in my kitchen when I need something easy to throw together that still feels like a treat. With savory ground beef, creamy mushroom soup, and a crispy layer of golden tater tots on top, it’s a crowd-pleaser every time.
Whether you’re feeding a hungry crew or looking for a dish that makes great leftovers, this casserole is a winner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: With just a handful of simple ingredients and minimal prep, this casserole is perfect for busy nights when you don’t have time to fuss over dinner.
- Family-Friendly: It’s a dish the whole family will devour! The creamy, savory flavors paired with crispy tater tots are a guaranteed hit, even with picky eaters.
- One-Pan Wonder: Everything comes together in one casserole dish, making cleanup a breeze. Less time washing dishes means more time to relax after dinner.
- Customizable: Don’t have mixed vegetables on hand? Swap in your family’s favorites, or use what you have in the fridge. You can even switch up the soup or cheese to suit your taste.
- Comfort Food at Its Best: There’s something so satisfying about digging into a warm, cheesy casserole. This recipe is cozy, filling, and the ultimate comfort meal.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Lean Ground Beef: The base of the casserole that adds hearty, savory flavor.
- Sweet Onion: Brings a hint of sweetness and depth to the beef mixture.
- Garlic: Adds a touch of aromatic flavor that enhances the overall taste.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Infuses the beef with a rich, tangy boost of umami.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Creates a creamy, flavorful sauce that ties the dish together.
- Mixed Vegetables: Adds color, texture, and a dose of veggies to the casserole.
- Frozen Tater Tots: The star topping that bakes up golden and crispy for the perfect crunch.
- Cheddar Cheese: Melts beautifully over the tater tots, adding cheesy goodness to every bite.
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
Follow along to learn how to make tater tot casserole!
- Step One: Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Step Two: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ground beef. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, and the onions are softened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.
- Step Three: In another bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup and mixed vegetables.
- Step Four: Spread the beef mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with cream of mushroom soup mixture. Cover with tater tots.
- Step Five: Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.
What to Serve with It
- Fresh Salad: A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette adds a refreshing contrast to the rich, creamy casserole.
- Garlic Bread: Warm, buttery garlic bread is perfect for soaking up any extra sauce on your plate.
- Steamed Vegetables: If you want to boost the veggie content, steamed broccoli, green beans, or carrots make a great addition.
- Coleslaw: The crunch and tanginess of coleslaw pairs wonderfully with the cheesy, crispy tater tots.
Variations and Substitutions
- Protein Swap: Not a fan of beef? Use ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based crumbles for a lighter or vegetarian version.
- Soup Options: Cream of mushroom is classic, but cream of chicken or cheddar cheese soup can add a new twist to the flavor.
- Veggie Boost: Swap the canned mixed vegetables for fresh or frozen options like broccoli, peas, or bell peppers. Customize it with your family’s favorites!
- Cheese Upgrade: Try using a blend of cheeses, like Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or pepper jack, for added flavor.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper, chili powder, or your favorite seasoning to the beef mixture for a little heat.
- Tater Tot Toppings: For extra crunch, sprinkle crushed potato chips or fried onions on top with the cheese.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm individual portions in the microwave or pop the whole dish in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
- Freezer: This casserole is freezer-friendly! Let it cool completely, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil or transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it in the oven at 350°F until hot and bubbly.
- Make-Ahead Option: You can assemble the casserole up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge, covered, before baking. When ready to cook, simply bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes if it’s cold from the fridge.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use Cold Tater Tots: Keep your tater tots frozen until you assemble the casserole. This will help them bake up perfectly crispy on top.
- Drain the Beef: After browning the ground beef, make sure to drain any excess grease to prevent the casserole from becoming too oily.
- Layer Evenly: Spread the beef mixture, soup, and tater tots in even layers for consistent flavors and textures in every bite.
- Don’t Skip the Cheese: Adding the cheese at the end ensures it melts beautifully without overcooking or drying out.
- Bake on a Baking Sheet: Place your casserole dish on a baking sheet in case of bubbling over—it’ll save you from a messy oven cleanup!
- Customize the Seasoning: Taste the beef mixture before layering and adjust with salt, pepper, or additional spices to suit your flavor preferences.
Tater Tot Casserole Recipes
Are you searching for more Tater Tot Casserole recipes to try? I have a bunch of varieties for you to check out.
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
- Pizza Tater Tot Casserole
- Lasagna Tater Tot Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
- Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
- Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole
- Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
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Tater Tot Casserole
A classic comfort food casserole your family will love! It has a layer of ground beef mixed with a creamy veggie sauce and topped with crispy Tater Tots and melted cheddar cheese.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cans cream of Mushroom Soup 10oz cans
- 1 can mixed vegetables 14oz can
- 1 package frozen Tater Tots 800g package
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and ground beef. Cook until beef is no longer pink and onions are softened. Stir in Worcestershire sauce.
- In another bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup and mixed vegetables.
- Spread beef mixture on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with cream of mushroom soup mixture. Cover with tater tots.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 37.3g | Protein: 26.4g | Fat: 14.1g | Saturated Fat: 5.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7.4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 63.8mg | Sodium: 1023.3mg | Fiber: 6.2g | Sugar: 5g
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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When freezing the tater tots casserole … Do you cook it first – then freeze it?
I usually cook mine first and then freeze.
Could you replace the cream of mushroom soup with either cream of chicken or cheese soup?
Yes, definitely!
Good recipe – I have been making it for years (or very close to yours) and never had any complaints and the ingredients are items that most kitchens have on hand except for the tater tots but they can be found in most any grocery store or even small “mom & pop” stores and they are not expensive. Very budget minded and easy to make!!
This sounds like a yummy, warm, comfort food kind of dish for Fall and Winter! Thanks for sharing at our Merry Monday party – I’ll be pinning this to our party board 🙂
Oh yum Stacie. We struggle to find Tatter Tots here in South Africa. Do you think I could use hash browns instead?
I’m sure that would be fine!
Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at the Snickerdoodle Link Party! This will be one of my features this Saturday!
This tater tot casserole looks so good – I could eat a bowl full right off of your blog. Thank you for sharing at Inspire Me Monday.
Looks really delicious;-) Love all kinds of casserole dishes:-))
Tater Tot Casserole is always a big hit! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great weekend and come back soon!
Miz Helen
I have always loved tater tots, so this is a dish I know I will really enjoy! I can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks so much for sharing at Celebrate It!
My daughter’s favorite dish I made when she was little was my tater tot casserole. She wanted me to make it all the time. I love that you added the mixed vegetables. Great idea! I’ll have to make it again, with the mixed vegetables, for her, her hubby, and my little grands.
That looks yummy! Funny enough, I do have one boy that will not eat tater tots (which I just can not understand!- I try not to buy them for fear I will eat them all!). Pinned.