Tater Tot Casserole
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Posted: 10/23/23
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There’s nothing like classic Tater Tot Casserole or if you are in Minnesota, Tater Tot Hotdish! Savory ground beef, creamy mushroom soup with corn on the bottom of this easy casserole recipe then top it with crunch Tater Tots. It’s easy, delicious and budget friendly!
Tater tot casserole is a classic dish that everyone should know how to make! If you need any easy dish full of comfort food, this is it. Tater tots, cheesy beef, and vegetables all in one dish — it’s a no brainer. Make this easy tater tot casserole for dinner tonight and either save the leftovers for lunches during the week, or eat it all! I won’t tell.
I love easy casserole dinners like this one. My family always raves over cheeseburger casserole and sloppy joe casserole too. Making a quick meal like these recipes helps to ensure the whole family gets full and that clean-up is minimal. An ideal dinner on busy weeknights!
Why You’ll Love Tater Tot Casserole
- It only takes 10 minutes to prep this easy meal. Then pop it into the oven and continue on with your evening schedule until it is done being heated in the oven.
- You can make this meal ahead of time and freeze it for later. It is great meal prep and super freezer-friendly!
- This quick and easy recipe for tater tot hotdish makes six hearty servings. A great meal for larger families!
Ingredients for Tater Tot Casserole
- Frozen tater tots – You need 32 ounces of tots, so make sure you grab enough if the bags of your favorite tater tots are small!
- Ground beef – I recommend using lean ground beef so that this delicious and easy casserole doesn’t get too greasy. If you do end up using greasy beef, be sure to drain the excess fat really well.
- Canned corn – Don’t have canned corn on hand? You can use frozen corn or fresh corn too!
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup – Even if you’re not a fan of cream of mushroom, it is worth it in this recipe! It makes the most creamy and addictive tater tot casserole ever.
- Onion – Use white onion or yellow onion in this tater tot casserole recipe. Their mild flavor blends well with everything else.
- Garlic – A bit of freshly minced garlic packs a punch of flavor that is perfect for a cheesy tater tot casserole.
- Cheddar cheese – Feel free to use any type of cheese you want! Cheddar cheese tends to have the best flavor, but any cheese will do.
How to Make Easy Tater Tot Casserole
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set the dish to the side.
Cook ground beef, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the beef is completely browned, drain off the excess grease. It should take about 7 to 10 minutes for the beef to cook through completely.
Scoop beef mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the condensed soup, corn and cheddar cheese. Then stir well until thoroughly combined.
Transfer beef to a 9×13 baking dish and then layer the tater tots over the top.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the tater tots are golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately!
How to Store Easy Tater Tot Casserole
There are a few different ways to store this yummy tater tot hotdish.
FRIDGE: Place leftovers into an airtight container, or wrap the casserole dish tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
FREEZER: You can store a baked or unbaked tater tot casserole in the freezer. To make a “ready-to-heat” meal, build the cheesy tater tot casserole until the baking step. Leave it unbaked and then wrap the dish in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 4 months. Bake from frozen and add a few minutes onto the baking time.
You can also freeze leftovers! Scoop into an airtight container and store for up to 4 months.
To reheat, pop into the microwave until warmed through. Or, keep the tater tots crispy by reheating leftovers in the oven!
What to Serve with Tater Tot Casserole
I typically like to serve this cheesy hotdish with some tasty veggies. Air fried broccoli and easy oven roasted vegetables are two favorites. A cold broccoli salad or crunchy green salad is great too!
This cozy dish also goes wonderfully with a warm and buttery dinner roll or some flaky crescent rolls. Go for carb-loaded comfort food for your side dish and make some baked mac and cheese!
Finish off this tasty meal with a dessert of apple dumplings or chocolate sheet cake.
Can I use green beans instead of corn in tater tot casserole?
There seems to be so much debate over tater tot casseroles. What condensed soup do you use, should the tater tots be lined up or dumped on the top, and of course what veggies should be used?
Well, let me make it super easy for you. Use whatever your taste buds and tummy want! If you’re not a fan of corn, that’s totally fine. Swap it out for green beans or leave the veggies out all together. You can also swap out any other ingredient to make this exactly what you want it to be.
What meat can I use besides ground beef?
If you are looking to save a few calories and make this dish a bit healthier, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken if you want! The flavor will be slightly different, but it will still make an absolutely delicious dish.
Pro Tips for the Best Easy Tater Tot Casserole
- Short on time? Just dump the tater tots onto the top of the casserole instead of lining them up. Make sure they are still in one single layer so that they bake evenly!
- Make this cheesy tater tot casserole extra gooey by adding some shredded cheese to the top of the casserole.
- Your future self will thank you if you double this recipe and make two casserole dishes of tater tot casserole. Freeze one and bake the other for dinner!
Busy weeknight dinners are made so much easier with this easy tater tot casserole recipe. Enjoy a yummy meal and then relax for the rest of the evening!
More Easy Casserole Recipes You’ll Love
- Switch things up on taco night and make this super easy Taco Casserole!
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole is another comfort food dish that everyone should have a good recipe for. This one is tried and true!
- Tuna Casserole is a dish that not many may think of at first, but once you try it you’ll want it all the time.
- Make Cheesy Ham Casserole with Bowtie Noodles when you need a meal that is quick, filling, and comforting.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Tater Tot Hotdish
A creamy casserole that's pure comfort food. This Tater Tot Casserole is made with ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, corn, cheese and Tater Tos!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- ½ onion diced
- 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (10.5 ounces each)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 15.25 ounces canned corn drained
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray, set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef, onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper in the hot skillet until completely browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
- In a large bowl combine beef mixture with condensed soup, corn and cheddar cheese.
- Transfer beef mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish; layer tater tots evenly on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until tater tots are golden brown and hot, 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 724kcal (36%), Carbohydrates: 56g (19%), Protein: 35g (70%), Fat: 41g (63%), Saturated Fat: 14g (88%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 101mg (34%), Sodium: 1913mg (83%), Potassium: 972mg (28%), Fiber: 4g (17%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 196IU (4%), Vitamin C: 12mg (15%), Calcium: 180mg (18%), Iron: 4mg (22%)
Renee McClellan says
Awesome recipe
Julie Evink says
Thank you Renee!