Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole is the ultimate comfort food, combining a creamy, savory filling with golden, crispy tots for an easy, family-friendly meal. It comes together with simple ingredients and plenty of hearty flavor, making it perfect for busy weeknights.

I love to serve it with a simple green salad, and homemade garlic bread to soak up every bit of the sauce!

delicious Tater Tot Casserole in the casserole dish and in a bowl

Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Tater Tot Casserole

Flavor: Creamy, savory beef and vegetable filling with melted cheddar and a crisp tater tot topping.
Why Make It: This all-in-one casserole is hearty, budget-friendly, easy to customize, and perfect for feeding a family or making ahead.
Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole, leaving off the tater tots, up to a day in advance. Then top with frozen tater tots just before baking.

Cook Time: 1 Hr (15 Min Prep!) Serving: 6 Cook Method: Skillet and Oven

Ingredient Notes

tater tots , vegetables , milk , cream of mushroom soup , ground beef , cheese , onion , oregano, parsley , salt and pepper with labels to make Classic Tater Tot Casserole

Tater Tots: Use regular frozen tater tots, keeping them frozen until you’re ready to bake. Swap for potato crowns or mini tots.
Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef and drain it well after cooking. Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for a leaner option.
Mixed Vegetables: Use a frozen mixture with peas, carrots, corn, and green beans. Thaw and drain them first, or cook fresh vegetables until just tender.
Cream of Mushroom Soup: Use condensed cream of mushroom soup straight from the can. Replace with cream of chicken, celery, or cheddar soup to change up the flavor.
Oregano and Parsley: These herbs add a light, savory flavor to the casserole. Both can be replaced with an Italian seasoning blend.

Drain the Beef: Once browned, drain the beef to ensure the filling doesn’t become greasy. Especially when using anything other than extra-lean ground beef.
Keep the Tater Tots Frozen: Keep the tater tots frozen until arranged on top of the casserole. Thawed tots can become soft and break apart.
Arrange in a Single Layer: Keep the tater tots in a single layer and snug next to each other for the best coverage and evenly browned topping.
Bake Uncovered: Covering the casserole traps the steam and prevents the tater tots from browning and crisping properly.
Broil: If the tots need an extra golden touch, broil them at the end, watching closely so they don’t burn.

bowl of hearty Classic Tater Tot Casserole with a fork

Storing Tater Tot Casserole

Refrigerate: Cool leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze the assembled casserole (minus the tater tots) before baking, or freeze cooked leftovers for up to 4 months.
Baking From Frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add freshly shredded cheese and top with tater tots before baking according to the recipe instructions.

More Comfort Food Casseroles

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image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and onion until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
In a medium bowl, mix the thawed vegetables, soup, milk, seasonings, beef mixture, and ½ cup shredded cheese.
Spread the beef mixture into a 3QT or 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Top with tater tots and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the tots are golden brown.

Frozen vegetables should be thawed first. Any variation or mixture of vegetables can be added.
Canned mushroom soup can be substituted with other “cream of” soups, gravy, or even a can of gravy or tomato soup.
Any size casserole dish can be used for this recipe. A deeper dish may need a little bit of extra cooking time.
This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated. If chilled from the fridge, it will require extra baking time.
Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator and 4 months in the freezer.

*If using fresh vegetables such as carrots and celery, they should be steamed or can be cooked in the frying pan along with the browned beef until tender.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Casserole, Dinner, Entree

Cuisine American

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