This Tater Tot Casserole Recipe is one of those meals to make for dinner. This is also my backup emergency dinner, but also a family favorite. It is so easy to put together, and everyone loves it. This casserole is so easy to assemble that teenagers can do it themselves! Even teenage boys and picky eaters will love the simple ingredients in this easy tater tot casserole recipe.
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Easy weeknight dinners are a must! Easy dinners are a must with sports practice and homework at night is essential, especially ones even picky eaters will eat. An easy casserole recipe is perfect for fall and winter and easy to throw into the oven.
Take a lot of prep work out of weeknight dinners and precook and freeze your cooked ground beef! Pull and defrost the ground beef to put in recipes like this for an easy weeknight dinner! (If you aren’t sure how to best do this, check out Freezing Cooked Ground Beef)
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe Ingredients:
- Cheddar Cheese
- Cream of Chicken Soup– Any cream of soup can be used in this recipe. My kids prefer cream of chicken over cream of mushroom, but either version work in this recipe.
- Milk
- Ground Beef– The ground beef will need to be cooked and drained of grease to be put in the casserole.
How To Make Tater Tot Casserole:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9X13 pan with nonstick spray, stopping the cheese from sticking.
Cook your ground beef and drain off any grease.
Spread your ground beef into the bottom of a 9X13 pan.
In a bowl, mix together the can of milk and two cans of cream soup. You can add a bit of cheese to this mixture if you want to.
Spread the soup and milk mixture over your ground beef in the pan.
Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the soup ground beef mixture.
Top with frozen tater tots and spread with more cheese if you would like.
Cook time is about 25-40 minutes but watch for Tater Tots on the Tater Tot Casserole to be cooked thoughly.
What To Serve With Tater Tot Casserole
- Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Acorn Squash
- Loaded Mashed Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Loaded Beans
- Garlic Pull-Apart Bread
How To Store Leftover Tater Tot Casserole
Store leftover tot casserole in the fridge in an airtight container for three to five days. When reheating, you can add more cheese as well. This casserole dish is just as good the next day.
If not in an air-tight container, store leftovers in the baking dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Can You Freeze Leftover Tater Tot Casserole?
You can make a double batch and freeze half of it to cook later. This classic comfort food leftovers can also be frozen and reheated later on.
Other Optional Ingredients For Tater Tot Casserole:
- Ground Chicken
- Ground Turkey
- Corn
- Green Beans
- Sour Cream
- Broccoli– will need to be cooked and soft, not fresh and uncooked.
- Cauliflower Tater Tots
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Black Pepper
- Bell Pepper
- Mixed Vegetables– These will need to be cooked and soft.
- Splash of Worceshthire sauce
Other Casserole Recipes To Check Out:
- Tater Tot Casserole Recipes
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
- Chicken Stove Top Casserole
- Cheesy Ham Noodle Casserole
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
This Tater Tot Casserole Recipe is the perfect frugal easy weeknight recipe that everyone will love plus you can slip in vegetables in it as well!
Ingredients
- Cheddar Cheese
- 22 Ounce Cream of Chicken
- 10.5 Ounce Milk
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
-
Spray a 9X13 pan with nonstick spray, this will stop the cheese from sticking on the pan.
-
Cook your ground beef and drain off any grease.
-
Spread your ground beef into the bottom of a 9X13 pan.
-
In a bowl mix together the can of milk and two cans of cream of soup. You can add a bit of cheese to this mixture if you want to.
-
Spread the soup and milk mixture over your ground beef in the pan.
-
Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the soup mixture.
-
Top with frozen tater tots and spread with more cheese if you would like.
-
Cook time is about 25-40 minutes but watch for Tater Tots on the Tater Tot Casserole to be cooked fully.
Bob Reed says
Sounds good Jenny,
But I’m curious; how do the tater tots cook completely in only 15 minutes at 350? I thought the instructions on them called for a considerably higher temperature…
Still, like you said, it sounds like a tasty casserole that’s easy to make on a busy night. 🙂
My regards
Angie says
I actually cook this quite often and i normally cook it for about 45 min. then i add more cheese to the top
Gregory says
I usually bake it according to instructions on the tator tot package. I also use American sliced cheese instead. My family prefers it over cheddar.
tammy poole says
I precook a bottom layer of tots as i cook the meat mixture. Then i assemble the casserole and throw more tots on top and bake about 25 min. then add some shredded cheese to the top and bake another 10 min. I love how my bottom layer of tots get crispy. I also use 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup and no milk, and i use a big jar of cheez whiz mixed into my meat and soup mixtured (mixed together).
Lyssa says
When I make tater tot casserole I always put the tots in the oven while I’m cooking the hamburger and making the cream of soup mixture. That helps make sure the tots are completely done. Plus I like my tots to be on the crispy side.
Nicole says
This looks like a great comfort food! I’ll be pinning to try this one for sure!
Jenny says
It is one of my kids favorite recipes in the fall when it cools off enough to use the oven. Thanks of stopping by!
Sam says
Jenny this recipie looks great…
Not to be the grammar police or anything but you have over instead of oven and tartar tots *giggle*
Jenny says
Oh man thanks! I fixed those! Was not my day for spelling apparently
Liz says
Nice to have grammar correction from someone that spelled “recipe” wrong huh? Proper punctuation? Nah… Sam didn’t need that either to come out looking a little uneducated.
Debbie D says
Liz’s reply from August 30, 2016 literally made me LAUGH OUT LOUD! Thanx Liz! (Intentionally mis-spelled!)
Bernice says
Was taught tater tot casserole by a friend right before he left for a tour in Iraq( he came home safely)
We use cream of celery soup and a big can of chicken with stars the cheese depends on our mood we have used cheddar,mozzarella,Mexican Blend,etc. sometimes a blend of them and we bake ours for around 30-35 minutes just until the cheese on top starts turning a nice brown. right down to the great grandchildren love it.
Jenny says
I love how much you can change this recipe up. Those are great variations thanks for sharing!!
Tricia says
I make this all the time but I put the tater tots on the bottom and cook on 350 while I’m cooking hamburger meat. I take them out then put the meat on, the soup, and top with cheese. Cook on 350 till cheese is melted and golden brown. I don’t ever have an left overs. If I don’t hurry then sometimes the family (kids) don’t leave me any.
Sarah says
I make this frequently. I dice an onion and cook with the hamburger, seasoning with garlic, salt and pepper. I use 1 can cream of chicken and 1 can of cream of mushroom. I also add 1 cup of sour cream. I bake at 425 for about 25-30 minutes and then sprinkle with shredded cheddar after its finished baking. This is one of my family favorites.
Jackie says
I also use a package of Lipton’s onion soup and sprinkle over the hamburger before I assemble my casserole.
Kim~madeinaday says
Sounds yummy! Pinned to my Football Food Board! My husband will love it!
Gloria says
I love how all the cooking shows help influence our boys to want to cook… and that it’s cool, too. This tot dish is going to be a very popular with my boys, for sure!
Amberjane says
I have never tried this I have some potato croquettes (as they are called here ) in the freezer so must try it –
Teresa says
I made a tater tot casserole for the first time a few weeks ago. My husband and I both really liked it. Great comfort food! Thank you for sharing yours!
Cathy Ireland says
First made this in the early 70’s in home ec. I layer tots, burger, veg, soup and repeat and cheese on top. Cook covered in deep casserole for an hour at 325.
Barb says
I add a layer of sourkraut over the hamburger also! If you like kraut!
Jeff terpening says
My mom’s recipe uses canned cheddar cheese soup that way it’s poured over everything.
Jenny says
That sounds amazing!! What a great idea I am going to have to it out that way!
Nancy Stoner says
I have made this many a times. I sometimes added peas on top of the hamburger and then added the soup tots That you have your veggies also. for a whole meal.
Roseann Hampton says
I love how easy this is to throw together!
shelley says
This looks yummy!
Alicia Owen says
I’ll have to give this a try. I love easy recipes…Plus my 4 year old might actually eat it! ha ha
Ariel says
This looks so good! Also, my love for tater tots is ridiculous! LOL
Linda says
Comfort food at it’s best. Eveyone loves tater tots.
Adelina Priddis says
I had tater tot casserole for the first time just a few years ago. I was surprised just how good it was! I can’t wait to make it myself now!
jeff says
try a couple cans of grean beans,, its taste great
Dawn Schreiber says
I use to make this in the 70’s, but we put raw hamburger in the bottom. Cooked it longer and the hamburger was always done. Seems like it took an hour. Wish I still had the recipe to know for sure.