Easy Tater Tot Casserole
Seasoned ground beef and vegetables in a creamy sauce, topped with cheese and crispy golden tater tots. One baking dish, easy to prep ahead.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
Tater tot casserole is a cold-weather classic for good reason: everything cooks in one dish, the topping crisps while the filling bubbles, and most kids will happily eat it. It also comes together from ordinary pantry and freezer staples, so it is easy to put on the menu when the week gets away from you.
Keep the tots crisp
- Bake the filling first if it looks wet. A thick, creamy filling holds the tots up instead of steaming them.
- Do not thaw the tots. Arrange them straight from the freezer in a snug single layer.
- Finish with the cheese last. Adding it over the tots in the final 10 minutes keeps them crunchy.
Make it your own
Swap the green beans for frozen peas, corn or a mixed vegetable blend. Ground turkey works in place of beef (cook it to 165°F). For more ground beef ideas see what to make with ground beef, or try one-pot cheeseburger pasta when you want something faster.
Ground beef is safely cooked at 160°F, so check the beef with a thermometer before it goes into the dish. See the safe cooking temperatures chart for other meats.
Easy Tater Tot Casserole
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
Ingredients
Method
Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Brown the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up, until no pink remains and the beef reaches 160°F, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off excess fat.
Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and cook for 1 minute.
Whisk the soup and milk together, then stir them into the skillet with the vegetables and 1 cup of the cheese. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
Arrange the frozen tater tots in a tight single layer over the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the tots are golden. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the tots and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until melted.
Let the casserole stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets.
A new recipe from our editors: times are estimates and have not yet been confirmed in our own test kitchen. Use the doneness cues and temperatures above.
Questions, answered
Do you thaw the tater tots for tater tot casserole?
No. Bake them straight from frozen so they stay crisp and hold their shape on top of the filling.
Can you make tater tot casserole ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the beef filling in the dish, cover and refrigerate, then add the frozen tots right before baking. Add a few minutes to the bake time since the filling starts cold.
What can I use instead of cream of mushroom soup?
Use another condensed cream soup, such as cream of chicken or cheddar, or a quick homemade sauce of butter, flour and milk with a little cheese.
