Tater Tot Casserole

How to Make Tater Tot Casserole

It’s so easy to make this beloved dinner recipe, anyone can learn how to make tater tot casserole. With these guidelines and the complete recipe below, you’ll have a mouthwatering dinner on the table before anyone can ask, “what’s for dinner?”

Brown the Ground Beef

Brown the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it’s no longer pink, breaking it up with a large spoon. This will take 7 to 9 minutes. Place it in a colander over a bowl to drain the fat from the meat.

Mix the Filling

Use the same skillet (or a medium bowl) to mix the beef with the salt and pepper and drained green beans until they are well mixed. Pour the filing into the baking dish. We prefer to use a glass or ceramic baking dish for casseroles, as metal pans can cause the edges of the food to get too crispy and dried out.

Top the Casserole

Sprinkle a bag of crispy tots over the casserole, covering as much of the ground beef mixture as possible. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the tots.

Bake the Casserole

Cover the dish with aluminum foil for most of the baking, so that the casserole can get hot and bubbly all the way through. Remove the foil for the final 15 minutes of baking to allow the tater tots to crisp up.

Serve and Enjoy

Serve the casserole right away so that the tots don’t continue to absorb moisture from the filling. Nothing is sadder than eating soggy tots!

Tater Tot Casserole Ingredients

Only 7 ingredients are needed to throw this easy tater tot casserole together. Below is why each one is an important player in this well-loved classic casserole:

Ground Beef: Providing the backbone of this recipe, and what makes it a main dish recipe. You can use whatever lean-to-fat ratio of ground beef you prefer. If you choose very lean beef, you may wish to spray your skillet first with cooking spray, so the beef won’t stick to it. Or you could use ground turkey, chicken, or pork, instead.

Cream of Mushroom Soup: This condensed soup becomes the sauce for the casserole, without having to add or prepare any other ingredients. You could substitute cream of celery soup instead, or you could use condensed cream of chicken soup, if using ground turkey or chicken.

Seasonings: Salt and pepper are all you need to season the ground beef filling. This is good news for kids or adults that love a casserole that isn’t overly seasoned.

Green Beans: Adding green beans to this dish is a genius way to sneak veggies into a casserole! When mixed into the luscious sauce and with cheesy tater tots in every bite, will anyone even notice there are veggies in it? You can swap in 2 cups of cooked broccoli florets or stir-fried frozen veggies for the beans, if you like.

Tater Tots: For this recipe, a 2-pound (32-ounce) bag of crispy tots will be plenty for this recipe. They bulk up the dish in terms of heartiness and are responsible for the light crisp texture the top of this yummy casserole has.

Cheddar Cheese: This ingredient not only adds another layer of flavor but using it on top of the tots just adds to the swoon-worthiness of this comforting dish.

What to Serve with Tater Tot Casserole

This all-in-one tater tot casserole recipe with ground beef can be the only dish you serve for dinner—it has all the parts of a whole meal in one recipe. But if you have heartier appetites, any of these recipes from our list of side dishes would be a great partner to serve with it:

Caesar Salad: Green, crisp and garlicky, this salad complements the tater tot hotdish in terms of color, texture, and flavor.

Coleslaw with Citrus Vinaigrette: Colorful and crunchy, this salad pairs well with the hotdish. The vinaigrette offers a light and refreshing flavor next to the heavier, creamy quality of the tater tot hot dish.

Mini Crescents: Fluffy, flaky, and such a fun size; these simple-to-prepare rolls make a welcomed addition on the plate next to the homestyle casserole.

How to Store Tater Tot Casserole

Leftover hamburger tater tot casserole is a delicious for a quick hot lunch or dinner when you’ve got a busy evening, ahead.

Refrigerator Storage

Wrap any remaining baked and cooled hotdish right in the glass baking dish with plastic wrap or foil. Or spoon it into food safe storage containers. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 days.

Freezer Storage

Freezer storage isn’t recommended for this dish, as the tater tots will become soggy as they absorb moisture from the filling during the freeze and thaw steps.

Reheating Directions

Spoon a serving of the leftover casserole onto a microwavable plate. Cover loosely and microwave on Medium (50%) about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until heated through. The tater tots will have a softer texture than when served freshly baked, but the flavor will still be delicious.

Other Casserole Recipes

Casseroles are a filling and economical way to get a dinner on the table. It also doesn’t hurt that they are easy to prepare and something the entire family can get excited about. When you’re ready for another delicious dinner, try one of these from our list of top-rated casserole recipes:

Beef Tortilla Taco Casserole: A terrific ground beef recipe, this Mexican-inspired hot dish would be a terrific way to change up Taco Tuesday.

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole: Creamy chicken and veggies are tucked under a crescent roll crust, for an easy way to enjoy the flavors of a pot pie without all the work.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole: Leftover cooked chicken teams up with pasta, ranch dressing, and bacon in a cheesy casserole with a luscious Alfredo sauce “gravy.”

Sausage Biscuits and Gravy Casserole: Whether you enjoy this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, this easy casserole is the ultimate comfort food.