The perfect comfort food is Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole! This delicious, kid-friendly recipe includes flavorful ground beef, crispy tater tots, and plenty of cheese! It satisfies the entire family and is on the table in just over 30 minutes! An easy weeknight dinner.
Who doesn't love tater tots?? They remind me of my childhood, so I could eat them anytime and be perfectly content—probably a few pounds heavier, but content.
My kids now devour them, so making tater tot casserole was a no-brainer. It's also an economical dinner option for busy weeknights that my teenage boys devour. This recipe is also called a Hot Dish Casserole in some parts of the country.
The whole family will eat this or my Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole anytime! And on game day, we always make Tater Tot Nachos!
You can also make Tater Tot Casserole in the Crockpot! It's so good!
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Ingredient Notes
We like this ground beef Tater Tot Casserole with Worcestershire Sauce because it enhances the overall flavor.
- Ground Beef - look for beef with 80% or lower fat content. You can use ground turkey instead of beef if you like.
- Onion - diced onion pairs perfectly with the beef and adds some aromatic flavor.
- Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup - The soup forms the base of the sauce for the meat mixture.
- Milk - You use a bit of milk to dilute the soup. Any dairy milk you have on hand will work.
- Worcestershire Sauce - brings a slightly sweet/sour umami flavor to the sauce.
- Cheddar Cheese - gooey cheese is what makes this recipe really sing. Grated cheese is in the sauce and on top of the casserole for added cheesiness.
- Frozen Tater Tots - We often use Ore-Ida tater tots for this easy recipe, but any frozen tater tots will work—no need to thaw them first.
- Salt and Pepper - to taste.
Optional Ingredients include green beans, corn, peas, or other mixed vegetables.
Find the full recipe in the printable recipe card below.
Substitutions & Toppings
- SOUP: Using Campbell's Cream of Chicken or Celery soup, whatever you have in your pantry, also works great in this recipe.
- MILK: You can swap the milk for Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- CHEESE: Any type of mild or sharp cheddar cheese is wonderful in the dish.
- VEGETABLES: Depending on what I have on hand, I throw in some frozen peas, corn, broccoli, or green beans. The kids roll their eyes about it, but they know I care :). Any mixed frozen vegetables work.
- TOPPING OPTIONS: Green onions, crumbled bacon bits, or diced tomatoes.
Tater Tot Casserole Variations
Fortunately, you can change up this hearty casserole in a million different ways. Your family will love any one of these Tater Tot Casserole variations!
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole- Green chiles or jalapeños, corn, diced tomatoes, our homemade taco seasoning, and cheese like pepper jack cheese gives this recipe a spicy flavor.
- Chili Tater Tot Casserole- Add chili, corn, and olives to the base and top with tater tots and cheese
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole- Layer those gorgeous, crispy tots with eggs, crumbled breakfast sausage, and cheese. You will not be disappointed!
- And, of course, you can make a Crock Pot Tater Tot Casserole or Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole!
Step-By-Step Instructions
This easy dinner recipe is perfect for picky eaters. If you're wondering if the tater tots will be crisp enough, they totally are. So our family rates this recipe very high for ease and deliciousness!
Before starting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
- BROWN MEAT & ONIONS. Cook the beef and diced onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring to break up the meat. Pour off any excess grease.
- MAKE CHEESY SAUCE & ASSEMBLE. Stir the condensed soup (no need to dilute), milk, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire Sauce into the skillet with the meat. Spoon the beef mixture into an 11x9-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange TATER TOT potatoes in a single layer on top of the meat mixture in a casserole dish and top with the remaining cup of cheese.
- BAKE. Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and the cheese is golden brown.
Meatless Tater Tot Casserole
You can also make this tater tot casserole meatless, which is delicious, by omitting the meat. Want more veggies? You can also do that.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- MEAT: Drain the fat off the meat after you brown it. This will prevent the casserole from becoming too runny when baked. You can use ground turkey instead of ground beef if you like.
- MAKE AHEAD: You can make this cheesy tater tot casserole recipe a day ahead, cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Note - You will need need to increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is cold.
- TATER TOTS: No need to defrost the tater tots before you bake them in this classic comfort food casserole.
- STORAGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container (or covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil) in the fridge for 3-4 days.
What to Serve with Tater Tot Casserole
Most people find this Ground Beef Casserole a meal in itself. However, I often serve it with one of these side dishes.
- Go green. Serve Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Asparagus. Steamed broccoli is also very good! As is a green salad.
- If you're using your tater tot casserole as a side dish, serve it with Chicken Tenders or Ranch Pork Chops.
Can Tater Tot Casserole Be Frozen?
Yes! You can either make your casserole per the instructions, cover it tightly, and put it in the freezer until ready to bake--or bake it and then place it in the freezer and reheat it later. We have all the instructions for a Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal.
PRO TIP: Tater tots aren't just for lunchrooms and cafeterias. You can enjoy them anytime. You can easily double this recipe to eat throughout the week, which is a huge time saver!
Recipe FAQs
Your Tater Tot Casserole may be runny if you didn't drain all the excess fat after browning the meat. It may also need to set for a few minutes after baking to firm up.
You can make this cheesy tater tot casserole a day ahead of time, cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Note - You will need need to increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is cold.
Tater Tot Casserole of "hotdish" originated in the upper midwest region of the United States. It's sometimes called "church casserole" because it first appeared in a cookbook by a church group. Hotdish casserole is cooked in a single dish and served hot (per its name).
More Cheesy Comfort Food Casseroles
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Printable Recipe
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9x11 baking pan
- 10-inch skillet pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 10.75 ounce can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- ½ cup milk (low-fat or full fat)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
- 3 cups frozen Tater Tots
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook beef and diced onion in a large 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beef is well browned, stirring to break up meat. Pour off any fat.
- Stir condensed soup, milk, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire Sauce into the skillet. Spoon beef mixture into an 11x9-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on top of the meat mixture and top with remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and cheese is slightly brown.
Video
Notes
- MEAT: Drain the fat off the meat after you brown it. This will prevent the casserole from becoming too runny when baked. You can use ground turkey instead of ground beef if you like.
- SOUP: Using Campbell's Cream of Chicken or Celery soup, whatever you have in your pantry, also works great in this recipe.
- TATER TOTS: No need to defrost the tater tots before baking them.
- VEGETABLES: Depending on what I have on hand, I throw in some frozen peas, corn, broccoli, or green beans. Any type of mixed frozen vegetables works.
- MAKE AHEAD: You can make this cheesy tater tot casserole recipe a day ahead, cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Note - You must increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is cold.
- STORAGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container (or covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil) in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
The recipe was originally published on April 4, 2016. We updated it with enhanced instructions and video on May 20, 2020, and again on May 22, 2022.
Olivia
My kids absolutely loved this casserole, and it was super easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Erin Henry
So glad you enjoyed the easy recipe, Olivia. Tater Tot Casserole is a kid-favorite!