Easy and super-cheesy tater tot casserole is sure to be crowd pleasing favorite.
This easy tater tot casserole has ground beef, mixed veggies, and lots of cheddar cheese baked in a savory, soup base.
You’ll Love This Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Because…
- The crispy golden tater tots are the crowning addition to this casserole.
- These contrast so beautifully with the creamy and easy to make savory sauce.
- Hearty ground beef makes this a full meal.
- It is finished off with a layer of melted cheese that is golden brown and hard to resist.
Ingredients and Variations
Meat: Ground beef, turkey, chicken, and Italian sausage are great choices for this recipe. You can also toss in a bag of mini meatballs, sliced summer sausage, or some rotisserie chicken.
Vegetables: This is a great dish for sneaking in veggies for those picky eaters. Choose a medley like carrots, peas, corn, green beans, fresh, frozen, or canned.
Soup: Two kinds of soup give this casserole its creamy base. Broccoli cheese, cream of mushroom, cream of celery, and cream of chicken will all work.
Tater Tots: Thaw tater tots before using them. You can also use diced potatoes, potato wedges, waffle fries, or these homemade hashbrowns.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar delivers the best flavor but you can also use a Mexican blend, mozzarella, or any combination of cheese you like. For the best melt, grate cheese from a block since pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents in it that prohibit the best melt.
Variations: For a meatless dish, switch out the meat for drained and rinsed black beans or kidney beans. Stir in some salsa or hot sauce or top with bacon bits, green onions, or dollops of sour cream.
How to Make Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
- Cook onion and beef and drain any fat.
- Mix soups, seasonings, vegetables, and some cheese and add to beef and onion mixture. (See recipe below.)
- Spread casserole filling in a casserole dish and top with tater tots. Add remaining cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
Make Ahead and Storing
Assemble up to a day ahead, cover, and keep chilled until ready to bake.
Cheesy tater tot casserole can be assembled and frozen for up to 4 months. Line the casserole dish with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges, add the ingredients, and freeze. Remove the casserole from the dish. Wrap the frozen casserole in plastic wrap and foil. When ready to cook place the frozen casserole in the dish and thaw overnight before baking per recipe directions.
Keep leftover cheesy tater tot casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze portions for up to 4 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More Creative Casseroles…
Did you enjoy this Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.
Tater Tot Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of broccoli cheese soup 1 can (or other creamed soup*)
- 10.5 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 can
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian dressing mix or Italian seasoning
- 1 ½-2 cups frozen vegetables or fresh, diced
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 pounds tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
- In a large skillet, cook onion and beef until onion is translucent and beef is browned. Drain.
- Meanwhile, mix together soups, garlic powder, Italian dressing mix, vegetables, ½ cup cheese, and salt and pepper if using. Add onion and beef once cooked and mix through.
- Add to casserole dish and spread along the bottom. Arrange tater tots on top of meat mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake 35-40 minutes, until bubbling and cheese is browned.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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