Classic Tater Tot Casserole is the weeknight favorite also known as tater tot hotdish: seasoned ground beef with onion and garlic, a layer of cream of mushroom soup, green beans and cheddar, all under a crispy, golden blanket of frozen tater tots. It takes 10 minutes to put together, bakes for 35 to 40 minutes, and serves 6.
How to make it: Brown and drain the beef, cook the onion and garlic with it, and season with Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Spread it in the dish, then layer on the soup, the drained green beans, the cheddar and the frozen tots, and bake at 375°F until the tots are golden brown.
Why You’ll Love It
- Freezer and pantry staples: ground beef, a can of soup, a can of green beans, cheese and frozen tots.
- 10 minutes of prep: brown the beef, layer, and let the oven do the rest.
- Crispy on top, creamy underneath: the tots bake up golden over a saucy filling.
- Easy to change: corn for the green beans, turkey for the beef, or a bigger batch in a 13×9.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One pound, and the leaner the better. Drain the fat after browning so the filling isn’t greasy.
Onion and garlic: Half an onion, diced, and two cloves of garlic, minced fine so there are no big pieces.
Worcestershire sauce: A tablespoon seasons the beef.
Cream of mushroom soup: One 10.75-ounce can of condensed soup. It’s the binder that turns the layers into a creamy filling. A low-sodium can keeps the salt in check.
Green beans: One 15-ounce can, drained. Season this layer too.
Cheddar: Two cups, shredded. Freshly grated cheese melts more smoothly.
Tater tots: Two cups, straight from the freezer.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can green beans, drained
- 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups frozen tater tots
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish at least 2 inches deep.
2. Brown the beef. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain the fat.
3. Add the onion and garlic. Add the onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper.
4. Layer. Spread the beef in the dish. Top with the cream of mushroom soup, then the green beans (season them), then the cheddar. Finish with the frozen tater tots.
5. Bake. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the tater tots are golden brown, the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F. Serve right away.
How to Keep the Tater Tots Crispy
The goal is a golden, crunchy top over a creamy filling rather than a soggy one. A few simple choices make the difference.
Use them frozen. Don’t cook or thaw the tater tots first. They go on straight from the freezer and bake through in the oven.
Keep the cheese underneath. The cheddar goes on the green beans, under the tots, not on top of them. Cheese melted over the tots stops them from crisping.
Line them up. For a bigger pan, set the tots in rows with a small gap between each so the heat can reach every side.
Season every layer. Salt and pepper the beef and the green beans as you go, and sprinkle a little salt on the tots when the casserole comes out of the oven, so no bite tastes bland.
Use a deep enough dish. With all the layers, an 8- or 9-inch dish at least 2 inches deep keeps the filling from bubbling over.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Cook the tots first? | No, add them frozen |
| What holds it together? | The cream of mushroom soup |
| Cheese on top? | No, under the tots |
| How do I know it’s done? | Golden tots and 165°F in the center |
Tips for Success
What’s the best binder for tater tot casserole?
Condensed cream of mushroom soup. For a thicker, saucier filling, cook a quick roux of butter and flour, whisk in broth until it thickens, then stir in the soup.
Can I make a bigger batch?
Yes. Use 1 1/2 pounds of beef, 1 1/2 pounds of tots (about 72) and a 13×9-inch dish, and bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until bubbling.
Variations
- With corn: use corn in place of the green beans, or 1/2 cup of each.
- Saucier, bigger batch: brown 1 1/2 pounds of 85% lean beef with onion and garlic. Make a roux with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon flour, whisk in 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, and stir in a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1/2 cup each of frozen corn and green beans, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard and half of 6 ounces of extra-sharp cheddar. Spread it in a 13×9-inch dish, top with the rest of the cheese and about 72 tots in rows, and bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes. It makes a bigger pan for a crowd.
- Cream of chicken and mixed vegetables: mix cooked beef, cream of chicken soup, 1 cup each of peas and corn, 1/2 cup of carrots, half a cup of cheddar and half of 32 ounces of tots in a 9×13 pan. Top with the rest of the tots, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 40 minutes, then add the remaining cheese and bake 10 minutes uncovered.
- Tater tot hotdish: brown beef or ground turkey with onion, stir in cream of mushroom soup and green beans, top with frozen tots and bake at 400°F for 30 minutes. With ground turkey, cook it to 165°F.
- Gluten-free: use a homemade gluten-free cream soup and gluten-free tots.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, or reheat straight from frozen, which takes about 1 1/2 times as long. Reheat in the oven so the tots crisp up again, until the center reaches 165°F.
What to Serve With It
It’s a full meal on its own; add a green salad if you like. For more tater tot bakes, try chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole or breakfast casserole with tater tots and sausage. Other ground beef favorites: easy 5-ingredient hamburger potato casserole, cheesy hamburger potato casserole without soup, easy hamburger rice casserole and layered taco bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What all goes in a tater tot casserole?
Ground beef browned with onion and garlic, cream of mushroom soup, green beans, shredded cheddar and frozen tater tots, seasoned with Worcestershire, salt and pepper.
Do you cook the tater tots before putting them on the casserole?
No. Put them on frozen; they cook and crisp in the oven.
Is tater tot hotdish the same as tater tot casserole?
Yes, it’s the same idea: ground beef and vegetables in a creamy soup base under a layer of tater tots.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes. Brown it the same way and cook it to 165°F.
Why are my tater tots soggy?
Usually because cheese went on top of the tots. Keep the cheese under them and bake until they’re golden brown.
Final Notes
Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the tots the moment the dish comes out of the oven. If you make it, tell me in the comments whether you went with green beans or corn.
Classic Tater Tot Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef lean
- 1/2 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 15 ounce can green beans drained
- 10.75 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups frozen tater tots
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish at least 2 inches deep.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain the fat.
- Add the onion and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the beef in the dish. Top with the cream of mushroom soup, then the green beans (season them), then the cheddar. Finish with the frozen tater tots.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the tater tots are golden brown, the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F. Serve right away.
