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This tater tot casserole recipe is a cozy classic with crispy tater tots, tender ground beef, and plenty of cheddar cheese! It has just 10 minutes of prep time for a hassle-free family meal.
Try this Cowboy Casserole, my Tater Tot Shepherd’s Pie, or Sloppy Joe Casserole next.
Why you’ll love it
If you didn’t grow up eating casseroles, this tater tot casserole will really make you wish that you did. There’s hardly any prep, it’s hot and cheesy, and tater tots give it the ideal crunch. Maybe my favorite part is how affordable to make it is. A few pantry ingredients come together to create something magical!
The heart of this recipe really lies in the Midwest. They perfected casseroles like this for economical meals that are perfect for bringing along to events where you need to feed a crowd like potlucks and family reunions. It’s a kid-friendly recipe as well.
Is this the same as a tater tot hotdish?
- Honestly, it depends who you ask! You’ll find casseroles like this across the Midwest, especially in Minnesota. A hotdish generally has a starch, meat, canned or frozen veggie, and canned soup, so this fits the bill, but specific recipes of course vary from family to family, which is totally ok.
- I’m not here to relitigate what a hotdish is; I’m just here to bring you a really delicious casserole with my own spin, whatever you call it!
What you’ll need
- Ground beef – I like to use at least 90% lean
- Onion and garlic – our tasty aromatic base. I used Vidalia (sweet) onion, but yellow works.
- Worcestershire sauce – it adds a savory quality that’s delicious and you won’t want to skip
- Italian seasoning – it’s a dried herb blend that you’ll find in the spice aisle of your grocery store in a single convenient jar
- Sour cream – for a slight tang and creaminess
- Condensed mushroom soup – it’s a tried and true shortcut to bind everything and add flavor. Add it as-is to the dish.
- Corn – I use canned corn for convenience (peaches and cream variety here in Canada)
- Cheddar cheese – grate your own cheddar for best results. I love this grater.
- Tater tots – use a package of your favorite brand
Pro tip
Tater tot package sizes vary, and depending on the exact size/shape of your baking dish, you may not use them all (or if you decide to space them out more than I did), so be sure to keep the original packaging and pop the rest back in the freezer to use another day.
How to make tater tot casserole
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven. Sauté the onion and beef until browned. Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning. Reduce heat and stir in the sour cream, mushroom soup, corn, and a 1/2 cup of the cheddar.
Stir well, and let it heat through for a minute or two. Transfer the skillet mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish and smooth in a uniform layer.
Sprinkle with the remainder of the cheddar cheese, then add the tater tots. Bake, uncovered, until the tater tots are golden. Garnish with scallions if desired. That’s it!
Can I make it ahead?
- You bet! I’d prepare everything up until adding the tater tots.
- Refrigerate overnight, and add them just before baking so they don’t get soggy. Bake for a few more minutes if it’s coming straight from the fridge.
- You can also make ahead and freeze for up to three months, but again I’d add the tater tots when you’re ready to cook it.
Substitutions and variations
- Cream of mushroom soup is typically used, but you can swap it with cream of chicken if you prefer or any “cream of” soup.
- I’ve seen similar recipes use canned green beans either instead of or in addition to the canned corn, so feel free to add/swap a can of those here if you like.
- Frozen mixed veggies work as well, the kind that are chopped small. If using, I recommend thawing them first, and you may need to add additional baking time.
- You could swap the ground beef with ground turkey or even ground pork. Or go all-out and use ground sausage meat.
- Switch up the cheese if you like. Monterey Jack or a Tex-Mex blend would work great for a twist!
What to serve with this recipe
- Tater tot casserole is often enjoyed with some ketchup on the side/over top.
- I like sprinkling chopped scallions on top when it’s hot out of the oven.
- This dish is fairly rich, so serving it with a side salad is never a bad idea. Try mixed greens, tomatoes, and cucumber with Homemade Ranch Dressing!
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Keep in mind that the tater tots will soften up, so you may want to reheat in the oven vs. the microwave to crisp them up. You could even use an air fryer.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months, and simply thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat.
Did you make this simple casserole? Have any questions? Let me hear from you in the comments below! You can also tag me on Instagram if you made it.
Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (12 ounce) can corn drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar divided
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots see note
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Chopped scallions for serving (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Add the beef and onions to a skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally and breaking the beef up with your spoon, until it's browned and the onions have softened (about 7-8 minutes). If there's a lot of excess fat, spoon most of it out.
- Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Italian seasoning to the skillet and cook for about a minute.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the sour cream, condensed soup, corn, and about a 1/2 cup of the cheddar. Stir well and let it heat through for a minute or two.
- Transfer the skillet mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish and smooth in an even layer. Optional: if you have a large oven-safe skillet, feel free to make the casserole entirely in the skillet.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the rest of the cheese, and then top it with the tater tots.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until the tater tots are nicely browned and the cheese is hot and bubbly. Serve with chopped scallions and salt & pepper if needed.
Notes
- Tater tot package sizes vary, so anything in the 32 oz. ballpark will work (you may use a bit less depending how you space/arrange them in your baking dish).
- Some of the ingredients in this dish can be quite salty, so use low-sodium options wherever possible if sensitive to salt.
- Serves 6-8 depending on how much people eat.
- This casserole recipe is also on page 198 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My husband and children do not like sour cream. Does cream cheese work well instead? If so, how much?
That should be ok! I’d probably use 4 oz.
Hi,
I’m giving it only 4 stars for now, as I am making this for tonight’s dinner, and haven’t tasted it yet.
It’s ready to go, just have to put the tator tots on top and pop it into the oven.
My guy likes a LOT of meat in the other recipe I’ve made before, so I used 2 lbs of sweet Italian ground sausage instead of the ground beef.
I also added an extra can of cream of mushroom soup, an extra 1/2 cup of sour cream, and a can of cut green beans with the corn and meat mixture. I did add about 3 teaspoons of minced garlic and a little more Italian seasoning. Using more meat, soup, sour cream and veggies, I figured it probably needs a bit more seasoning. Oh, and more cheese on top too! 😉
We’ll see, but I think it will be good!! I never used sour cream or cheese in it before.
So, thank you for the “new” recipe! 😊👋🏼
Hope you love it, Connie!
Loved it! Everybody thought it was the best one I’ve ever made!
That’s awesome!! 😀
Can’t wait to try this recipe
Let me know how you like it, Judy! 😀
Was great! First time ever making it. My husband and I liked it. I didn’t quite have enough sour cream and added a tish more worstershire sauce. We are having a baby in about 3 months, I’ll definitely be making 1 or 2 and storing in the freezer for easy meals once baby is born!
I’m so glad it was a hit, Sara!! Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy! 😀
Hi is there a substitute for the sour cream? I don’t have any in my fridge
Do you have cream cheese? Or maybe another half can or so of cream of mushroom soup.
Greek yoghurt can be used instead of sour cream.
My sister made this a while back and I had to replicate it, the only way I’ll make it now. So obvious that adding sour cream and cheddar cheese would make it better!!! 😋
I’m thrilled you like this one, Amanda!!
Can you freeze this? Making this for my small group 😀 looks delicious!
Hi Rachel! Please see the “can I make it ahead?” and “leftovers and storage” sections of the blog post. Hope you all enjoy it! 🙂
Tried it for first time! It was wonderful.thank you
You’re very welcome, Norma! Thanks for your review!
Hello I made this the other night , as I was cooking the meat I added Montreal steak seasoning and some steak sauce.also with the soup mix I added some Worcestershire . It really stepped up the boldness of flavor. This was a very delicious dish. I will be making it more often.
Sounds good to me!!
Making this for my daughter’s school looks so yummy!
Thank you! I hope everyone loves it. 😀
I followed the recipe exactly, except I changed everything and added and subtracted ingredients. It turned out great!