Description
Tater Tot Casserole is a comforting, family-friendly dish made with crispy tater tots, creamy sauce, ground beef, and melty cheese. It’s perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or meal prep. This easy, customizable recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 1 lb ground beef (or substitute ground turkey/chicken)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or Monterey Jack/mozzarella)
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup (or cream of chicken/celery)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
- Chopped parsley or green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven
-
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Cook the Ground Beef
-
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add diced onion and sauté until translucent (3-5 minutes).
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up.
- Season with garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.
- Drain excess grease and transfer to the casserole dish.
- Prepare the Creamy Mixture
-
- In a bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup and sour cream until smooth.
- Spread this mixture evenly over the beef layer.
- Layer the Cheese
-
- Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese over the beef layer.
- Set aside the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
- Add the Tater Tots
-
- Arrange frozen tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
- Bake the Casserole
-
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tater tots are golden brown and crispy.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top in the last 5 minutes of baking.
- Garnish and Serve
-
- Let the casserole cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with parsley or green onions for extra flavor.
Notes
- Cheese Tip: Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded.
- Protein Swaps: Try rotisserie chicken, sausage, or plant-based options.
- Make It Healthier: Add diced zucchini, spinach, or peas.
- For Extra Crispiness: Bake on a higher oven rack.
- Meal Prep Friendly: This dish stores and reheats well!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ~450
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg