Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal

Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal

If you have a busy family then you know the virtues of freezer meals..or you need to know them! This is one of our favorite meals from the freezer. I grew up eating this and still LOVE it! Let’s make and store a delicious Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal so you grab it when things are a little crazyyyy and dinner needs to get on the table!

This yummy Tater Tot Casserole is one of my favorite freezer meals because it is so easy to mix up a double or triple batch of the meat mixture and layer with tater tots and cheese – so you cook once and eat many times.

Love it!! Total comfort food.

Here is the base recipe for Tater Tot Casserole you will need. I also like this Crock Pot Tater Tot Casserole that’s delicious!

Note:  For a cleaner version of Tater Tots, I use the Cascadian Farms brand. It doesn’t seem to have the preservatives as regular versions.

Freezing a Tater Tot Casserole

The way we prefer to store a Tater Tot Casserole in the freezer is as an assembled casserole. However, there are a couple more options below that also work well.

Just simply follow the Tater Tot Recipe and before you place it in the oven, cover it with plastic wrap and then foil and place it in the freezer. You always want to make sure you prevent freezer burn, so your casserole tastes great. 

You can either use disposable aluminum pans or casserole dishes for freezing and simple reheating.

Tips for the Perfect Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal

• If you freeze this meal for future use, make sure to label it appropriately. If stored in an aluminum pan cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to seal properly and then label well with the date.
• Because this recipe contains tater tots that are best used frozen, I don’t recommend taking the casserole out of the freezer to defrost overnight.

How Long Will A Tater Tot Casserole Last in the Freezer?

This is a common question. If sealed and stored properly, this Tater Tot Casserole lasts for up to 4 months in the freezer.

Personally, I think this is wonderful! I always have something in the freezer that’s easy to pull out for dinner!

How to Reheat a Freezer Meal

To cook, simply remove casserole from the freezer and take off plastic wrap/foil/lid and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

To get a nice crisp on top, you can turn the oven to broil and cook a few minutes longer.

The crispy bits are the best!

Alternative Ways to Freeze Tater Tot Casserole

These alternatives to making and then freezing Tater Tot Casserole also work well – especially if making more than one batch at a time. Choose the one that best fits your cooking style.

If you try this Tater Tot Casserole or any other recipe on Suburban Simplicity then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let us know how it went in the comments below, we love hearing from you! Better yet, use the hashtag  #suburbansimplicity if you make the recipe.

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1. How to Store casserole UNASSEMBLED in Freezer:

1. In a large skillet, brown the meat and onion. Work in batches if you need to. Season with the salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the Cream of Mushroom Soup, milk and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Divide proportionally into bags (for instance, if you are making 4 batches, divide into 4 bags).
4. Now, divide the cheese into 4 bags.
5. Divide the tater tots into 4 bags.
6. Label and date all bags.
7. Rubber band one meat, cheese, and tater tot bag together and freeze.
8. The day before you want to serve, take out one bag of meat and one bag of cheese and thaw in the fridge.
9. Lightly grease a baking dish with a paper towel dipped in olive oil or cooking spray.
10. Pour in the meat/soup mixture, top with half of the cheese.
11. Top with the tater tots and remaining cheese.
12. Bake uncovered at 425º F for 25 minutes.

2. How to PRE-BAKE Casserole to Freeze:

1. In a large skillet, brown the meat and onion. Work in batches if you need to. Season with the salt and pepper.
2. Stir in the Cream of Mushroom Soup, milk and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Lightly grease however many baking pans you are using with a paper towel dipped in olive oil or cooking spray.
4. Fill each dish with meat mixture, then half of the cheese, then potatoes and the rest of the cheese.
5. Bake at 400º F for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven. Let cool slightly. Cover with airtight lids or foil to seal.
7. Place the partially baked casseroles in the refrigerator to cool the rest of the way. When they are no longer hot, place in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, you can pop them out of their pans, so you can use it when while the casserole is in the freezer. Wrap in foil, plastic wrap, or use a large zipper freezer bag. Don’t forget to label.

To serve:  Remove the wrap from one of the casseroles and replace it in its original baking pan and thaw it out in the refrigerator.  Turn the oven on to 400º F and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

If cooking from frozen: 1 hour before you wish to serve it, place the casserole in a cold oven and turn on to 300º F. Bake for 1 hour. Then turn oven to broil setting and cook for a few more minutes to get a nice crisp on top.

You May Also Like These Easy Dinner Casseroles:

Crock Pot Tater Tot Casserole

Mexican Chicken Veggies and Rice Casserole

Roasted Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Casserole