The perfect comfort food is Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole! This delicious, kid-friendly recipe includes flavorful ground beef, crispy tater tots, and plenty of cheese! It satisfies the entire family and is on the table in just over 30 minutes! An easy weeknight dinner.
Who doesn't love tater tots?? They remind me of my childhood, so I could eat them anytime and be perfectly content—probably a few pounds heavier, but content.
My kids now devour them, so making tater tot casserole was a no-brainer. It's also an economical dinner option for busy weeknights that my teenage boys devour. This recipe is also called a Hot Dish Casserole in some parts of the country.
The whole family will eat this or my Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole anytime! And on game day, we always make Tater Tot Nachos!
You can also make Tater Tot Casserole in the Crockpot! It's so good!
Jump to:
Ingredient Notes
We like this ground beef Tater Tot Casserole with Worcestershire Sauce because it enhances the overall flavor.
- Ground Beef - look for beef with 80% or lower fat content. You can use ground turkey instead of beef if you like.
- Onion - diced onion pairs perfectly with the beef and adds some aromatic flavor.
- Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup - The soup forms the base of the sauce for the meat mixture.
- Milk - You use a bit of milk to dilute the soup. Any dairy milk you have on hand will work.
- Worcestershire Sauce - brings a slightly sweet/sour umami flavor to the sauce.
- Cheddar Cheese - gooey cheese is what makes this recipe really sing. Grated cheese is in the sauce and on top of the casserole for added cheesiness.
- Frozen Tater Tots - We often use Ore-Ida tater tots for this easy recipe, but any frozen tater tots will work—no need to thaw them first.
- Salt and Pepper - to taste.
Optional Ingredients include green beans, corn, peas, or other mixed vegetables.
Find the full recipe in the printable recipe card below.
Substitutions & Toppings
- SOUP: Using Campbell's Cream of Chicken or Celery soup, whatever you have in your pantry, also works great in this recipe.
- MILK: You can swap the milk for Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- CHEESE: Any type of mild or sharp cheddar cheese is wonderful in the dish.
- VEGETABLES: Depending on what I have on hand, I throw in some frozen peas, corn, broccoli, or green beans. The kids roll their eyes about it, but they know I care :). Any mixed frozen vegetables work.
- TOPPING OPTIONS: Green onions, crumbled bacon bits, or diced tomatoes.
Tater Tot Casserole Variations
Fortunately, you can change up this hearty casserole in a million different ways. Your family will love any one of these Tater Tot Casserole variations!
- Mexican Tater Tot Casserole- Green chiles or jalapeños, corn, diced tomatoes, our homemade taco seasoning, and cheese like pepper jack cheese gives this recipe a spicy flavor.
- Chili Tater Tot Casserole- Add chili, corn, and olives to the base and top with tater tots and cheese
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole- Layer those gorgeous, crispy tots with eggs, crumbled breakfast sausage, and cheese. You will not be disappointed!
- And, of course, you can make a Crock Pot Tater Tot Casserole or Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Ranch Tater Tot Casserole!
Step-By-Step Instructions
This easy dinner recipe is perfect for picky eaters. If you're wondering if the tater tots will be crisp enough, they totally are. So our family rates this recipe very high for ease and deliciousness!
Before starting, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C).
- BROWN MEAT & ONIONS. Cook the beef and diced onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the beef is well browned, stirring to break up the meat. Pour off any excess grease.
- MAKE CHEESY SAUCE & ASSEMBLE. Stir the condensed soup (no need to dilute), milk, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire Sauce into the skillet with the meat. Spoon the beef mixture into an 11x9-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange TATER TOT potatoes in a single layer on top of the meat mixture in a casserole dish and top with the remaining cup of cheese.
- BAKE. Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and the cheese is golden brown.
Meatless Tater Tot Casserole
You can also make this tater tot casserole meatless, which is delicious, by omitting the meat. Want more veggies? You can also do that.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- MEAT: Drain the fat off the meat after you brown it. This will prevent the casserole from becoming too runny when baked. You can use ground turkey instead of ground beef if you like.
- MAKE AHEAD: You can make this cheesy tater tot casserole recipe a day ahead, cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Note - You will need need to increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is cold.
- TATER TOTS: No need to defrost the tater tots before you bake them in this classic comfort food casserole.
- STORAGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container (or covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil) in the fridge for 3-4 days.
What to Serve with Tater Tot Casserole
Most people find this Ground Beef Casserole a meal in itself. However, I often serve it with one of these side dishes.
- Go green. Serve Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Asparagus. Steamed broccoli is also very good! As is a green salad.
- If you're using your tater tot casserole as a side dish, serve it with Chicken Tenders or Ranch Pork Chops.
Can Tater Tot Casserole Be Frozen?
Yes! You can either make your casserole per the instructions, cover it tightly, and put it in the freezer until ready to bake--or bake it and then place it in the freezer and reheat it later. We have all the instructions for a Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal.
PRO TIP: Tater tots aren't just for lunchrooms and cafeterias. You can enjoy them anytime. You can easily double this recipe to eat throughout the week, which is a huge time saver!
Recipe FAQs
Your Tater Tot Casserole may be runny if you didn't drain all the excess fat after browning the meat. It may also need to set for a few minutes after baking to firm up.
You can make this cheesy tater tot casserole a day ahead of time, cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Note - You will need need to increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is cold.
Tater Tot Casserole of "hotdish" originated in the upper midwest region of the United States. It's sometimes called "church casserole" because it first appeared in a cookbook by a church group. Hotdish casserole is cooked in a single dish and served hot (per its name).
More Cheesy Comfort Food Casseroles
Love this Campbell's Tater Tot Casserole recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.
Hungry for more? Follow Suburban Simplicity on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest to see more DIYs, recipes, and home tips!
Also, don't forget to sign up for email!
I only send one email a week, and it'll include my latest recipes, DIYs, and tips, information about exclusive "email only" giveaways, and more! See form below!
Want to subscribe to the Suburban Simplicity Recipe Club? It's only $5 per month, and you'll get ad-free PDFs of any new recipes that I post while supporting me at the same time! Join the club, here.
Printable Recipe
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9x11 baking pan
- 10-inch skillet pan
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 1 10.75 ounce can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- ½ cup milk (low-fat or full fat)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (mild or sharp)
- 3 cups frozen Tater Tots
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook beef and diced onion in a large 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beef is well browned, stirring to break up meat. Pour off any fat.
- Stir condensed soup, milk, 1 cup cheese, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire Sauce into the skillet. Spoon beef mixture into an 11x9-inch shallow baking dish. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on top of the meat mixture and top with remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake at 425 degrees F (218 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and cheese is slightly brown.
Video
Notes
- MEAT: Drain the fat off the meat after you brown it. This will prevent the casserole from becoming too runny when baked. You can use ground turkey instead of ground beef if you like.
- SOUP: Using Campbell's Cream of Chicken or Celery soup, whatever you have in your pantry, also works great in this recipe.
- TATER TOTS: No need to defrost the tater tots before baking them.
- VEGETABLES: Depending on what I have on hand, I throw in some frozen peas, corn, broccoli, or green beans. Any type of mixed frozen vegetables works.
- MAKE AHEAD: You can make this cheesy tater tot casserole recipe a day ahead, cover it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store it in the fridge until ready to bake. Note - You must increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is cold.
- STORAGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container (or covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil) in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
The recipe was originally published on April 4, 2016. We updated it with enhanced instructions and video on May 20, 2020, and again on May 22, 2022.
Denise/DIY Crush says
Looks yummy! I need to try this, I'm sure my kids will love it! Thank you so much for sharing at my craft party on Thursday! Would love to see your newest posts this week, which starts at 7pm EST.
Amanda at The Kolb Corner says
My husband loves tater tot casserole. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us at Merry Monday! Pinned.
Erin says
It's the perfect comfort food for sure! Thanks for coming by and thanks for the pin!
Janet says
this is a great kid friendly recipe. I would love for you to share it over at http://tryit-likeit.com/link-it
Gloria says
That's a whole lot of tots that get eaten in a year... I'm sure I'm a huge part in that number! 😉 I simply can't wait to make this for my guys!
Erin says
I'm sure they'll love it! A hearty, yummy meal 🙂 I wish I could eat more tater tots, but really I would be 500 lbs if I did!
Pili says
I have never tried tater tot casseroles but yours look delicious!! It doesn't look difficult so I can give it a try, we love potatoes!
Thanks so much for sharing it with us at #sweetinspiration party, enjoy the rest of the week!
Erin says
Nope, not difficult at all. I promise you will love this one....well, in the very least if you have kids, they will love this one 🙂 have a wonderful weekend, Pili!
Mary-the boondocks blog says
Erin I don't know what tater tots are but I'm guessing they must be some sort of potatoes. I'm a huge fan of potatoes and the rest of the recipe seems easy enough. I could definitely make this. Comfort food at it's best! Thank you for linking up to our first Sweet Inspiration party!
Marilyn says
Casseroles are the perfect midweek dinner for my family. This one is a keeper! Thank you so much for linking at #ThursdayFavoriteThings! I look forward to seeing what you share very week. Please come back for #OverTheMoon on Sunday night. Don't forget to comment your link #'s so I can be sure to visit. Pinned and shared.
Erin says
Yes, this one is a family favorite. It truly is hard to please everyone at the dinner table, but this recipe seems to do that. Plus, it such a comfort food for those busy, crazy days!
Wendy says
I had to smile when I saw this post for two reasons. 1. My husband bought a HUGE bag of tater tots a couple of months ago, and we are STILL eating them! This recipe will help clean out my freezer! 🙂 2. We are planning an "adult" kids meal gathering and were looking for ways to take "kid food" and "grow it up" a little. This may be a solution! 🙂
Erin says
I think this is the perfect recipe on both counts! And it's tasty, so you will be the hit of your party, which I think is a crazy fun idea. Enjoy!
Nikki Frank-Hamilton says
Erin, I love this! It looks like you could whip this up while your meat is on the grill or finishing off in the oven, and I bet it is a hit with the kids. You are genius, sneaking in the veggies! Great way to get more out of a fun dish. This would be especially great during the spring and summer months as parents are running kids to sports and activities, it wouldn't take long to put together!
Yvonne says
Oh I really love quick and easy meal ideas. My kids would love this too, even the picky eater 🙂 x #WAYWOW
Erin says
Thanks for coming by, Yvonne. Quick, easy and delicious are my favorite meals. I really like this recipe because everyone in the family enjoyed it! With 6 of us, that's saying a lot!
Erin says
You had me at tater tots too! 🙂 hehe I will have to try this minus the meat for me, ahem, I mean for my kids 😉
Erin says
It'd be just as good without the meat, Erin! A comfort dish for sure!
Meg says
Tater tot casserole is one of my husband's favorite meals! Although our version is tomato based, but I'd be interested to try this one.
Erin says
Tomatoes would be good in here, too. They're not the kids favorite, so I often leave them out of dishes like this. Thanks for popping by, Meg!
sherry says
This recipe has everything my kids love, so I am sure they will love it when I make this. It does sound like a yummy comfort food meal.
Erin says
Yummy it is! Plus, it took barely any time to cook up. It's a great family meal!
Kathryn Griffin says
Erin, this looks amazing! Comfort food at its best! Thank you for sharing and thank you for the visit and sweet comment at The Dedicated House. It means the world! I will definitely be back tomorrow night to link up. I would love it if you would share any of your posts at my Make it Pretty party. Here is the link if you want to check it out. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2016/04/make-pretty-monday-week-174.html Wishing you a happy week! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Erin says
Thanks for coming by, Kathryn! I look forward to checking out your party!
Mina says
Hi Erin, you had me at tater tots. 😉 This sounds so easy to make yet so delicious. I think ground beef, potato and Worcestershire sauce is such an awesome combination. Thanks for sharing.
Erin says
Easy and delicious is a perfect meal in my house! comfort food on those busy nights is such a blessing. Thanks for coming by, Mina!