Tater Tot Casserole – How to make a classic tater tot casserole with ground beef, vegetables, and mushroom soup. Easy delicious dinner recipe you can make ahead and freeze.
Busy nights call for easy dinner ideas, like this deliciously easy tater tot casserole recipe. You can even make it ahead of time and put it in the freezer.
I've found the easier the meal on those busy nights, the less tempted I am to go through the fast food lane or order takeout. And tater tot hotdish is so easy to make, requiring very little prep time.
While this hamburger casserole isn't the lowest carb recipe you can make, it's still a kid-friendly, quick meal option that will save your sanity.
Not to mention, it's a tater tot casserole with veggies. So you've got everything in one simple casserole dish.
If you love a good casserole, you'll also love this delicious taco tater tot casserole and sloppy joe casserole with potatoes.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE FOR TATER TOT CASSEROLE?
If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the tater tot casserole recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.
WHAT KIND OF VEGGIES SHOULD I USE IN TATER TOT HOTDISH?
While I prefer to use canned veggies, you can use frozen or fresh, as well, depending on your preference.
Although, do keep in mind that if you choose to use fresh root vegetables, like carrots, you may want to parboil them. Food Fanatic has a great guide for how to parboil.
WHAT KIND OF MEAT SHOULD I USE?
I prefer to use ground beef. But you can also use ground turkey or sausage.
WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP?
That's ok. You can use any creamed soup you want; or even create your own creamy beef broth, using beef bullion and heavy whipping cream (or milk), to add to the casserole.
We've also used cream of celery soup, which gives hamburger casserole a really delicious flavor.
CAN I MAKE AHEAD TATER TOT CASSEROLE AND FREEZE IT?
Yes, you can make it ahead and put it in the freezer for later. Just be sure to put it in the fridge in plenty of time to thaw before baking or add a little additional cook time, maybe 20 minutes or so.
You'll also want to cover it well before freezing, so it doesn't get freezer burn. If you have a covered casserole dish, that will work well.
You can also make it the day before and put it in the fridge for baking the next day.
TIPS FOR HOW TO MAKE TATER TOT CASSEROLE
Making tater tot casserole is super easy with only a few prep steps.
- Mince the onion and garlic, and then sauté for a few minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Then add in the ground beef and cook until it's nicely browned.
- Then just layer the ingredients in a greased casserole dish. Start with the green beans, then the mixed veggies, the ground beef, the soup, and finally the tater tots to top it all off.
- And it's ready to bake, according to the instructions in the recipe card below.
MORE CASSEROLE RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:
If you're looking for a lower carb option, this Instant Pot cauliflower, sausage, and chicken casserole is always a dinnertime hit in our house. We also enjoy this turkey enchilada skillet casserole.
Mommy Hates Cooking has a delicious chili cheese tater tot casserole. A Farmgirl's Dabbles shares how to make a delicious tater tot hotdish without canned soup.
KITCHEN TOOLS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE TATER TOT CASSEROLE
Cast Iron Skillet – for browning the ground beef. You could also layer the casserole in a larger cast iron skillet.
Hamburger Chopper – This handy dandy tool makes it easier to chop up the meat into a much looser mixture.
Ninja Food Chopper Express or Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife
Can Strainer – so nifty for straining the liquid out of canned veggies.
Spatula – especially helpful for scooping out and spreading the soup.
TATER TOT CASSEROLE RECIPE
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Classic Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon bacon grease *
- 1/2 medium yellow onion minced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 14.5 ounces green beans **drained
- 15 ounces mixed vegetables **drained
- 21 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 32 ounces tater tots
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
- Sauté the minced onion and garlic in the bacon grease until they begin to soften.
- Then add the ground beef to the onion/garlic mixture, and cook until it's browned.
- Layer the vegetables in the bottom of a greased casserole dish.
- Add a second layer with the browned ground beef over the vegetables.
- Spread the soup over the ground beef mixture.
- Finally, layer the tater tots on top.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40 minutes, or until the tots are a golden brown color.
- Remove from the oven and serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Update: This recipe was originally published in April 2013, but was re-published with bigger photos and more details in January 2019.
Maybe I missed it but for newer cooks, is the pan size mentioned? Also, I’m going to mix all the ingredients together (aside from tots) and then placing in the baking pan. Thanks for the memories! ❤️
Hey Lora, I bake this in a 13×9 casserole dish. I hope that helps!
Making this recipe now..
Thank you
You’re very welcome, Jean! I hope you enjoy it.
omg yum. I don’t remember if I’ve stopped by from the UBP, but I’m finally putting a dent in the comments and returning visits and here I am! I’ve already liked and followed you, so I must have been here before. But I’m glad I keep coming back! Your site is full of great information!
Thank you, Samantha! So glad you stopped by. Heading over to visit you now.:)
We make tater tot casserole a lot but with a completely different recipe. I will have to try this one out.
Whitney, thanks for stopping by. You’ll have to let me know how you like it. How do you make yours? I’m always up for switchin’ things up.:)
Oh man… I haven’t thought about Tater Tot Casserole in years and it was my favourite as a kid! Thanks for bringing back good memories. Will have to make for my kids soon. I know they would love it!
Freezable?
Cheryl, I would think it’d be ok to freeze. I’ve never tried it. You’ll have to let me know how it turns out if you do.:)
That looks fun to make and kid-friendly! YUM!!! Pinning!
Thanks so much, Kristin! Hope you’re having fun at Disney and Drew feels better!
Looks good! Totally funny but I was just working on a tater tot casserole this weekend :) It is different from this but tater tots must have just been in the air :)
Shannah, can’t wait to see your recipe.:) Love seeing how others make similar recipes. Maybe it’s the rainy weather right now, making us want comfort food.