This super easy Tater Tot Casserole recipe (aka hotdish) is a complete meal in one pan. A dish the whole family is sure to love, you can mix and match the filling and vegetables for your favorites. This recipe makes two pans, so bake one for dinner and freeze the other for a ready to go freezer meal!
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Tater Tot Casserole is exactly what it sounds like. (Although in parts of the country it is called “Hotdish.”) Ground meat, frozen vegetables and a sauce mixed into a delicious, easy casserole and topped with frozen tater tots. It is filling and a complete meal in one plate.
And to make it even better, you can make one or two at a time and package them up as freezer meals or bake right away. For more easy casserole dinner, make sure to check out our Tuna Noodle Casserole or Beef Shepherd’s Pie!
Ingredients
Ground Beef: You’ll need 2 pounds of ground beef for this recipe. However, you can easily halve the recipe if you are cooking for 4 and don’t want to freeze the second pan for a future meal. I prefer to use 80%/20% ground beef because it still has a lot of flavor without being greasy. You can absolutely substitute ground turkey or ground chicken if you like, or even diced chicken.
Cream of Mushroom Soup: Using canned soup, we get the convenience of a sauce without having to make from scratch. You’ll need 2 (10.25 ounce) cans.
Milk: Milk will be mixed with the cream of mushroom soup to make the sauce. Use your favorite variety.
Frozen Peas: You’ll need a 12-16 ounce bag of frozen peas. You can use green beans, corn or mixed vegetables if you’re not a fan of peas.
Shredded Cheese: I like to use cheddar cheese in this recipe because it complements the beef and tater tots without overpowering. You’ll need 2 cups shredded (about 8 ounces). You can use pre-shredded or shred your own.
Tater Tots: You’ll need a 32 ounce bag of frozen tater tots. Don’t thaw them. We will be baking them from frozen in the casserole
Seasonings: To punch up the flavor in this tater tot casserole recipe, we’re going to use Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Equipment
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Can Opener
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoon
- (2) 9 x 9 inch baking dishes or (1) 9 x 13 inch baking dish – I even prepare these in square aluminum pans to freeze. They are perfect when I want to give a freezer meal to someone in need or a new mom
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
- To start, brown your ground beef in a skillet until cooked (drain any excess grease) and then add the seasonings and Worcestershire sauce.
- While the meat is cooking, prep your other ingredients and mix the cream of mushroom soup and milk together until smooth.
- Then, add the soup mixture and the frozen peas to the ground beef and mix until fully combined.
- Spray your baking dishes with cooking spray and split your filling evenly between the two pans.
- Now, layer on the shredded cheese.
- Lastly, top with the frozen tater tots. At this point, you can bake your casserole immediately or cover your pans with a lid or plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. Cooking times for all sizes and fresh or frozen are in the notes of the recipe card below.
How to Freeze Your Casserole
This recipe will make two 9×9 inch square casseroles, each serving 4 people. For a crowd, assemble the full recipe in a 9×13 inch pan.
To prepare for freezing, you will follow all instructions up to the point of baking. You’ll brown the meat, mix in the vegetables and soup, and stir to combine everything.
Next, you’ll spray your pan(s) with cooking spray and split your filling between the two pans. Top with shredded cheese and add a single layer of tater tots. At this point, you’re ready to cover with a lid or wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to three months.
When you’re ready to bake, you can remove the foil and plastic wrap and bake from frozen.
Make sure to check out another great make-ahead meal option – Brisket Mac and Cheese!
Frequently Asked Questions
Casseroles or hotdishes are easy dinners that usually consist of a meat, some kind of sauce or cheese, a vegetable and some kind of starch. This can be pasta or potatoes. Mix or layer it all together and bake or cook on the stove and you’ve got a comforting, filling casserole. In this recipe, we’re using ground beef, canned soup, frozen vegetables and tater tots.
Yes, this recipe is perfect for swapping out ingredients to make all kinds of versions! Instead of ground beef, you can use ground turkey or chicken, or even diced chicken. Swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken soup, and substitute the frozen peas for green beans, corn, or even mixed vegetables.
If baking immediately, you’ll bake your 9 x 13 inch casserole uncovered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes. If baking from frozen, you’ll bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 75 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the tater tots are golden and crispy.
Yes! Tater Tot casserole makes the perfect freezer meal. Already completely assembled, you can bake it from frozen. See above for instructions on how to prepare, freeze and bake from frozen.
More One-Pot Dinner Recipes
- Crockpot Mississippi Roast
- Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili
- Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
- Keto Cheeseburger Soup
- Teriyaki Ham Stir-Fry
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Tater Tot Casserole (Tater Tot Hotdish)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef or turkey or chicken
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 10.75 ounce cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup milk
- 1 16 ounce bag frozen peas
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet until cooked. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup and milk until well combined and no lumps.
- To the ground beef, add frozen peas and soup mixture. Stir to combine.
- Spray two 9×9 inch baking pans with cooking spray.
- Divide meat mixture evenly between both pans.
- Top each pan with shredded cheese, one cup of shredded cheese per pan.
- Top each pan with a single layer of frozen tater tots.
- If cooking immediately, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes until mixture is bubbly and tater tots are golden and crispy.
- If freezing, wrap the prepared casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil or cover with lid. Label with name of dish and date frozen. Casserole can be frozen for up to three months.
- When ready to cook from frozen, remove lid or foil and plastic. Bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 60 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
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We love this. My “tweaks”, I used a can of cream of mushroom and a can of cream of potato cuz it was taking up space in my pantry! Added the spices and WS to the soups along with 8 oz sour cream. I sprayed the 9X13 but I have a deep one and used two pounds of burger. I put a good half of the tots in the bottom, then the browned ( I nuke it) burger, then the frozen (mixed) veggies. I spread the soup Mixture over it all then finished off with the rest of the tots mixed with ~ 1/2 can of dried fried onions. I forgot to put in the shredded cheddar, so in the last 15-20 min of baking I sprinkled about 1 cup all over the top making a cheesy cunch on the topping tator tots! YUMMO. Froze 1/2 cuz it’s a lot for just two people!
So you did a totally different recipe?