Tater Tot Casserole – A Beautiful Mess

We’re excited to share our Tater Tot Casserole recipe. If you are needing a simple, crowd-pleasing meal, try this tater tot casserole. Even our 2-year-old approves. This is so comforting with basic, easy to love ingredients. Plus, this dish works for many occasions. Personally, I love this as part of a big family breakfast served alongside eggs and maybe something sweet (like sticky buns or cinnamon rolls), but it could work just as well as a main course or side dish at a potluck or holiday meal.

This may be a regional thing but you could also call this a tater tot hotdish. It has all the necessary elements—potatoes, meat, and can of condensed soup. In the Midwest where I live, we call it a casserole. Layers of meat, cheese and crispy tater tots create an affordable, filling meal—you’ll love this easy recipe!

Related: Biscuits and Gravy Casserole, Breakfast Casserole, Corn Casserole, Tuna Casserole and 100+ Comfort Food Recipes.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef – We used a lean ground beef. You may also swap it for sausage or turkey sausage if you want to lean into the breakfast vibe.
• Garlic – Minced garlic.
• Cream of Mushroom Soup – Or cream of chicken soup.
• Cheddar Cheese – For a melty, cheesy layer.
• Tater Tots – Frozen tater tots work just fine for this recipe.
• Chives or other Fresh Herbs – As garnish.

This tater tot casserole is essentially five basic ingredients, but I’ll share a few ways I spice it up so it’s more flavorful or seasonal. You’ll bake this all in a casserole dish.

Directions

Mince the garlic. In a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the garlic until cooked (no pink remains). The meat can be slightly undercooked at this stage, so don’t overcook it, as it will bake in the oven for another 35 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the can of soup and season with a little salt and pepper.

Now assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Add the meat mixture. Then sprinkle on the grated cheese. Then add a layer of tater tots to the top (frozen).

Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden brown and crispy and the mixture below will be bubbling. Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.

Tips for Making

• Sometimes, I add more seasoning to the meat as I brown it, just for added flavor. Some good additions include: chili powder, cayenne, Italian seasoning, black pepper, onion powder or other spices you may love.
• If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you could swap the ground beef for a ground turkey or ground chicken. You can also use ground pork if you like.
• I like to top this tater tot casserole with some green onions or chives, but you could use other fresh herbs like cilantro or for a holiday rosemary or thyme.

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