One of my most requested recipes is Tater Tot Casserole. If you want a simple, crowd-pleasing meal, try this tater tot casserole recipe. This is a very comforting dish made with basic and easily loved ingredients. My toddler loves this recipe, my father-in-law loves this recipe, and so do I.
Moreover, this dish works in many different situations. Personally, I love eating it with eggs and something sweet (like sticky buns or cinnamon rolls) as part of a large family breakfast, but it can also be used as a main course or side dish for potlucks and holiday meals.
This may be a regional thing, but you could also call it a tater tot hot dish. All the necessary elements are present: potatoes, meat, a can of concentrated soup. In the Midwest, where I live, we call this a casserole. Create an affordable and hearty meal with layers of meat, cheese, and crunchy tater tots. The whole family will love this easy recipe.
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Tater tot casserole ingredients
- Ground beef – I used lean ground meat. You can also swap it out for breakfast sausage or turkey sausage if you want a breakfast vibe.
- garlic – Minced garlic.
- cream of mushroom soup – or cream of chicken soup.
- cheddar cheese – with a layer of melted cheese.
- tater tots – I use classic (frozen) tater tots in a cylindrical shape. You can use a crown or other shapes (such as a star) if you wish. Everything will be fine!
- Chives or other fresh herbs – As a garnish (optional).
This tater tot casserole is basically made up of five basic ingredients, but here are some ways to add spices to make it more flavorful or seasonal. Bake all this in a casserole dish.
How to make tater tot casserole
Finely chop the garlic. In a large frying pan or saucepan over medium heat, sauté the minced meat with the garlic until cooked through (no pink should remain). The meat may be slightly undercooked at this stage, so be careful not to overcook it as you bake it in the oven for another 35 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the can of soup, and season with a little salt and pepper.
Next, assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish. Add meat mixture. Next, sprinkle with grated cheese. Then add a layer of tater tots on top (frozen).
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35 to 40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden and crunchy, and the mixture underneath should be bubbly. Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.
Tips and Alternatives
- To add flavor, additional seasonings may be added while the meat is browned. Good additions include chili powder, cayenne pepper, Italian seasoning, black pepper, onion powder, and any other spices you like.
- If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you can replace the ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken. If you prefer, you can also use ground pork or sausage (it will add fat).
- I like to top this casserole with green onions and chives, but you could also use other fresh herbs like cilantro or rosemary or thyme for the holidays.
- This casserole can be made ahead of time. I often make this to the point of baking it, but instead I cover it and refrigerate it overnight, then bake it for breakfast in the morning. This tater tot casserole is also great for leftovers.
More casserole recipes:
- broccoli casserole
- corn casserole
- Green Bean Casserole – with fresh green beans
- chicken and rice casserole
- Loveless Cafe Hash Brown Casserole
- The best baked macaroni and cheese
- Duchess’ sweet potato casserole
- macaroni and cheese stuffing
- cauliflower gratin
- Lasagna that is not boiled overnight
tater tot casserole
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Device
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1 9×13 gratin dishcasserole dish
material
- 1 lb Ground beef
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 can mushroom cream soup
- 2 cup cheddar cheese
- twenty five ounce frozen tater tots
- 2 tablespoon chives or green onions option
- salt and pepper
Instructions
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Finely chop the garlic.
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In a saucepan over medium heat, stir-fry the ground beef with the garlic until cooked through (make sure no pink remains). The meat may be slightly undercooked at this stage, so be careful not to overcook it as you bake it in the oven for another 35 minutes.
-
Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the can of soup, and season with a little salt and pepper.
-
Next, assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Add meat mixture. Next, sprinkle with grated cheese. Next, add the tater tots (frozen).
-
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35 to 40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden and crunchy, and the mixture underneath should be bubbly.
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Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.
Precautions
If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you can replace the ground beef with ground turkey or chicken.
I like to top this tater tot casserole with green onions and chives, but you could also use other fresh herbs like cilantro or rosemary or thyme for the holidays.
This casserole can be made ahead of time. I often make this to the point of baking it, but instead I cover it and refrigerate it overnight, then bake it for breakfast in the morning.
nutrition
Source: A Beautiful Mess – abeautifulmess.com
