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Tater Tot Casserole

Tater tot casserole layers golden, crispy tater tots over a savory ground beef and creamy mushroom filling, with cheese melted underneath the crunchy potato crust. This ground beef tater tot bake is an easy comfort food hotdish-style family dinner that bakes until bubbly and browned.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 2 lb ground beef
Onion and garlic
  • 1 onion medium, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
Soups and dairy
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup milk
Seasonings
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 black pepper to taste
Cheese and potatoes
  • 2 cup shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish, leaving it ready for assembly. The dish should look lightly coated so the casserole releases easily.
Brown the beef and make the filling
  1. Brown the ground beef with the diced onion over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the fat afterward so the filling stays thick.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper and mix well.
  3. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, and 1 cup of the cheddar until smooth and combined. Keep stirring until the sauce looks evenly creamy.
Assemble
  1. Transfer the beef mixture to the greased baking dish and spread it evenly across the bottom. Aim for an even layer so every bite has filling.
  2. Layer the frozen tater tots over the top in a single layer, covering the surface. Adjust them so they lie flat rather than piled.
Bake
  1. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes at 375°F until the tater tots look starting to crisp. You should see edges turning golden and some steam rising.
  2. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the tater tots and bake for 10 more minutes at 375°F until the cheese is melted and the tots are golden. Finish when the top looks browned and the casserole is bubbling at the edges.

Notes

Pro tip: Spread the beef mixture to the edges so the sauce helps the tots crisp instead of turning soggy in the center. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350°F until hot and re-crisping. Freezing is yes—freeze baked portions up to 2 months, then thaw overnight and reheat. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream and part-skim cheddar; the texture stays similar while the bake stays creamy.