Tater Tot Casserole With Ground Beef
Tater tot casserole is my go-to when I want a filling dinner the whole family will eat with almost no prep. I brown 2 pounds of ground beef with onion, layer it with mixed vegetables and cream of mushroom soup, and top it all with rows of frozen tater tots.
There is no sauce to make and no potatoes to peel. The soup and beef juices form a rich, savory filling while the tots bake up crispy and golden on top. If you grew up in the Midwest, you may know this dish by its other name: hotdish.
Want another layered comfort food classic? My easy meatloaf recipe uses the same everyday ingredients approach.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 5 minutes | 55 minutes | 552 kcal | 35 g |
Table of contents
Key Takeaways
- This classic tater tot casserole needs just 5 minutes of prep: brown the beef, layer everything in a 9- by 13-inch dish, and bake.
- Layering the beef, vegetables, and soup twice puts filling in every scoop instead of settling at the bottom.
- Keep the tater tots frozen and arrange them in straight rows so they brown evenly and stay crispy.
- A potato masher breaks the beef into small, even pieces faster than a spatula.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat covered at 350°F in about 15 minutes.
- This comfort food classic is also known as hotdish, originating from Minnesota.
What Is Tater Tot Casserole?
Tater tot casserole is a baked dinner of seasoned ground beef, vegetables, and condensed cream soup topped with a full layer of frozen tater tots. It started as a Minnesota “hotdish,” a one-pan meal built to feed a family or a church supper crowd from pantry staples. The tots crisp in the oven while the filling below stays rich and saucy.
Ingredients You Need For Tater Tot Casserole
- Ground beef: Use 2 pounds of 80/20 or 85/15. A little fat keeps the beef juicy, and you drain the excess after browning.
- Mixed frozen vegetables: 16 ounces of green beans, corn, peas, and/or carrots. Or just choose one or two vegetables that you like. It is all up to you. They go in straight from the bag with no thawing. Canned vegetables work too.
- Cream of mushroom soup: Two 10.5-ounce cans, undiluted. This is the sauce, so there is nothing extra to mix.
- Frozen tater tots: 24 ounces. Keep them frozen until the moment they go on top.
* You will also need butter, a yellow onion, kosher salt, black pepper, and ketchup for serving if you like. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card.
Variations
- Cheese: Sprinkle some shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack over the last layer before adding the tater tots. (I think this came along to make it appealing to the Wisconsin folks across the border.)
- Potatoes: Replace the tater tots with an equal amount of frozen hash browns or curly fries. Frozen smiley-shaped or dinosaur-shaped frozen potatoes are a fun kid-friendly option and work great.
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
- Brown the beef. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the ground beef and onions with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper for 7 to 9 minutes, until no pink remains. Drain well; extra fat here means a greasy casserole later.
- Build the layers. Spread half the beef in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish, top with half the vegetables, season, and spread 1 can of soup evenly over it with the back of a spoon. Repeat with the remaining beef, vegetables, and soup. Doubling the layers keeps the filling evenly mixed in every serving.
- Top and bake. Arrange the frozen tater tots in straight rows and columns covering the whole surface, then bake at 375°F for 45 minutes, until the tots are well browned and the filling bubbles up around the edges. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving.
* Full measurements and step-by-step details are in the recipe card below.
Cook’s Notes
► Use a potato masher to break up the beef in the skillet. It is the easiest way to get small, even pieces.
► Straight rows of tots are not just for looks. Full, even coverage means every tot browns instead of sinking into the filling.
► Taste as you season the layers. The soup adds sodium, so the remaining salt is “as desired” rather than automatic.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Reheating
To prep ahead, brown the beef and build the layers in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate. You can keep it in the refrigerator up to 3 days before baking. Add the frozen tots just before baking so they crisp instead of thawing into the filling.
Let the leftover casserole cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover and place in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes.
Classic Tater Tot Casserole With Ground Beef
Equipment
- 1 9- by-13 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20 or 85/15
- 1 yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 16 ounces mixed frozen vegetables or canned, (green beans, corn, peas, and/or carrots)
- 2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
- 24 ounces frozen Tater Tots
- Ketchup for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the ground beef, onions, 1/2 teaspoon of both the kosher salt and pepper, Cook, using a spatula to break apart the beef, 7 to 9 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Drain.
- Spoon about half of the beef mixture into the bottom of a 9-by 13-inch baking dish. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the top of the beef, seasoning with more salt and pepper as desired. Pour 1 can of the soup over the top, spreading it as evenly as possible with the back of a spoon.. Layer in the remaining beef and vegetables, season again, then spread the remaining can of soup over the top. Arrange the tater tots in straight rows and columns on top of the soup, covering the entire surface.
- Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven. Bake 45 minutes or until the tater tots are well browned and the hotdish is bubbling up around the edges. Let cool about 5 minutes.
- Serve with ketchup alongside, if desired.
Cooks Tips
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Hotdish is the Minnesota name for this style of baked one-pan meal, and tater tot hotdish is its most famous version. Both mean ground beef, vegetables, and cream soup baked under a layer of tater tots.
The usual causes are thawed tots, undrained beef, or too little oven time. Keep the tots frozen until they go on top, drain the browned beef well, and bake until the tots are deeply browned, about 45 minutes at 375°F. Serve soon after baking so the tots do not sit and absorb moisture from the filling.
No. Put them on the casserole straight from the freezer. Frozen tots hold their shape and crisp in the oven, while thawed tots turn soft and can break apart.
Yes. Assemble the beef, vegetable, and soup layers in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate. Add the frozen tots right before baking. A cold casserole may need a few extra minutes in the oven.
Freeze it unbaked for best results. Assemble the filling layers in a freezer-safe dish, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, top with frozen tots, and bake. Baked leftovers can be frozen too, but the tots soften when reheated.
Let the casserole cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat covered in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes.
Yes. Cream of chicken or cream of celery both work can-for-can. Use two 10.5-ounce cans, undiluted, whichever you choose.
Yes. Sprinkle 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar over the filling before the tots go on, or over the tots during the last 10 minutes of baking. This recipe is rich and savory without it.
Canned vegetables work; drain them well first. Fresh vegetables like carrots or green beans should be cut small or par-cooked, since the 45-minute bake may not soften them fully.
80/20 or 85/15 ground beef gives the filling flavor and moisture. Drain the fat after browning. Leaner beef or ground turkey works, but the filling will be slightly less rich.
It is a full meal with meat, vegetables, and potatoes, so it needs little alongside. A green salad or steamed green beans balance the richness, and ketchup on the side is the classic touch.
A 9- by 13-inch baking dish. It holds the double layers with room for the filling to bubble without spilling over, and gives enough surface for the full 24 ounces of tots to brown in a single layer.
