The Best Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

Do you love cheeseburgers and tater tots? Well, then you will love this delicious casserole made with simple ingredients.

The easy and best tater tot casserole recipe is the perfect weeknight meal–an easy dinner to make, a family favorite, and kid-friendly. (Got picky kids? They will love this).

Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover hamburger meat.

So give this casserole a try–I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Easy Weeknight Dinner For The Whole Family

This is the best cheeseburger tater tot casserole recipe out there. It’s easy to make, will feed the entire family, and everyone will love it.

If you add veggies to the lineup, you’ve just about hit every food group in one dish. 

And, did I mention it’s a super easy casserole recipe? It’s a simple and hearty casserole.

Casseroles – Classic Comfort Food

Casseroles are easy to make and we make a lot around here, and this cheeseburger tater tot casserole is always devoured by both of my kids and husband.

We crave the main dish on a regular basis.

Hamburger tater tot casseroles are perfect for when you’re running around picking up kids, as well as going to tutoring, music lessons, or after-school sports because you can make the meal ahead of time, add the tater tots right before cooking, and have dinner ready in less than an hour.

Making this tater tot casserole recipe will keep you out of the kitchen on those nights when you’re tired or short on time.

And, you’ll love it so much that you’ll want to add this great recipe to your dinner rotation.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make The Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole?

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card

• Oven
• 9″ x 13″ casserole dish
• Butter
• Ground beef
• 1 bag of tater tots
• Onion
• Cream of chicken soup
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Milk
• Sour cream
• Garlic salt
• Skillet
• Stovetop
• Large bowl
• Large spoon for mixing
• Non-stick spray
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Optional Ingredients

If you want to change the flavor now and again here are a few additional ingredients.

• Worcestershire Sauce
• Garlic powder or freshly minced garlic
• Onion powder (if you don’t have any onions on hand to dice)
• Cayenne pepper for a little spiciness.

How Do I Make The Best Tater Tot Casserole?

1. Heat oven to 350-degrees.
2. Add a tablespoon of butter to a saucepan and allow it to melt.
3. Next, add the fresh onions and cook until they are golden brown. Add the ground beef and cook until done. Drain the grease.
4. Once drained, add the ground beef and onions to a large bowl.
5. Next, add the salt, pepper, garlic salt, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, shredded cheddar cheese, and milk. Mix well.
6. Pour into a greased 9″ x 13″ casserole dish.
7. Top with an even layer of tater tots.
8. Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown.

Step-By-Step Instructions For Tater Tot Casserole With Ground Beef

Begin by adding a tablespoon of butter to a large skillet, on medium heat. Next, add the onions and cook until they are golden brown.

Then, add the ground beef and cook until done.

If you want to make things a little less fattening, you can use extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey for the recipe.

Drain the grease off of the meat and transfer the meat to a large heat-safe bowl.

I used a super large mixing bowl for this recipe so I wasn’t knocking stuff out of the side when mixing everything together.

Add the salt, pepper, garlic salt, and the sour cream to the bowl.

Now, add the cream of chicken soup.

If you are like me and forget certain items at the store, here’s a great homemade recipe for condensed cream of chicken soup. 

The shredded cheddar cheese is next.

I like to use sharp cheddar cheese, but you can use mild as well.

And, if you love cheese, feel free to add lots of cheddar cheese. (You can never have enough in my opinion).

Pour the milk into the bowl.

Mix the ingredients.

If you’d like to add vegetables to the dish, now is the time.

One to two cups of frozen veggies will be plenty. We’ve added mixed veggies or just green peas to the dish for more nutritional value.

Pour the cheesy tater tot casserole into the dish and spread it out.

I used some non-stick cooking spray before adding the casserole to the dish to keep it from sticking.

Top the ground beef mixture with the bag of tater tots.

I pretty much had the perfect amount of tater tots from one bag to add to the top of the casserole dish.

You don’t have to line these up, either.

I did it to make it look pretty, but most of the time, I just dump them on and spread them out so they aren’t sitting on top of each other while they cook.

Place the easy tater tot casserole into the oven and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the dish is bubbly and the tater tots are golden brown.

If you’d really like to have toasty tater tots, you can turn the oven to broil for the last five minutes.

But, watch closely because they can burn fast.

Optional Vegetables To Add To The Easy Recipe (Or As A Side Dish)

• Green beans
• Corn
• Diced bell peppers
• Green onions
• Mixed veggies

How To Store The Casserole

You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Covering with Saran Wrap or aluminum foil will work as well as an airtight container (just don’t reheat in the microwave with the aluminum foil).

Freezer Meal

One of the things I like about this casserole recipe is that you can make it and freeze it for a couple of months.

When you’re ready, take the dish out of the freezer, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for at least 10-12 hours.

Then, add the tater tots on top and bake as usual.

What Food Goes With Tater Tot Casserole?

There are a dishes that go well with this dish. You can add vegetables to the dish, or eat them on the side. Green beans and bacon, roasted vegetables, salad, and roasted baby carrots are some great choices.

How Do You Make Tater Tots Extra Crispy?

After the recipe has cooked for the allotted time, turn the oven on broil for the last few minutes. Cooking on broil will get the tater tots crispy. Just be sure to stay close, as they will crisp very fast and you don’t want them to burn.

Where Did Tater Tot Casserole Come From?

I’ve heard that tater tot casserole came from the Midwest region. But, we sure love it in the south, or anywhere for that matter.

This is one of my favorite dishes because it’s so simple to make and very flavorful.

It’s a great dish for a crowd or teenagers. I have two teenage boys and we ate plenty and still had leftovers.

And, the recipe is fantastic reheated the next day, as well.

If you’re not a big fan of cheese, then leave out the shredded cheese and opt for good old fashioned hamburger tater tot casserole.

Variations on the Classic Tater Tot Casserole

We love the classic tater tot casserole, but you can add some creative twists and variations to it to create an entirely different meal. Here are a few ideas:

1. Mexican-inspired tater tot casserole – add some cumin, chili powder, and some paprika to your meat while cooking. Then add some beans, corn, diced tomatoes, green chilies, and Mexican cheese to the dish. Top with your tater tots. Bake as usual and add a dollop of sour cream and cilantro to top it off!
2. Breakfast tater tot casserole – cook up some bacon and crumble it. In the same skillet, sauté diced onions and bell peppers until tender. In a greased casserole dish, layer the cooked bacon, sautéed vegetables, and shredded cheddar cheese. Beat a dozen eggs and add to the mixture in the baking dish. Top with tater tots and bake until the tater tots are golden brown and the eggs are set.
3. Loaded tater tot casserole – if you love baked potatoes, you will love this variation. Add some onions and garlic to your ground beef while cooking. Then layer it with a mixture of sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, and shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle on a layer of crispy bacon bits, sliced green onions, and diced tomatoes. Top it off with a generous amount of tater tots and sprinkle with more cheese. Bake until the tater tots are golden and crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.

More Dinner Casseroles That You Will Love

Casserole recipes are always a great choice for busy nights.

You can make them ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze them, and then cook them when you’re ready on those busy weeknights.

Plus, they are versatile and you can adjust them for your picky eaters.

• 5-ingredient ground beef casserole is a great dish for any time of year. It’s perfect for large families or gatherings and ground beef casseroles seem to always be a hit. With the combo of potatoes, shredded cheese, and beef, the hot dish will always be a popular recipe around your house.
• I love anything with Ritz Crackers, and this chicken casserole with Ritz Crackers is a delicious meal.
• Mexican ground beef casserole – for those of you that love things a little bit spicy, this is the perfect meal.
• Chicken and biscuit casserole was a hit around here and is a super easy recipe.
• Jiffy cheeseburger casserole is another easy meal to fix and tastes delicious.
• One Pot Hamburger Helper beef pasta recipe is a great one-dish meal that is also a complete meal. So, the next time you don’t want a bunch of extra dishes, this is the recipe for you.
• Mexican tater tot casserole is a fantastic dish to keep in your rotation. This delicious recipe is from The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

You can never go wrong with a classic tater tot casserole.

This family favorite is easy to make and satisfies the taste buds of all ages.

Whether you’re looking for easy dinner recipes or something to bring to your next potluck, this dish will be sure to please everyone.

Get our tater tot casserole recipe here, grab your handful of ingredients, and get started!