Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe With Ground Beef

Name: Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 lbs ground beef (preferably 85/15 or 90/10); 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 2 tsp salt (plus more to taste); 1 tsp black pepper; 21 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup ((2 10.5 cans)); 3/4 cup sour cream; 1 cup frozen corn; 1 cup frozen peas; 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 32 oz frozen tater tots; sliced green onions or chives, for serving

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This easy tater tot casserole with ground beef is a creamy, cheesy bake made with peas, corn, sharp cheddar, and a crispy layer of tater tots. Made in one skillet, start to finish.

A cast-iron skillet sits on a wooden board, filled with tater tot casserole topped with golden tater tots and chopped chives, with cheese and chives scattered around.

A Quick Look at the Recipe

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe Name: Easy Tater Tot Casserole With Ground Beef
⏱️ Ready In: 50-55 minutes (15 minutes prep, 35-40 minutes cooking)
🧑‍🧑‍🧒 Serves: 8
🍴Calories: ~823 (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, veggies, sharp cheddar, frozen tater tots.
🍲 Flavor Profile: Creamy and savory with browned beef, garlic, and Worcestershire, topped with sharp cheddar and crisp, golden tots.
🎯 Difficulty: Easy

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This tater tot casserole is comfort food at its finest, and the perfect example of a hot dish if I've ever seen one. A meaty filling topped with rows of tater tots is a lot like a shepherd's pie (like my sweet potato shepherd's pie), but it's a simple dish to make when you don't have leftover mashed potatoes lying around.

It's inspired by the original tater tot casserole that's been around for years, but it's creamier thanks to sour cream, and I think the base is more flavorful than the classic, with garlic, a dash of Worcestershire, and extra veggies like peas and corn. You can eat it however you like, but at our house we pile it into bowls, settle in on the couch with a cozy blanket, and put on a movie.

Want more delicious casserole recipes? Check out my roundup of my favorite casserole recipes!

Why This Tater Tot Casserole Recipe Works

It's one skillet, start to finish. The beef browns, the filling comes together, and the whole thing goes into the oven in the same pan, so there's only one dish to wash, which you all know is one of my ultimate goals in every dinner.
The filling has more going on than the classic. Garlic, Worcestershire, and smoked paprika season the beef, and the peas and corn add a little sweetness and color.
It's creamy and properly cheesy. A little sour cream stirred in with the soup keeps the filling creamy, and 2 cups of sharp cheddar make this a cheesy tater tot casserole in every scoop.
Most of it comes from the freezer and pantry staples. Frozen tots, peas, and corn plus canned soup mean a good chunk of the shopping may already be done before you get to the store. (For another easy tater tot recipe, check out my Loaded Tater Tots (Totchos)!

What Is Tater Tot Casserole Made Of?

Tater tot casserole is a baked dish made with a browned ground beef filling in a creamy base, topped with melty cheese and a layer of frozen tater tots. In this version, that means ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, corn, peas, and sharp cheddar. A few of the ingredients are worth a quick note:

Ingredients for a tater tot casserole are arranged on a white surface and labeled, including ground beef, tater tots, shredded cheddar, onion, garlic, carrots & peas, cream of mushroom, S&P, smoked paprika, Worcestershire, sour cream, and chives.

Ground beef. I use 85/15 or 90/10. The 85/15 has a little more flavor, and the 90/10 leaves you with less grease to drain off.
Cream of mushroom soup and sour cream. The condensed soup is the classic base for a tater tot casserole, and the sour cream makes it creamier and adds a little tang.
Frozen tater tots. One 32-ounce bag of regular tots is all you need. Keep them in the freezer until the moment they go on top so they hold their shape and crisp up in the oven.
Sharp cheddar. This makes the dish, in my opinion, and goes on top of the casserole, under the tots, to allow the cheese to melt into the casserole while still letting the tots get nice and crispy.

How to Make Tater Tot Casserole

Ground meat browning in a cast iron skillet on a stovetop.

Step 1: Preheat the oven and brown the beef.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Use a large, deep oven-safe skillet. I used a 10-inch cast-iron skillet that's about 3 inches deep; a standard 12-inch oven-safe skillet also works well.

Add the ground beef to the skillet over medium-high heat. Let it cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes before you break it apart so you get some good browning rather than simply steaming the meat.

Ground beef browning in a cast-iron skillet with chopped white onions on top.

Step 2: Cook the onion with the beef
Add the diced onion and cook with the beef for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the beef is browned and the onion has softened. Drain off any excess grease if needed.

Ground beef cooking in a cast-iron skillet with chopped onions, minced garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Step 3: Add the garlic and seasonings
Stir in the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another 30 to 60 seconds.

Ground beef and onions in a cast iron skillet topped with cream of mushroom soup and dollops of sour cream, with a wooden spoon resting on top.

Step 4: Make the creamy filling
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and sour cream until evenly combined.

A cast iron skillet filled with a creamy casserole mixture of ground beef, peas and corn sits on a wooden cutting board atop a white countertop.

Step 5: Fold in the corn and peas
Fold in the frozen corn and peas, then taste the filling and add extra salt if it needs it. It should be creamy but fairly thick, not soupy.

A cast iron skillet filled with a casserole topped with shredded cheddar cheese sits on a wooden cutting board atop a white marble surface.

Step 6: Add the cheese
Sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the beef mixture. Don't stir it in, since you want that layer of cheese sitting underneath the tots.

A cast iron skillet on a wooden board filled with shredded cheddar cheese in the center and tater tots arranged in a ring around the edge. A white bowl with a few tater tots is beside the skillet.

Step 7: Arrange the tater tots
Arrange the frozen tots in a single layer over the cheese. Place them fairly close together, but don't overlap them. A 32-ounce bag of tater tots fit perfectly in my skillet, with the tots placed vertically. If you need to cover slightly more surface area for a larger skillet, you can lay the tots horizontally.

A cast iron skillet filled with neatly arranged tater tots sits on a wooden cutting board, with a small bowl of tater tots visible to the right.

Step 8: Bake
Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the tots are deeply golden and crisp.

Cast iron skillet filled with a layer of golden-brown tater tots inside an oven.

Step 9: Broil, if you'd like
If the filling is hot but you'd like the tots browner, turn the broiler on for 2-4 minutes. Watch it very closely. I do this almost every time to get the tots really crispy.

Step 10: Let it rest
Let the casserole stand for about 5 minutes before scooping so the creamy filling has a chance to settle. Garnish with sliced green onions or chives if you like.

Expert Tips

Keep the tots frozen. For crispier tater tots, keep them frozen until they go onto the casserole and leave them exposed while baking.
Put the cheese under the tots. Sprinkle the cheddar over the filling and set the tots on top, instead of covering the tots with cheese. Leaving the tots exposed is what lets them crisp.
Bake uncovered, then broil if you need to. Foil traps steam and softens the tots, so leave the casserole uncovered. If the filling is hot and bubbling but the tots are pale, 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler gets them golden brown, as long as you stay right there and watch.
Keep the filling thick. Drain the beef if there's a lot of grease, and shake or pat any ice crystals off the frozen peas and corn. Extra fat or water makes the filling heavy and keeps the casserole from setting up, and the soup and sour cream already give you a creamy base without adding any liquid.

Variations And Substitutions

Vegetables. Green beans, a bag of mixed vegetables, or all corn all work in place of the peas and corn.
Cheese. Sharp cheddar has the most flavor, but medium cheddar, Colby Jack, or a cheddar blend works too.

A cast iron skillet filled with tater tot casserole, topped with rows of golden tater tots and sprinkled with chopped chives, sits on a wooden table.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing

Make ahead before baking: Prepare the beef filling and refrigerate it, either separately or right in the skillet or baking dish, for up to 24 hours. Add the frozen tots just before baking so they don't get soggy.

Leftovers: Store the casserole covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. I prefer to reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer, since the tots can turn soft in the fridge and the microwave does them no favors. The microwave works if you're in a hurry, but the topping will be soft.

Freezing: You can freeze the baked casserole, though the tots won't be as crisp once it's reheated so it's really best enjoyed fresh. If you do decide to freeze it, cool it completely, wrap it tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you bake tater tot casserole?

At 425°F, this one takes 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the tots are deeply golden and crisp.

Is tater tot casserole the same as tater tot hot dish?

Pretty much. Hot dish is what many people in the Midwest, especially Minnesota, call a casserole like this, and the two names are used interchangeably. You'll also see the ground beef version called hamburger tater tot casserole.

Can I make tater tot casserole in a casserole dish?

Yes. Brown the beef and prepare the filling in a skillet, then transfer it to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with cheese and frozen tots and bake as directed.

What To Serve With Tater Tot Casserole

This casserole is rich and creamy, so I like to serve it with something fresh and a little sharp on the side.

A simple green salad. Toss some greens with my honey lemon vinaigrette for something bright to balance the creamy filling.
Chopped cucumber salad. This chopped Mediterranean cucumber salad with tomato is cool and crunchy next to the hot casserole.
Pear and arugula salad. This pear, arugula, and goat cheese salad is a good fit as the weather turns to fall.