Easy Tater Tot Casserole
This easy tater tot casserole has a creamy ground beef filling with corn, green beans, and melted cheese underneath a layer of crispy tater tots. Everything bakes together in one dish, and the filling thickens nicely as the casserole rests.
I’ve been making tater tot casserole long before Berly’s Kitchen existed. John loves casseroles because everything’s together in one meal, and this is one he’s requested for years.
We also make a chicken tater tot casserole with cooked chicken and mixed vegetables if you’d rather skip the ground beef.
Why We Use American Cheese
I’ve made this casserole with both cheddar and American cheese, and both work great! American cheese is easy to arrange over the filling, and it melts beautifully. John prefers it over cheddar, so that’s what we usually use.
I’ve also tried covering the filling with an entire package of American cheese. That turned out to be a little much! The cheese flavor was so strong that it overpowered the rest of the casserole. About 6 to 8 slices, just enough to cover the filling, works much better.
A Little More About the Ingredients
- Ground beef: John prefers ground beef with a little more fat, but lean ground beef works, too. I’ve made it both ways and haven’t had any issues with the filling turning greasy. You can always drain the excess grease if needed.
- Corn and green beans: Both vegetables are part of this recipe. I use canned corn and green beans, drained well before adding them to the filling. Frozen vegetables are another option, just stir them in frozen.
- Cream soups: I use one can each of cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup. You can use two cans of your preferred condensed cream soup or replace them with my homemade cream of chicken soup substitute or cream of mushroom soup substitute.
- Tater tots: Straight from the freezer or partially thawed, both work! I’ve made the casserole both ways, and the frozen tots usually need a couple more minutes to get brown and crispy. If they aren’t getting as brown as you’d like, stick them under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
What to Expect While Making the Casserole
The filling doesn’t need to be thick before it goes into the oven. Once the soups, milk, and vegetables are combined and the mixture starts bubbling, it’s ready. Transfer everything to a baking dish, or use an oven-safe skillet so you can move it straight from the stovetop to the oven.
The tater tots should be golden brown and crispy, with the filling bubbling around the edges, when the casserole is finished baking. Don’t worry if the filling looks a little loose when it first comes out of the oven. I’ve found that it thickens nicely during the 10 to 15 minute resting time.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup white onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 15 ounces sweet kernel corn, 1 can, drained
- 14 ½ ounces green beans, 1 can, drained
- 10 ½ ounces cream of chicken soup, 1 can
- 10 ½ ounces cream of mushroom soup, 1 can
- ½ cup milk
- 6 to 8 slices American cheese
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease, and return the beef to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.1 pound ground beef½ cup white onion2 garlic cloves½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add the corn, green beans, cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups, and milk. Increase the heat until the mixture bubbles, then remove from heat.15 ounces sweet kernel corn14 ½ ounces green beans10 ½ ounces cream of chicken soup10 ½ ounces cream of mushroom soup½ cup milk
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, and top with enough slices of cheese to cover the filling. If you used an oven-safe skillet, place cheese slices on top of the filling.6 to 8 slices American cheese
- Arrange the frozen tater tots in an even layer over the cheese slices.32 ounces frozen tater tots
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the tater tots are golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cheese: American cheese is our preference, but cheddar works, too. Use just enough to cover the filling without making the cheese layer too thick.
- Tater tots: Frozen or partially thawed tater tots both work. Frozen tots may need a couple of extra minutes to brown and get crispy.
- Resting: The filling may look a little loose right out of the oven. Let the casserole rest for 10 to 15 minutes so it has time to thicken.
- Refrigerating: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Cool the baked casserole completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or wrap tightly. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat covered in a 250°F oven until heated through. Individual servings can also be microwaved.
Can you freeze these?
Hi Hunter!
Yes, the tater tot casserole can be frozen. I’d cook it first, and make sure it’s in a freezer-safe baking dish or transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap then a layer of aluminum foil. It will stay good for about 2 months in the freezer.
To thaw, place the casserole in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the entire casserole in the oven on 250°F for 20-30 minutes or until heated through, or place individual portions in the microwave. Hope this helps! Have a great day!