Classic cheesy Tater Tot Casserole is quick and easy to make, but packed with flavor. Made with ground beef, tater tots, cheese, corn, and a creamy gravy, it’s comfort food at its finest!
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole, a.k.a. tater tot hotdish, is one of my favorites. It is sooo good, and the perfect chilly-weather, belly-warming, stick-to-ribs dish.
Plus, it is so quick and easy, the longest part is the cook time! It’s perfect for weeknight meals.
With ground beef, corn, cheese, and tater tots all coming together in this dish, side dishes become optional. I love to put a little ketchup on mine, because ketchup and tater tots? Yum!
What goes with Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole?
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole already has meat (ground beef), dairy, and carbs or starch (corn and potatoes), so we will generally serve it with some sort of vegetable.
To keep it simple, it goes great with a nice fresh leafy green salad. If you’re looking for a warm vegetable, try these green beans with shallots or sauteed zucchini and squash.
Can Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole be Frozen?
Yes! This is one of our go-to freezer meals. It’s easy to make, and easy to freeze.
After you’ve fully assembled your casserole in a freezer safe dish, cover and freeze for up to 3 months (or 6 months in a deep freezer).
When you’re ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then follow the baking instructions. You will likely need to increase cook time by 5-10 minutes since you will be starting with a cold dish.
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Variations
If you’re looking to spice up this classic with an extra burst of flavor, try these different variations:
- Add bacon! Because everything is better with bacon!
- Substitute green beans! Add some extra veggies by substituting the corn for green beans.
- Go Mexican! Add some taco seasoning to the ground beef mixture for a taco version. You can use store bought seasoning, or try this easy homemade taco seasoning, which is way better.
How to Make Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
In a large skillet, brown ground beef with onions and garlic over medium heat. (Photos 1 &2) Drain and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl (or in the same skillet if it’s large enough), add cream soup, milk, sour cream, corn, 1 1/2 cups cheese, and ground beef mixture (if you’re using a bowl). Stir to combine. (Photos 3 & 4)
Grease a 9″x13″ baking sheet. Spread half of the tater tots into the bottom of the dish. Spread ground beef mixture over the top. Then top with remaining tater tots. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake in a 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tater tots are golden and crunchy.
Pro Tips
- Do you need to cook the tater tots before adding them to the casserole? Nope! Just put them in frozen!
- Do I have to use cream of mushroom? I know there are some mushroom haters, and that’s okay. You can simply sub cream of chicken for the mushroom. If you want to get rid of the “cream of” soup all together, 1.25 cups sour cream, plus 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon celery salt, and a pinch of ground thyme. This will give you all the flavors with none of the “cream of” soup!
- Make ahead directions: Simply assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to a day in advance. When ready to eat, follow the cooking instructions in the recipe. You will need need to increase the cook time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is starting off cold.
- Freezer directions: Fully assemble your casserole, cover, and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator over night, and follow the cooking instructions in the recipe, increasing the cook time by 5-10 minutes to account for the cold dish.
More Comfort Food Recipes You’ll Love
- Best Chicken Pot Pie – classic comfort food and the BEST you will ever taste.
- Taco Bake Casserole – hubby’s childhood favorite with ground beef and tortilla chips.
- Cheeseburger Soup – warm, cheesy and probably my favorite soup recipe of all time.
- Best Meatloaf – a classic with fresh twists! One of our family favorites.
- Chili Cheese Dog Casserole – Quick, easy, cheap, and the kids love it!
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium sweet onion chopped
- 3-5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can whole kernel corn (15 ounces) drained
- 1 can cream of mushroom (10.5 ounces)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 bag frozen tater tots the flat circle kind
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Brown ground beef with onions and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until meat is cooked through. Drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cream soup, milk, and sour cream. Whisk until combined.
- Add corn, 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and ground beef mixture to the mixing bowl, and stir until everything is incorporated.
- Cover the bottom of a greased 9″x13″ baking dish with tater tots.
- Pour your ground beef mixture over the tots.
- Scatter the remaining tater tots on top of the ground beef mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake in a 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tater tots are golden and crunchy.
Notes
- Do you need to cook the tater tots before adding them to the casserole? Nope! Just put them in frozen!
- Do I have to use cream of mushroom? I know there are some mushroom haters, and that’s okay. You can simply sub cream of chicken for the mushroom. If you want to get rid of the “cream of” soup all together, 1.25 cups sour cream, plus 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon celery salt, and a pinch of ground thyme. This will give you all the flavors with none of the “cream of” soup!
- Make ahead directions: Simply assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to a day in advance. When ready to eat, follow the cooking instructions in the recipe. You will need need to increase the cook time by 5-10 minutes since the dish is starting off cold.
- Freezer directions: Fully assemble your casserole, cover, and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator over night, and follow the cooking instructions in the recipe, increasing the cook time by 5-10 minutes to account for the cold dish.
Nutrition
UPDATE INFO: This post was originally published in March 2014, and is now republished in August 2019 with new photos, a video, and more specific instructions.
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Oh gosh this looks like something that my kids would adore!
Yes please, to a big plate of this cheesy, yummy casserole! My mouth is watering! 🙂 I would love for you to share this over at my new link party Making Memories Mondays going on now!
Cathy
This looks so cheesy & delicious! Thanks so much for sharing your yummy recipe on the Monday Funday Party!
did a few changes add 2 large chicken breast [in stead of ground beef] saute it with garlic and onion, used mushroom soup and added 1 cup freeze dried broccoli my daycare children loved it.
Yum! That DOES sound delicious! Glad you enjoyed it!
I used this recipe to use up of leftover meatloaf. I didn’t have any regular tater tots, so I subbed sweet potato tater tots. It was fantastic. Will definitely make this again.
Pure comfort food! Love the cheesy tater tot topping!
Fun recipe! Super kid-friendly, which is just what I need!
I can’t tell you how many times a month we make this dish – it’s literally almost weekly – it’s just so easy and a great go to that even my husband or oldest can handle making lol. 🙂
This sounds like a great casserole that would go over well with the kids. I have been looking for some stuff that they will enjoy today and I think I found the winner. Glad it also freezes well. That way if there are leftovers they won’t go to waste.
A classic comfort food topped with cheesy goodness, takes this over. the. top! yum!