If you are needing a simple, crowd-pleasing meal, make this tater tot casserole. Even our 2-year-old approves. This is so comforting with basic, easy to love ingredients. Plus, this dish works for many occasions. Personally, I love this as part of a big family breakfast served alongside eggs and maybe something sweet (like sticky buns or cinnamon rolls), but it could work just as well as a main course or side dish at a potluck or holiday meal.
This may be a regional thing but you could also call this tater tot casserole a hot dish. It has all the necessary elements—potatoes, meat, and can of condensed soup. 🙂 But in southwest Missouri where I live, we just call it a casserole.
Related: Next up, try biscuits and gravy casserole or sheet pan totchos (tater tot nachos!).
Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Garlic
- Cream of mushroom soup
- Cheddar cheese
- Tater tots – frozen
- Chives or other fresh herbs
This tater tot casserole is essentially five basic ingredients, but I’ll share a few ways I spice it up so it’s more flavorful or seasonal.
Directions
Mince the garlic. In a pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the garlic until cooked (no pink remains). The meat can be slightly undercooked at this stage, so don’t overcook it, as it will bake in the oven for another 35 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the can of soup and season with a little salt and pepper.
Now assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Add the meat mixture. Then sprinkle on the grated cheese. Then add the tater tots (frozen).
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden brown and crispy and the mixture below will be bubbling. Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.
Tips for Making
- Sometimes, I add more seasoning to the meat as I brown it, just for added flavor. Some good additions include: chili powder, cayenne, Italian seasoning, onion powder, or other spices you may love.
- If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you could swap the ground beef for a ground turkey or chicken.
- I like to top this tater tot casserole with some green onions or chives, but you could use other fresh herbs like cilantro or for a holiday rosemary or thyme.
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simple 5 ingredient casserole with frozen tater tots on top
Instructions
-
Mince the garlic.
-
In a pan over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the garlic until cooked (no pink remains). The meat can be slightly undercooked at this stage, so don’t overcook it, as it will bake in the oven for another 35 minutes.
-
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the can of soup and season with a little salt and pepper.
-
Now assemble the casserole. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Add the meat mixture. Then sprinkle on the grated cheese. Then add the tater tots (frozen).
-
Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes. The tater tots should look golden brown and crispy and the mixture below will be bubbling.
-
Top with chives or other fresh herbs and serve warm.
Notes
If you want to reduce the amount of fat in this casserole, you could swap the ground beef for a ground turkey or chicken.
I like to top this tater tot casserole with some green onions or chives, but you could use other fresh herbs like cilantro or for a holiday rosemary or thyme.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Tater Tot Casserole
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
