Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

This Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole recipe is a hassle-free meal the whole family will be rushing to the table for! Beefy, cheesy, and topped with plenty of crispy tater tots, this simple casserole is a breeze to make and even easier to clean up after.

If you’re on the search for more quick casserole recipes, take a look at my Cheesy Ravioli Bake with Chicken, Creamy Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas Casserole, or Creamy Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta Casserole.

Why We Love This Recipe

Everyone loves a cheesy tater tot casserole because it’s the perfect mix of crispy tater tots and melty cheese. It’s a delicious and comforting dish that makes any meal more fun and satisfying.

• Quick. This crowd-pleasing casserole takes less than an hour to make!
• Cheesy. With plenty of melted cheddar in the sauce and on top, there’s plenty of gooey goodness in this cheesy tater tot casserole.
• Hearty. All of the meat and potatoes are sure to fill up hungry bellies at dinnertime. 
• Make-Ahead Option. You can make the meat mixture and store it in the fridge overnight to make the next day’s meal time a cinch.

Ingredients To Gather

• Ground Beef (93% Lean)
• Chopped Red and Green Bell Peppers
• Chopped Yellow Onion
• Garlic Cloves, Minced
• Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
• Unsalted Butter
• Flour
• Milk
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Divided
• Sour Cream
• Frozen Tater Tots
• Chopped Parsley

How To Make The Best Tater Tot Casserole

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

This hearty casserole only requires one pot and one baking dish to make it, meaning cleanup is an absolute breeze!

1. Brown the beef, veggies, and seasonings in a large skillet.
2. Add the butter and flour to the meat, and cook briefly before adding the milk. 
3. Stir until the mixture thickens. 
4. Add cheese and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spoon the beef mixture into a greased casserole dish. 
6. Arrange tater tots in an even layer over top of the meat mixture. 
7. Bake in a preheated oven before broiling briefly. 
8. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the layer of tater tots and broil again until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
9. Remove the dish from the oven, cool briefly before garnishing with parsley and serving.

Kitchen Tip

To get dinner on the table fast, you can assemble this dish the day before and just pop it in the oven when you’re ready.

You may need to increase the baking time if it’s cold, or set it out to get to room temperature before putting it in the oven.

Storage

Since the tater tots are on top, they keep their shape and consistency fairly well when stored, making this a terrific dish for meal prepping. If you want them to remain crisp, be sure to reheat in the oven, though you can use the microwave in a pinch.

To store leftover tater tot casserole in the refrigerator, either cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for 5 days.

For freezing, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store it for up to 3 months. To make it easy to reheat, store it in individual servings.

Why is my tater tot casserole soggy?

If the meat mixture is not cooked long enough on the stovetop it may have too much moisture when it’s transferred to the baking dish. Be sure to follow cooking times for each step to eliminate the chance that it will be soggy.

What goes with tater tot casserole for dinner?

With meat, vegetables, cheese, and potatoes, tater tot casserole can be a complete meal on its own. But you can also serve it with a Simple Italian Salad, Parmesan Oven Roasted Broccoli, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, Classic Bean Salad, or Pull-Apart Garlic Rolls.

Variations or Additions

• Breakfast – Turn this into a breakfast tater tot casserole by substituting sausage and adding eggs. 
• Spices – Spice up your casserole with taco seasoning, chili powder, or hot sauce. 
• Sauces – To develop even more depth in the meat mixture, stir in some Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
• Vegetarian – Make it vegetarian by eliminating the beef and adding more vegetables or a meat alternative. 
• Meat – Swap out the ground beef for ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey. Or, add cooked bacon.
• Vegetables – Try adding a combination of vegetables like green beans, carrots, or zucchini.
• Cheese – You can use mild or sharp cheddar cheese or swap it for Monterey Jack.

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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Tater Tot Casserole

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

This Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole recipe is a hassle-free meal the whole family will be rushing to the table for! Beefy, cheesy, and topped with plenty of crispy tater tots, this simple casserole is a breeze to make.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (93% lean)
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 ½ cup milk (*see notes)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2-pound bag frozen tater tots
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
2. First add the ground beef, peppers, onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes. 
3. Add the butter and flour to the pan with seasoned meat. Mix for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Pour the milk into the meat mixture. Stir for 2-3 minutes or until thick. 
5. Blend in 1 cup of cheese and the sour cream, stirring until smooth. 
6. Transfer the meat and cheese mixture to the prepared baking dish.
7. Top with tater tots. (You will have tater tots left over).
8. Place the dish in a preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. 
9. Broil on high or 500°F for 5 minutes. 
10. Top with the remainder of the cheese. 
11. Broil for another 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is slightly brown.
12. Garnish the top with parsley.

Notes

NOTES

• To get dinner on the table fast, you can assemble this dish the day before and just pop it in the oven when you’re ready. 
• ​If you don't use lean ground beef, you may want to drain some of the extra fat before adding other ingredients.
• Variation - Instead of 1 ½ cups of milk, I will often use 1 cup of beef broth and 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 575
Total Fat: 41g
Saturated Fat: 21g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 147mg
Sodium: 633mg
Carbohydrates: 17g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 33g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.