This easy, cheesy, beefy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe is pure comfort food! A creamy layer of beef and veggies is baked to perfection beneath a layer of golden tater tots and plenty of cheese.
Enjoy my more of my favorite casserole recipes like Ground Beef Casserole, Broccoli Casserole and Chicken Noodle Casserole.
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Cheesy tater tots baked atop a creamy, beefy veggie mixture? Yes, please! This is the ultimate kid-friendly recipe that always hits the spot.
This Tater Tot Casserole really has a lot to love. It’s cheesy, beefy, creamy and flavorful as can be. Plus, you can make a ton of adjustments based on your preferences (it’s easy!). Scroll down to check out a few of my favorite variations to try.
The best part? You only need 10 minutes of prep work to toss this Tater Tot Casserole together.
Why we love this Tater Tot Casserole Recipe:
- Cheesy: Shredded cheddar cheese takes this casserole to the next level!
- Hearty: There’s the perfect amount of ground beef and veggies to really hit the spot.
- Easy: You can assemble this fun casserole in just 10 minutes! After that the oven does all the work for you.
Tater Tot Casserole Ingredients:
- Ground Beef: Feel free to swap the ground beef for turkey, chicken, pork or sausage! You can also omit the meat and increase the veggies or add a can of beans for a meatless meal.
- Flour: To make this recipe gluten free, you can swap the flour with corn starch but you must whisk it into the broth before adding it to the pan.
- Broth: I always use low sodium broth and adjust the salt as needed. You can swap for salted broth, but you may need to reduce (or omit) the added salt.
- Cream: I like to use half and half. It has a richer flavor than milk but is not as heavy as cream. You can use milk or cream if you prefer, but your filling will reflect the swap either way.
- Tater Tots: Just grab whatever your favorite brand is! I’ve yet to meet a frozen tot I didn’t like.
- Frozen Vegetables: I like to use a mixture of frozen peas and corn, but there’s room for creativity here.
- Onion: A white or yellow onion both work very well.
- Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, freshly shred your own cheese right off the block.
- Garlic: If you’re a garlic lover, you can always feel free to add more.
- Seasonings: Paprika, Italian seasoning, seasoning salt and salt and pepper create the very best flavor.
How to make Tater Tot Casserole
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole comes together in just a few easy steps. For more information about the entire process, scroll down to the recipe card below!
- Cook ground beef and onion until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Add Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in flour until no white remains.
- Add broth, cream and vegetables. Cook and stir over medium heat until filling has thickened.
- Pour filling into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with shredded cheese and a single layer of tater tots. Sprinkle tater tots with seasoning salt and bake at 400°F for about 30 minute.
Variations and Substitutions
- Spice it up: if you love an extra kick, try adding a squirt of hot sauce or some red pepper flakes to the filling while it cooks.
- Make it dairy free: you can sub in dairy or lactose free cream and cheese here as needed. You can also sub all of the half and half with additional broth if desired to cut down on the dairy if you wish.
- Fresh Vegetables: I love the ease of frozen veggies, but if you’ve got some in the fridge that need to be used up you can sub those in here. Just be sure to cook them with the ground beef and onion.
How to store leftovers:
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
To reheat, you can microwave individual portions but I prefer to use the air fryer or oven to reheat so I can get those tots nice and crispy again!
Can I freeze this casserole?
Sure thing! Allow the casserole to fully cool to room temperature, then cover the baking dish with a fitted lid or several layers of plastic wrap/foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight prior to reheating in the oven uncovered.
Serving suggestions:
Bring your Tater Tot Casserole to a party or potluck and watch it disappear!
It also makes a really fun weeknight entree for the family. Serve it next to something like Easy Broccoli Salad, Roasted Carrots, Air Fryer Broccoli or Roasted Green Beans to add a pop of fresh veggies to your plate.
More Kid Friendly Recipes You’ll Love!
- Easy Pizza Pinwheels — also great for school lunches!
- Cheeseburger Soup — if you’ve got extra ground beef kicking around.
- Dorito Taco Salad — this one never fails!
- Air Fryer Hot Dogs — for that perfect snap.
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ medium onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (*see below for gluten free)
- 1 cup low sodium chicken or beef broth
- ½ cup half and half
- 2 cups frozen vegetables (I use corn and peas)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 18 oz frozen tater tots (500 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F if baking right away and lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until browned. Drain any excess fat.
- Add Italian seasoning, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in flour until no white remains, then add broth, cream and vegetables. Cook and stir over medium heat until filling has thickened.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to your tastes. Pour filling into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top with shredded cheese and a single layer of tater tots. Sprinkle tater tots with seasoning salt and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until filling is bubbly and tater tots are golden.
- Serve.
Notes
- Ground beef: feel free to swap the ground beef for turkey, chicken, pork or sausage! You can also omit the meat and increase the veggies or add a can of beans for a meatless meal.
- Flour: to make this recipe gluten free, you can swap the flour with corn starch but you must whisk it into the broth before adding it to the pan.
- Broth: I always use low sodium broth and adjust the salt as needed. You can swap for salted broth, but you may need to reduce the added seasoning.
- Cream: I like to use half and half as it has a richer flavor than milk but is not as heavy as cream. You can use milk or cream if you prefer, but your filling will reflect the swap either way.
Nutrition Information
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Danni says
Just made this for the second time. We love it! So Easy! Thank you for showing us how to make this without a can of soup! Tastes a WHOLE lot better with an easy homemade sauce!
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Danni! I agree!
Jessica says
The combination of beef, veggies, and that creamy, cheesy layer is simply irresistible. The tater tots on top get perfectly crispy, adding just the right texture. It’s quick to put together and bakes up beautifully every time. This recipe is going into my regular rotation—thanks for sharing, Ashley!