This simple Tater Tot Casserole with ground beef is a delicious family dinner and has everything you need for a full meal in one pan! Topped with tater tots, this delicious casserole filling is made with ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, frozen corn and cheddar cheese.
This recipe is the ultimate classic comfort food that will quickly become a family favorite!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Hearty & Delicious: What better way to prepare a delicious dinner for your family than by putting together a hearty casserole!
- Easy To Make: The best part about this tater tot casserole is how easy it is to make! Just combine the ingredients and pop it in the oven to have dinner ready in under an hour.
- Family Friendly: Since this easy casserole is made with ground beef and tater tots, it’s sure to be a hit with everyone including picky eaters. Your whole family will love it.
If you love an easy casserole recipe and need a few more ideas for busy weeknights, a few of our favorites include this Beef And Noodle Casserole, Hamburger Potato Casserole, Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole and Easy Taco Casserole.
What to Serve with Tater Tot Casserole
I keep it simple when making this recipe and serve it with a side of Southern Green Beans. And we always have either Homemade Bread or these Buttery Dinner Rolls. A tossed green salad and fresh fruit are also easy sides to compete the meal.
Ingredients
See printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.
- Ground Beef - I recommend using lean ground beef.
- Bell Pepper - You can use any color bell pepper that you have on hand. I used a red bell pepper.
- Onion and Garlic - Adds flavor to the ground beef.
- Frozen Corn - I like to use corn but mixed vegetables work great also.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup - Adds creaminess and flavor to the casserole. You can use store bought or homemade cream of mushroom soup. You can also substitute and use cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup.
- Milk - I always use whole milk but you can also use 2% milk or whatever you have available.
- Cheddar Cheese - I like to freshly grate my own cheese when I have time but as a timesaver in this recipe I used pre-shredded cheese.
- Tater Tots - You will need one 16-ounce bag of frozen tater tots.
Recipe Variations
This quick casserole is not only easy to prepare, but it's also easily customized to suit your family’s tastes. Try these simple recipe adjustments to create a delicious meal that everyone in your family is sure to love.
- Try different meat. Ground beef is a quick and easy option for preparing this dinner, but you can easily substitute other ground meats to use what you have. Try using ground turkey, ground chicken or pork in place of the ground beef.
- Add more vegetables. Another simple way to change up this dinner recipe is to try different vegetables. You can add to the existing veggies in the meal or mix in different varieties to ensure your dinner features everything your family likes. Try adding green beans, peas, carrots, diced tomatoes, or zucchini to your meal.
How To Make Tater Tot Casserole
Start by heating a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the pan, along with the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Continue cooking the ingredients until the meat is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Once the meat is done, you can remove the pan from heat and add the corn, cream of mushroom soup, and milk to the pan. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed.
Transfer the ground beef mixture to a large casserole dish and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the casserole ingredients. After that, arrange the tater tots evenly in a single layer on top of the casserole. Then place the pan in the oven to bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
How To Store
Allow to cool then store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Tips
- Drain any excess fat. It’s best to use lean ground beef to keep the grease at a minimum. If your meat has too much grease when you’re finished cooking, make sure to drain the extra fat from the pan before adding the rest of your ingredients to avoid having too much moisture in your dish, causing it to be runny.
- Don’t add extra liquid. After you stir the cream of mushroom soup and milk into the rest of your casserole ingredients, you’ll end up with a thick mixture. Avoid adding any more liquid to the casserole filling to keep it from getting too soupy.
- Allow Casserole To Thicken. Don't worry if this casserole seems a little runny when removed from the oven. Allow it to rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes, which gives it time to thicken up.
Recipe FAQs
No there is no need to thaw the tater tots. Layer them across the top while still frozen and they will cook up nice and golden.
Yes! You can make this casserole ahead of time. Prepare it as directed except for the final baking step and cover and place in the refrigerator. Keep covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it.
Make sure when cooking the ground beef you remove any excess fat. Also allow the casserole to rest on counter for 10 minutes after baking to help thicken it up.
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I hope you enjoy this easy Tater Tot Casserole! If you try this recipe, please come back and rate it and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from you!
Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 10 ounce package frozen corn
- 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 16 ounce package frozen tater tots
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 2-qt. baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet with the bell pepper, onion, and garlic until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the frozen corn, cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Stir to mix.
- Spread the mixture in the baking dish and top with the shredded cheese.
- Arrange the tater tots in an even layer on top of the casserole.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tots are golden brown.
- Once done remove from oven and allow it to rest on the counter for 10 minutes to thicken up.