Tater Tot Casserole

Article by Emily Saladino

Whether you call it hotdish, tot casserole or tater tot casserole, this one-dish wonder is a comforting classic. In Minnesota and beyond, it's often served at family reunions, potlucks or church suppers, but it’s just as welcome on a weeknight dinner table. The combination of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, beef and crispy tots is sure to please.

How to Make Tater Tot Casserole Like a Pro

Food Network Kitchen tested several iterations of this tot casserole to create a foolproof recipe. Here are their tips.

Cook the onions first. Softening the onions also creates a flavorful base for the ground beef. Scrape the skillet as the beef browns — those cooked bits are loaded with savory goodness.

Defrost the vegetables. Frozen corn and beans release moisture as they thaw, so make sure they’re completely defrosted before you add them to the soup mixture to keep the interior of your tater tot casserole tender.

But don’t thaw the tater tots. Tater tots are designed to be cooked straight from the freezer. The spuds rehydrate and the exteriors stay crispy as they bake.

Tater Tot Casserole Ingredients and Substitutions

Choose the right ground beef. Our recipe developers recommend 80% lean ground beef because it stays juicy during a long cooking time, whereas leaner hamburger can dry out in the oven.

Make it cheesy. Sprinkle a cup of shredded sharp Cheddar on the top of the tots and bake as directed.

Try other vegetables. Defrosted peas, carrots, bell peppers or mixed vegetables would also be delicious in this tater tot casserole recipe.

Or start with fresh vegetables. Before cooking the onions, sauté the same amounts of fresh corn kernels and trimmed green beans in two tablespoons of olive oil until tender. Set aside, wipe out the pan and follow the recipe as written.

Make your own cream of mushroom soup. The soup in this recipe doesn’t just provide richness and flavor; it also binds the casserole. If you like, you could substitute 4 cups of Food Network Kitchen’s homemade cream of mushroom soup recipe for the cans—you’ll even have some left over for another meal.

Can You Freeze Tater Tot Casserole?

You can freeze tater tot casserole, though we recommend you don’t bake before freezing. Instead, prepare the recipe as written, top with tater tots, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap then add aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to eliminate excess moisture and bake it thoroughly.

Other Recipes with Tater Tots

Extra bag of tots in your fridge? Try some of Food Network Kitchen's other tater tot recipes.

Chicken tater tot casserole. Swap the ground beef and cream of mushroom soup for rotisserie chicken and broth in this crowd-pleasing chicken tater tot casserole recipe.

Tater tot sliders. Make this easy tater tot appetizer with sliced cheddar and pickles, mustard and country ham or other favorite sandwich fixings.

Chicken and tater tot waffles. Crispy tots get the waffle iron treatment in this irresistible take on chicken and waffles.

Tater tot arancini. In just 15 minutes, you can have a crunchy, crowd-pleasing, arancini-like appetizer in the palm of your hand.