Casseroles are a dinnertime lifesaver! Especially when they’re filled with crispy tots. Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole is a little different from our original Tater Tot Casserole and our Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole, but just as tasty!
Ultimate Freezer Meal
Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole is crazy easy to put together and it tastes great! I mean, who doesn’t love cheesy tater tots? Even better, they are served on a bed of ground beef and veggies! Well, not only is this easy tater tot casserole recipe simple and yummy—it lends it self to freezing very well. This is also a great dish to bring to new moms, or really anyone that could use quick and easy dinners just a freezer away!! This is quite the kid-friendly dish as well. My kids gobble this stuff up!! It is simple in both flavor and ability level, but really packs a warm and delicious punch!
How to make it
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. GROUND BEEF. Heat a large skillet over medium and add the ground beef. Season to taste with garlic salt and pepper. Cook until browned about 7-10 minutes. Drain excess fat. SOUP. Add the can of cream of chicken and mushroom soup to the pan with the ground beef and stir until evenly coated. VEGGIES. Spread the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish. Add a layer of chopped green beans on top of the beef. Then, add a layer of corn. TATER TOTS. Next, add a layer of tater tots so they completely cover the mixture underneath, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. BAKE. Bake for 30-40 minutes. The casserole mixture should be hot and tater tots will be a golden brown.
What to serve with it?
So many options since this is such a classic comfort food. Here are some of our go-to’s:
Cheesy Garlic BreadAir Fryer ZucchiniCrescent RollsBrussel Sprout With BaconEasy Tortellini Salad
For more recipes check out our Side Dishes, Salads and Breads.
Recipe tips + Variations
Watery casserole: When the dish comes right out of the oven it is normal for it to be a bit more liquidly. It will thicken up as it cools down. I haven’t ever had a problem with this recipe, but these two aspects come to my mind:
One reason that the casserole may be more runny is that you used a fattier ground beef and/or didn’t drain the excess fat before compiling the casserole. If for some reason your casserole continues to be runny, try stirring in 1 tablespoon of flour to the beef and soup mixture before you pour it into the pan.
What meat to use: Stick to using 80/20 ground beef or leaner and all cases drain all excess fat. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey in place of the ground beef. Getting Crispy Tots: If you find that you want to get even crispier tots then add the cheese on top of the corn then placing the tots on top. Then, turn on the broiler to crisp to tots up even more. Watch carefully, as the broiler works quickly and perfectly crispy tots can burn in a matter of seconds. Canned soup: I sometimes get people wanting clarification for the canned soup. I buy a can of “Cream of Chicken & Mushroom Soup”. It’s one can with both favors. If you cannot find the combo you can choose to use 1 can of cream of chicken soup or 1 can of cream of mushroom soup.
Variations:
I’ve seen this casserole made plainly with only the meat mixture and tots, or with all sorts of mix ins. It all depends on what you prefer. I added fresh green beans and corn and really like how it all turned out. Here are a few other variations I have seen:
Add a layer of crumbled bacon Double the tots: add a layer of tater tots at the bottom of the pan before adding the other layers and a second layer of tots on top.Spice it up with jalapenos or add red chili flakes on topIncorporate MushroomsMix in bell peppersChange up the cheese: Colby Jack or Pepper Jack cheese are both great optionsServe with ketchup and mustard
Storing Info
This is the mother of all freezer meals. It’s inexpensive to make and it stores really well. You can easily double or even triple the recipe that way you have dinner for today and for another evening. Once you have the casserole assembled, allow it to cool before wrapping the dish with plastic wrap and again with foil. FREEZE for up to 3 months. THAW in the fridge before baking. For short term storage refrigerate it for 1-2 days before baking. To STORE, refrigerate or freeze unused portions in an airtight container. Leftovers will store 3-4 days in the refrigerator and 2-3 months in the freezer.
For More Hearty Casseroles, try:
Hamburger CasseroleChicken and Dumpling CasseroleChicken Bacon Ranch CasseroleSpaghetti CasseroleTaco CasseroleFrench Onion Chicken Casserole
