Tater Tot Casserole - Spend With Pennies

This tater tot casserole recipe is easy to make!

Seasoned ground beef and veggies are mixed in a creamy sauce and topped with melty cheddar and crispy tater tots.

This casserole is versatile and everyone loves it.

cheesy Classic Tater Tot Casserole in a casserole dish

Your family will love it—it’s a meal that the whole family can agree on.
Budget-friendly tater tot casserole is hearty enough to feed a crowd.
Tater tot casserole has meat, veggies, and spuds in one easy casserole.
Assemble a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to bake.

tater tots , vegetables , milk , cream of mushroom soup , ground beef , cheese , onion , oregano, parsley , salt and pepper with labels to make Classic Tater Tot Casserole

What You’ll Need For This Tater Tot Casserole

Tater tots – Use any brand of frozen tater tots in this recipe or frozen potato puffs—any shape will work.
Beef – Use lean ground beef in this recipe. It can be replaced with ground chicken or ground turkey.
Soup – Condensed cream of mushroom soup is the base of the sauce for this recipe and makes prep super fast. Replace it with any condensed cream soup like cream of celery or chicken .
Vegetables – Use a frozen vegetable medley or replace it with cooked leftover veggies.
Cheese – Sharp cheddar delivers the best flavor, but shredded mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend works in a tater tot casserole.

cooking ground beef with onions to make Classic Tater Tot Casserole

How to Make Tater Tot Casserole

Cook ground beef and onion and drain any fat (recipe below).
Mix the veggies, soup, milk, seasonings, beef, and some cheese.
Spread the mixture in a casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese.
Arrange tater tots on top and bake.

easy Classic Tater Tot Casserole in a bowl with casserole dish full in the back

Leftovers?

Leftover tater tot casserole tastes even better the next day! Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat portions in the microwave. Wrap up leftovers in a tortilla for a hearty (and portable!) school or workday lunch.

Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 4 months and thaw overnight before reheating.

More Creative Casseroles

Did you enjoy this Tater Tot Casserole Recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

4.99 from 121 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Classic Tater Tot Casserole

Cheesy, creamy, and loaded with hearty ingredients, tater tot casserole is comfort food at its finest!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and onion until no pink remains. Drain any fat.
In a medium bowl, mix the thawed vegetables, soup, milk, seasonings, beef mixture, and ½ cup shredded cheese.
Spread the beef mixture into a 3qt or 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Top with tater tots and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the tots are golden brown.

*If using fresh vegetables such as carrots and celery, they should be steamed or can be cooked in the frying pan along with the browned beef until tender.
Frozen vegetables should be thawed first. Any variation or mixture of vegetables can be added.
Canned mushroom soup can be substituted with other “cream of” soups, gravy, or even a can of gravy or tomato soup.
Any size casserole dish can be used for this recipe. A deeper dish may need a little bit of extra cooking time.
This casserole can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated. If chilled from the fridge, it will require extra baking time.
Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator and 4 months in the freezer.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beef, Casserole, Dinner, Entree

Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.