Tater Tot Casserole With Ground Beef (Crispy Top)

A layer of savory ground beef in a creamy sauce, a blanket of melted cheddar, and rows of golden tater tots that come out of the oven crisp on top and soft underneath. This tater tot casserole with ground beef is the kind of dinner that disappears from the pan, and it only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on work before the oven takes over.

The filling is seasoned with onion, garlic and Worcestershire sauce, then bound with cream of mushroom soup and a little sour cream so it stays creamy without turning soupy. Corn and green beans go straight in from the freezer. The tater tots also go on frozen, which is the key to a crisp top: thawed tots turn soft and soggy before they have a chance to brown.

Ingredients

For the beef filling

• 2 lb (900 g) ground beef, 85% lean – leaner beef keeps the filling from turning greasy.
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced, and 2 garlic cloves, minced.
• 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika.
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
• 1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted.
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream – adds tang and makes the sauce smoother.
• 2 cups (about 300 g) frozen corn and cut green beans, no need to thaw.

For the topping

• 2 cups (225 g) shredded sharp cheddar, divided.
• 1 bag (32 oz / 900 g) frozen tater tots – keep them frozen until the moment they go on.
• 2 green onions, sliced, for serving.

How to Make It

1. Heat the oven – 400°F (200°C)

Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the center. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. Brown the beef – medium-high, 10 minutes

Cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until no pink remains and the onion is soft. Add the garlic, salt, pepper and paprika and cook 1 minute more. Drain off the excess fat. Ground beef is safe at 160°F (71°C); if the crumbles are brown all the way through with no pink, you are there.

3. Make the creamy filling – 3 minutes

Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, the cream of mushroom soup, the sour cream and the frozen vegetables until everything is evenly coated. Spread the mixture in the baking dish. It should look thick and creamy, not runny; the vegetables will release a little moisture in the oven.

4. Add the cheese and tots – 5 minutes

Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar over the beef. Arrange the frozen tater tots on top in tight rows, standing them side by side so they cover the whole surface. Rows look neat and brown more evenly than a random pile, but either works.

5. Bake – 400°F (200°C), 35 to 40 minutes

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar between the rows of tots and bake 5 to 10 minutes more. The casserole is ready when the tots are deep golden and crisp on top, the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling at the edges.

6. Rest and serve – 10 minutes

Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes so the filling sets and slices cleanly. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Tips for a Crispy Tater Tot Casserole

• Keep the tots frozen. Take the bag out of the freezer only when you are ready to arrange them.
• Drain the beef well. Leftover fat pools under the tots and makes the bottom layer soggy.
• Do not cover the dish. A lid or foil traps steam, and the tots will never crisp.
• Want them even crispier? Broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes, watching closely so the tops do not burn.

Variations

• Cheeseburger style: skip the vegetables, stir 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard into the filling and serve with diced pickles.
• Different soup: cream of chicken or cream of celery soup works in place of cream of mushroom.
• Tex-Mex: season the beef with 1 tablespoon of chili powder and 1 teaspoon of cumin, use pepper jack instead of cheddar, and add a can of drained black beans instead of the green beans.
• Ground turkey: use the same amount and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet; cook it to 165°F (74°C).

Make Ahead, Storing and Freezing

To make it ahead, spread the cooled beef filling in the dish, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, add the cheese and frozen tots and add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time, since the filling starts cold. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat portions in a 375°F (190°C) oven or air fryer until hot in the center, which keeps the tots crisp; the microwave works but softens them.

To freeze, assemble the casserole without baking, wrap the dish tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C), covered with foil for the first 45 minutes, then uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes more, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). The safe temperatures for ground beef and for reheated leftovers are both listed on the FoodSafety.gov safe minimum temperature chart.

What to Serve With It

This casserole is a full meal on its own, but a crisp green salad or roasted broccoli balances the richness. For a holiday table, set it next to the cheesy green bean casserole. If you like easy one-dish dinners, try the sausage, potato and broccoli bake, the chicken and stuffing casserole or, for a slow cooker night, the crockpot beef stew. Find more ideas among our dinner recipes.

Tater Tot Casserole With Ground Beef

Creamy ground beef with corn, green beans and cheddar under a crispy golden tater tot topping. About 15 minutes of hands-on work.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Resting Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 670

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the beef filling

• 2 lb ground beef 85% lean (900 g)
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz / 298 g, undiluted
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups frozen corn and cut green beans about 300 g, not thawed

For the topping

• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar 225 g, divided
• 32 oz frozen tater tots 900 g bag, kept frozen
• 2 green onions sliced

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains (160°F / 71°C). Add the garlic, salt, pepper and paprika for 1 minute, then drain the fat.
3. Off the heat, stir in the Worcestershire sauce, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and frozen vegetables. Spread in the baking dish.
4. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar and arrange the frozen tater tots on top in tight rows.
5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, add the remaining cheddar between the tots and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the tots are deep golden and the filling bubbles.
6. Rest 10 minutes, sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Notes

Make ahead: refrigerate the cooled beef filling in the dish for up to 24 hours; add cheese and frozen tots just before baking and add 5 to 10 minutes.

Storage: refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; reheat in the oven or air fryer to keep the tots crisp. Freeze the unbaked casserole up to 3 months and bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C), covered 45 minutes, then uncovered 20 to 30 minutes, to 165°F (74°C) in the center.

Substitutions: cream of chicken or celery soup; ground turkey (cook to 165°F); pepper jack instead of cheddar.

Nutrition is an estimate calculated from standard ingredient values, not a laboratory analysis.