Description
Hearty Tater Tot Casserole brings comfort and nostalgia to dinner tables across America. Crispy potato tots, seasoned ground beef, and melted cheese create a delicious one-pan meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 cup frozen peas or green beans (optional)
Dairy and Sauce:
- 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
- 1 cup (113 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10.5 oz or 298 g) cream of mushroom soup
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package (32 oz or 907 g) frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 375°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with a light oil spray to prevent sticking.
- In a large skillet, sauté chopped onions and minced garlic in olive oil until onions become translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it into small pieces while cooking until completely browned and no pink remains.
- Season the beef mixture with salt and pepper, then incorporate frozen peas or green beans, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Drain excess fat from the meat mixture to reduce greasiness.
- Create a creamy sauce by whisking cream of mushroom soup with sour cream until smooth and well combined.
- Spread the cooked beef evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the soup and sour cream mixture over the beef, ensuring complete coverage.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese across the sauce layer.
- Arrange frozen tater tots in a single, uniform layer over the cheese.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until tater tots turn golden and crispy.
- Remove from oven, top with remaining cheddar cheese, and return to bake for an additional 5-7 minutes until cheese melts completely.
- Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving to help it set and make portioning easier.
Notes
- Customize the protein by swapping ground beef with ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version.
- Boost nutrition by adding diced bell peppers, carrots, or spinach to the beef mixture for extra vegetables and color.
- Reduce sodium and fat by using low-fat cream of mushroom soup and reduced-fat cheese without compromising the delicious flavor.
- Make it gluten-free by selecting gluten-free tater tots and checking that the cream of mushroom soup is gluten-free certified.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg