Classic Tater Tot Casserole (The BEST!)

a spoon scooping a portion of tater tot casserole out of a casserole dish

Classic Tater Tot Casserole (The BEST!)

Tater tot casserole is a classic baked comfort food made with seasoned ground beef, tender green beans, and a creamy, cheesy sauce, all topped with crispy golden tater tots. Everything is layered in a casserole dish and baked in the oven until hot and bubbly, with the tots turning perfectly crisp on top!

4.5 from 37 votes

Print Pin Save

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: 8

Calories: 752kcal

Ingredients

Olive oil (to coat)
2 lbs. ground beef
1 small yellow onion (chopped)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
2 cans low sodium green beans
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 32 oz. bag frozen tater tots
Additional Kosher salt (for serving)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add ground beef and onions and spread out over the pan. Brown for 3 minutes, flip, then continue to cook another 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is browned and onions are softened. Drain the fat. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place meat mixture in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan or 2 9 inch pie pans or baking dishes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together cream soup, sour cream, and milk. Pour over the hamburger mixture.
Scatter green beans over top of the soup mixture. Scatter shredded cheese over green beans.
Arrange the tater tots on top of the cheese in tight rows. You might have 2-3 leftover, but you'll use most of the bag. Spray with a vegetable oil or coconut oil spray for extra crispiness, if desired. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and tater tots are browned. If you like your tots to be extra crispy, turn on the broiler and broil for a final 2-3 minutes.

Notes

To make ahead of time, assemble the casserole, leaving the tater tots off the top. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge if needed, then add the tater tots on top and bake as usual.
For a vegetarian version replace meat with 2 pounds of fresh sliced mushrooms sauteed in 1 Tablespoon butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil.

Equipment

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword easy tater tot casserole, green bean tater tot casserole, tater tot casserole

Nutrition