Best Cheesy Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe: Tater Tot Hotdish

The best cheesy hamburger tater tot casserole recipe is the definition of comfort food. This hotdish will remind you of your childhood!

Cheesy Tater Tot Hotdish Casserole Recipe

You know that meal that you always look forward to because it reminds you of when you were a kid? For me, they usually involve lots of cheese.

It’s funny how the same family favorite best tater tot casserole recipe for busy nights can vary from region to region. In the northern states, this easy tater tot casserole recipe is known as a tater tot hotdish. And in the south this hearty meal is known as cowboy casserole.

These are the recipes I make when I’m craving comfort food. Something that isn’t necessarily super good for you, but really tastes amazing.

This entire meal can be made in just about 45 minutes. It’s a super easy recipe that the whole family will love. – most of the time is spent in the oven.

Ingredient Notes

These are the ingredients you will need before you make it.

• Butter
• Yellow onion: you could also use onion powder.
• Garlic: you can use fresh garlic, garlic powder, or garlic salt in a pinch.
• Ground beef: you could also use ground turkey.
• Tater Tots: crispy tater tots make for the best easy tatter tot casserole recipe. You can use frozen tater tots, but I prefer to get crispy tots before making this recipe.
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Frozen vegetables
• Shredded cheddar cheese: you could also use your favorite shredded cheese.
• Optional topping ideas: sour cream, chili powder, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, or bell pepper.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Meanwhile, saute the garlic, onion, and butter in a large skillet.

Brown ground beef with the onion and garlic until it’s completely cooked. Add the ground beef mixture to a casserole dish with the veggies, soup, and half of the cheese.

Mix this up well. Top with a layer of tater tots and the rest of the cheese.

Bake until bubbly and hot! Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Can you microwave tater tots?

Yes, you can microwave tater tots but I wouldn’t recommend it. The microwave heats the tater tots but will make the texture soggy. To get crispy tater tots, it’s best to use an oven or air fryer.

Cream of Mushroom Soup Substitute

If you are trying to eat clean and want to make your own cream of mushroom soup replacement, here is my favorite idea. Use this recipe.

It calls for butter, flour, broth, milk, salt, and black pepper. You are essentially making a really thick gravy. And that’s basically what a can of cream of mushroom soup is – a really thick mushroom gravy.

You could use also use cream of chicken soup if you can’t get to the grocery store. But know it will be a thinner consistency.

I would assume cream of onion soup could also work in this recipe but again a thinner texture would be the end result of this hearty casserole. And cheddar cheese soup could likely keep these cheesy tater tots still hearty without a lot of effort.

Tater Tot Casserole Variations

There are so many different ways you can make this meal. With just a few additions you can have an entirely new recipe. You could also swap your mixed veggies for green beans. 

• Cheesy Taco Tater Tot Casserole Recipe– This has homemade taco seasoning and all of your favorite toppings!
• Vegetarian Tater Tot Casserole – It is possible to make vegetarian tater tot casserole, it will just take milk (so it isn’t vegan).
• Tater Tot Casserole with Bacon – Adding bacon to the top layer with the cheese transforms this dish!

It is super simple to make this casserole ahead as a freezer meal. All you do is follow my recipe up until the step where you bake it.

Instead of baking it, seal it in an oven-safe dish. I prefer to use aluminum 9×13 pans. Then label it with the recipe name and the date.

It will stay good in the freezer for about 3 months.

When you are ready to eat it, let it thaw overnight. Then, just bake it at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. That’s it!

• Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
• Greek Pizza Recipe
• Weeknight Easy Lasagna Recipe with Meat Sauce

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Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

Print the recipe card below so you’ll have this Cheesy Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole recipe when you need it! Nutrition information is under the printable card for this easy casserole recipe.

4.28 from 11 votes

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Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

This easy one-dish dinner has tater tots, cream of mushroom soup, and ground beef and lots of cheese for a memorable and comforting meal. 

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword tater tot casserole

Servings 8

Calories 706 kcal

Author Live Love Texas

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 white or yellow onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1.5 pounds ground beef lean
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 12 oz. frozen veggies
• 32 oz. frozen tater tots
• 1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat cook onions until translucent. About 5 minutes. Then add garlic to skillet and cook another minute.

3. Add ground beef to onion/garlic mix and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until meat is browned.
4. Place meat mix, soups, veggies, and 1/2 of the cheese into a large mixing bowl to combine. Spread mix evenly into the bottom of an 8×8 baking dish followed by a layer of tater tots.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, then top with remaining cheese for the remaining 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Recipe Notes

Note: because ovens vary, you will need to check your tater tots before adding the cheese to make sure they’re cooked and no longer frozen.

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

Amount Per Serving (8 g)

Calories 706 Calories from Fat 432

% Daily Value*

Fat 48g74%

Saturated Fat 22g110%

Cholesterol 127mg42%

Sodium 943mg39%

Potassium 701mg20%

Carbohydrates 36g12%

Fiber 4g16%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 2820IU56%

Vitamin C 14.4mg17%

Calcium 455mg46%

Iron 3.1mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.