Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef

A serving spoon lifting a scoop of tater tot casserole from the baking dish.

5 from 2 votes

Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe with Ground Beef

Tater Tot Casserole (aka "Hot Dish" in Minnesota and many other midwest states) is a comfort food casserole classic. This easy casserole recipe is a family favorite made with savory ground beef, a creamy sauce, plenty of veggies, and of course, lots of crispy tater tots for the top crust!

Prep Time25

Cook Time45

Total Time1 10

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 321kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Meat Layer

1 lb lean ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

2 Tablespoons salted butter
8 ounces white button or crimini mushrooms, diced
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half

Assembly

1 lb fresh or frozen green beans, thawed if using frozen (about 2 cups)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 (32-ounce) pkg. frozen tater tots

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef and half of the chopped onion until cooked through. Add half of the minced garlic, along with the worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook another 30-60 seconds, then transfer to a 9x13-inch casserole dish and spread in an even layer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt the butter in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining chopped onion, sauteing for 4 to 5 minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the garlic, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook another 1 to 2 minutes stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the flour has been absorbed. Add the beef or chicken broth, whisking well to make sure there are no lumps. Stir in the half and half.
Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5-6 minutes.
Layer ground beef mixture. Layer green bean & soup mixture. Top with cheddar cheese. Top with tots arranged in straight lines. Bake 45-50 minutes until tots are golden brown and everything is heated through.

Notes

Make ahead: You can assemble the casserole up through adding the cheese up to 1-2 days in advance and refrigerate. Add the frozen tater tots just before baking.
Storage: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. We find that they reheat best in the air fryer or a 350 degree F oven until hot all the way through.
Freezing: The casserole can be assembled and frozen either before or after baking. To bake from frozen, add an additional 30 minutes to the bake time until cooked all the way through.
Garlic: You can use ½ teaspoon garlic powder for the minced garlic.
Vegetable substitutes: Chopped bell peppers, carrots, frozen mixed vegetables, or canned green beans and canned corn are all good substitutes for fresh green beans and corn.
Half-and-half substitutes: You can use an equal amount of heavy cream for a richer sauce, or all milk for a lighter, thinner sauce. Or replace the half-and-half with sour cream stirred in after simmering for 5-6 minutes once the sauce is removed from the heat so it doesn't curdle.

Nutrition