An easy, one-dish meal, this Tater Tot Casserole is a classic comfort food that will become an instant family favorite. Using simple ingredients like frozen tater tots, hamburger, and veggies, you can satisfy even your pickiest eaters. This classic recipe of grandma’s is the epitome of a tasty weeknight meal that the whole family will cheer for!
Need more casserole recipes? Try gluten-free green bean casserole with homemade fried onions, gluten free corn casserole, gluten-free eggs benedict casserole, gluten free french toast casserole, gluten free breakfast casserole.
Why I love this casserole
- Grandma’s recipe – My grandma Donna used to make her own variation of this dish that only had peas in it. I always loved it so much! I have made just a few changes since then but it is still equally delicious.
- Popular – Wikipedia says that tater tot casserole originates from and has remained popular in the upper midwest United States. Casseroles and hot dishes both usually contain a variety of meat, veggies and starch. Much like this easy taco casserole.
- Easy and budget friendly – Casseroles are especially popular for larger families who need to make big quantities of food on a budget (similar to our Chinese noodle casserole). It’s one of those easy dinners for those busy weeknights.
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole
- Cook: Simply start by cooking up your ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until it is browned. I like to add a bit of salt and pepper as well.
- Add: Next, add the cooked ground beef (also great for our tacos), half the tater tots and vegetables together in 9×13 or deep 9×9 casserole dish with salt and pepper.
- Pour: Add the cream of chicken soup into the tots and ground beef mixture along with half of the cheese (or all if you are like me and don’t like it on top) and mix the ingredients evenly.
- Even out: Flatten the top and then evenly spread out the remaining tots and cover with tinfoil.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes.
- Sprinkle: Remove and uncover then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on top of the tater tots if you love that gooey goodness and bake for 10 more minutes uncovered.
Make Ahead, Freezing, and Reheat Instructions
To make ahead: Assemble everything together in a baking dish then put aluminum foil over and freeze it. OR you can go ahead and bake it first then freeze, it’s just as good the next day.
Freezing: It freezes so well! Just make sure that aluminum foil is nice and tight around the baking dish before you pop it in the freezer.
Reheat: If you freeze before baking, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking. If you baked before freezing, you will just need to warm it up before serving. Perfect for those busy weeknights and picky kids!
Recipe Variations
- Different meats: The great thing about this easy tater tot casserole recipe is that there are a few different alternatives that can really switch up the flavor profile a little bit. Try different ground meats like ground turkey or lamb.
- Swap the veggies: Put a few simple ingredients like green beans, bell peppers, or green onions on your grocery list and swap those in for the peas and/or corn.
- Flavor twist: Give this classic tater tot casserole and easy recipe some Mexican flair by adding in 1 T taco seasoning and 1/3 C salsa.
- Different cheese: Switch your sharp cheddar cheese to pepper jack. You can also top the crispy tater tots with sour cream and a splash of worcestershire sauce.
- Homemade cream soup: Take a few extra minutes to make our homemade gluten-free cream of chicken soup to use instead of store bought. You won’t regret it! It can even be made dairy-free.
Have extra beef? This easy beef stroganoff or this keto taco casserole are both great recipes for using it up. Or give my gluten free burger a try!
A Note About Gluten-Free Tater Tots
While many tater tots are gluten-free, it is important to always check. I’ve been surprised how many contain wheat flour or other gluten ingredients.
Here are just a few that are gluten free. As with anything, eat at your own discretion. If you have found any other brands, we’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
- Ore Ida Golden Tater Tots
- Cascadian Farms Spud Puppies (according to their twitter page: They don’t carry a gluten free claim, but there are no wheat allergens)
- Lamb Weston Crispy Potato Puffs (not labeled but also no warning of shared facility or gluten ingredients on the label)
More Delicious Dinner Recipes:
- BEST Gluten-Free Spaghetti
- Cheeseburger Tots
- BEST Roast Chicken
- Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots
- Gluten Free Casserole Recipe (50+)
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Easy Tater Tot Casserole (Grandma’s Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup or two 10 oz. cans homemade gluten-free cream of chicken soup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen diced carrots
- 1 pound ground hamburger cooked (leftovers from taco night work great here!)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, divided more for topping if you’d like
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-low heat until browned
- In a 9×13 pan, combine vegetables, cooked beef, soup, salt, pepper, half the cheese (1/2 cup) and half the tater tots
- Top with remaining tater tots and cover dish with tinfoil then bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes
- Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and cook uncovered for 10 minutes
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published March 14, 2014 with the photo below. I have updated the photos and the ingredients slightly but is the same classic recipe you love.
Kel Febo says
Could i use breakfast sausage instead ?
Chandice says
Absolutely! Love it that way too…
Larry Aldrich says
I am one to mix things up a bit….and my wife has health challenges that sometimes make cooking, so she can eat it, a challenge. Today…..making tater tot casserole and to do something different adding a can of “Rotel” to have more of a Southwest flavor. Time will tell I reckon.
Chandice says
That’s great Larry! So glad you made it your own way 🙂
Teralee Williams says
By far, my favorite recipe of Grandma’s! Way to represent!!
Sam says
OMG THIS IS SO GOOD! We even left out the cheese and devoured it! Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe! Definitely will be making this over and over again!
Chandice says
Awwww thank you so much for letting me know! I have loved it since I was a little girl and I am so glad you do as well. 🙂
JD says
This is really good and easy to make, too. Thanks, Chandice!
Jess says
I’m so glad I found this! So many people in my family are either intolerant to gluten or have Celiac disease, so it’s always a struggle to think of new meal ideas when we are all together.
Chandice says
Thanks Jess, so glad you loved it!
Rachel says
Thank you so much for the easy instructions! I love that this is made using frozen veggies…such an easy to throw together on a weeknight! My husband and I love this!
Chandice says
Thanks Rachel, yes it is super easy! 🙂
Erin says
I made this for my family and my kids loved it! I loved how easy it was! Thanks for a great recipe.
Chandice says
Thank you! It is our kids favorite too! 🙂
Miki says
This recipe looks so good! Finding great recipes since going gluten free has been challenging so thanks for the tips.This looks like a recipe even my husband will eat.