Tater Tot Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
I am so excited to share this easy tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup recipe with you! If you’re looking for an easy main dish, for your busy weeknights that the whole family would enjoy, this is definitely a recipe you should try out! Plus, it doesn’t require a lot of expensive ingredients. You can easily adapt the recipe to have your desired vegetables, and it’s super easy to make.
Easy Casserole Recipe
This easy casserole is a great recipe to make for an easy weeknight dinner. It is made using mostly cheap ingredients, combined to make a delicious family favorite that even picky eaters can try.
If you’re on the lookout for a new recipe to add to your easy dinners list, then this is one you should give a try. It is one of our family’s favorite meals, and I hope it just might be one of your new favorites too!
The recipe instructions below will walk you through the step-by-step instructions for making this easy recipe in just a couple of minutes. Because it doesn’t take much to prepare and can be made in advance, this is a great recipe for busy weeknights.
Plus, not only is this a great low cost meal to make, but it is also easily customizable to fit your specific taste preferences. Let’s take a look at how to make this delicious yet easy tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup.
Easy Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Simple Ingredients
Ground Beef. Making brown ground beef is one of the key ingredients to this tater tot casserole recipe. After all, it is essentially like shepherd’s pie, only using tater tots instead of mashed potatoes.
You can also substitute the ground beef with ground turkey, or any other ground meat you desire.
A Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup. A can of cream of mushroom soup is the traditional creamy sauce used for this casserole recipe.
If needed, you can substitute it with cream of chicken soup or use beef broth and thicken it with corn starch.
A Can of Green Beans. Canned green beans that have been drained are another key ingredient in this casserole recipe.
I prefer to use cut green beans, but you can use the French style if you prefer. You can also use frozen green beans if it is your preference.
Canned Corn. Although not required, we also enjoy using a can of drained corn, when making this tater-tot casserole.
Frozen Tater Tots. Frozen tater tots are another key ingredient in this casserole recipe. It works best if your tater tots are frozen, and you can use traditional tater tot or tater tot crowns, whichever you prefer.
Seasonings. The seasonings you choose to use in the casseroles are completely up to your taste preferences. I like to use some black pepper, salt, a little Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder. You might also enjoy some onion powder added in for extra flavoring if desired.
Optional Ingredients:
Shredded Cheese. Adding shredded cheese to your tater-tot casserole is entirely optional. Sometimes it’s delicious to add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese or shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top of the casserole right before you add the tater tots.
Bell Peppers. If you are a fan of peppers, you might enjoy adding some diced bell peppers into your tater tot casserole as well. Keep in mind that these are completely optional.
Sour Cream. Some enjoy topping their tater tot casserole with a dollop of sour cream. This might be a delicious way for you to enjoy your casserole, so keep that in mind if it sounds good to you.
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole with Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
Preheat the Oven
To begin, preheat your oven to 400°F.
Prepare Baking Dish
Next, take a 9 x 9 baking dish, and spray the bottom and sides with cooking spray. Set the baking dish aside.
Brown your Beef First
Then, cook the ground beef, by taking a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Cook the ground beef until it is nicely browned. Once it’s cooked remove from the heat.
Add and Mix
After the ground beef has been cooked, add the canned soup, preferably cream of mushroom soup to the beef, and stir it up. Also, add in your drained canned green beans, and a can of drained corn. Stir the mixture until it is combined.
Pour into the Prepared Dish
Pour the ground beef mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth it so the entire bottom of the pan is covered with the ground beef mixture.
At this point, if you’re adding shredded cheese, you will want to add a layer on top of the ground beef mixture before adding the tater tots.
Top with Tater Tots
To finish assembling the casserole, opened the bag of tater tots, and spread an even layer of tater tots, in a single layer across the top of the casserole.
Bake
Place the tater tot casserole into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown, and have become crispy tater tots. You can also look to make sure that the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
Serve and Enjoy!
Remove the tater tot casserole from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. If desired, you can add sour cream or drop it on the top of the tater tots before serving the tater tot casserole.
You might also enjoy adding some green onions or chives to the top of the casserole as well. That’s entirely up to you though.
After the casserole has rested for 3 to 5 minutes, it’s time to serve and enjoy the delicious tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup.
Storage for Tater Tot Casserole
At room temperature. The tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup must be kept at room temperature for no more than two hours when the room temperature is between 40°F in 90°F before it goes bad.
If the room temperature is 90°F or above, then the tater tot casserole is safe at room temperature for no more than one hour. After that, it must be stored in the fridge to be safe to eat.
In the fridge. After the tater tot casserole has cooled, it should be stored in the fridge. For the best storage, you want to transfer it to an airtight container or wrap it securely with plastic wrap. Then place it into the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Recipe Tips
Adding Extra Veggies
You could add as many additional vegetables to the tater tot casserole as you prefer. It’s important to point out though if you’re going to double the number of vegetables added, then you’ll likely want to include an additional can of cream of mushroom soup so that the casserole isn’t too dry.
You may also choose to add frozen vegetables rather than canned ones if you prefer them. It’s entirely a matter of your taste preferences as to whether you enjoy it frozen instead of canned.
What to Serve with Tater Tot Casserole
Tater tot casserole has meat and vegetables all in one delicious dish. It’s almost a complete meal on its own. In order to make it a complete meal all you have to do is add a salad, or fruit to serve along with this delicious casserole.
Variations
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
The breakfast tater tot casserole is quite different from the above recipe. In order to make a breakfast tater tot casserole, the frozen tater tots go on the bottom of your casserole dish.
You can then whisk together eggs and cheese and pour them over the tater tots. Then top the casserole with cooked bacon or cooked sausage.
Then bake the entire casserole in the oven at 350°F until the egg mixture is set. This will typically take approximately 40 to 50 minutes.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use cream of chicken soup instead of mushroom soup?
Yes, if you want to use cream of chicken soup, rather than cream of mushroom, you can easily exchange the two in this recipe.
Can I make this casserole in advance?
Yes, this casserole may be prepared in advance if you want. You can choose to assemble it in advance and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to bake it. Or you can assemble it, then freeze it if you want to make it farther in advance. As long as this casserole is sealed securely, it will last for up to three months in the freezer.
What can I serve with this casserole?
The great thing about tater tot casserole is that it is basically an entire meal all by itself. But if you want to have something else to serve with this dish, here are a few ideas for you.
Can I add extra toppings to the casserole?
Yes! If you want to add additional toppings to this tater tot casserole, feel free to add whatever your favorites are!
Is it necessary to cover the casserole with foil?
The main reason you may want to cover your casserole with foil is so that it will cook evenily all of the way through your casserole, without burining the tater tots on top.
Best Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
This delicious tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup is a classic comfort food recipe. It is one of our family’s favorite recipes, and I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and enjoy it as well. Perhaps it can be added to your list of easy dinner recipes for busy weeknights.
Thank you so much for stopping by to check out our easy tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup recipe. I hope that you’ll give this recipe a try and I hope it’s one of your new favorites!