This tater tot hot dish recipe is layered with mixed veggies and ground beef in a rich gravy topped with lots of shredded cheese, and of course — tater tots!
It’s super creamy, cheesy, and flavorful, making for the most satisfying comfort food any day of the week!
Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Casseroles are the BEST when you want to make a hearty meal with minimal effort that even picky eaters will enjoy. I mean, who could resist a casserole dish with a crunchy layer of golden tater tots on top? Not us!
This tater tot casserole requires simple ingredients you’ll most likely find in your own pantry and fridge. Better yet, you can make everything all in one pan! It’s a delicious and easy recipe perfect for busy weeknights, family reunions, and potlucks.
What’s a hot dish?
If you’re not from Minnesota, you might be wondering, “What the heck is a hot dish?”
A hot dish is a cozy casserole dish with a creamy sauce that binds together protein, starch (usually potatoes or pasta), cheese, and sometimes veggies. Basically, it’s what everyone else who isn’t from the Upper Midwest would call a casserole.
Why you’ll love it!
- Classic dish: There’s a reason why this tater tot hot dish has been a Midwestern family favorite since the 1950s. It tastes FANTASTIC.
- One-Pan meal: This easy tater tot casserole recipe can be made all in one pan, making cleanup a breeze!
- The ULTIMATE comfort food: Everyone loves a classic comfort food recipe, and this casserole delivers all the goods.
Featured Ingredients
- Ground beef: Just like the traditional recipe, we used ground beef for the meat. Feel free to substitute with ground turkey or chicken if you’d like!
- Onion: adds a nice sharp flavor to the casserole and brings out the taste of the cheese.
- Crimini mushrooms: have more flavor compared to other mushrooms, but any mushrooms will taste great with this casserole!
- Garlic: has a soft, sweet, buttery flavor that tastes oh-so-good with the recipe’s other ingredients.
- All-purpose flour: is great for thickening the broth and turning it into a gravy.
- Beef broth: adds a richness to the dish that matches well with the ground beef. Any other type of broth will do just fine!
- Worcestershire sauce: balances out the dish’s flavor profile with its tangy, savory, sweet, and salty taste.
- Cream cheese: is the key to making this hearty casserole super creamy and rich.
- Frozen green beans: add a good deal of substance and texture to this tasty dish. It also tastes fantastic with the beef, potatoes, and cheese!
- Shredded cheddar jack cheese: We used sharp cheddar cheese, but use whatever you have on hand.
- Frozen tater tots: can’t have tater tot hot dish without the taters!
How to soften cream cheese
Looking for a quick method to soften cream cheese? Check out our post – How to Soften Cream Cheese – 4 Ways! Here you’ll learn 4 unique (and quick!) methods to soften cream cheese to the perfect amount for baking and cooking.
How to Make Tater Tot Hot Dish
PREHEAT OVEN
Preheat the oven to 350℉ and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
COOK BEEF + VEGGIES
Cook the ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once most of the pink is gone, add the onion and mushrooms.
Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms have reduced by more than half in size. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
MAKE THE GRAVY
Add flour and butter to your beef mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until it creates a thin paste over the beef.
Once the paste has cooked, pour in the beef broth and whisk until combined. Let the broth thicken for 1-2 minutes to become a gravy.
ADD CREAM CHEESE + GREEN BEANS
Next, add the Worcestershire, salt, pepper, paprika, and cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese has completely melted into the sauce. Then mix in your frozen green beans until combined.
ASSEMBLE + BAKE
Transfer the beef mixture to the baking dish; sprinkling cheddar jack cheese on top. Next, get your tater tots and line them up on top of the cheese.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Once your hot dish is done cooking, allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Then finally, serve and enjoy your cheesy tater tot hot dish!
FAQs
What is tater tot hot dish made of?
The classic tater tot hot dish recipe consists of ground beef, tater tots, and a cream cheese beef sauce topped with cheese. It’s the ultimate creamy, cheesy, and potatoey comfort food!
why is my tater tot hot dish watery?
There’s no need to worry if your tater tot hot dish comes out runny, as it’s to be expected! Just give it a few minutes to cool, and it’ll thicken on its own.
How do you thicken a tater tot hot dish?
The best way to thicken a meat casserole dish is with flour. First, add flour after you’ve browned the meat. Next, add one teaspoon at a time until you get the desired thickness. Then add any other liquid ingredients after.
Storage
Let your tater tot hot dish cool completely before transferring it into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
To reheat: you can reheat the leftovers in the oven at 350°F or in the microwave for 30-60 seconds at a time until warmed through.
Can you freeze tater tot hot dish?
- To freeze tater tot hot dish, cook as directed, but make sure to use a disposable casserole dish.
- Then, let cool completely.
- Cover hot dish with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it into the top of the tater tots. Then, cover that with a piece of tin foil.
- Remove as much air as possible and then write the date on the top.
- Will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tater Tot Hot Dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb. 85/15 ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 8 oz. crimini mushrooms sliced (you can also use Bella mushrooms)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 10 oz. frozen green beans
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese ~2 cups
- 28 oz. frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium/high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until most of the pink is gone, about 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes. The onions should be translucent, and the mushrooms should reduce by more than half in size. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the flour and butter to the beef mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes. It will create a thin paste over the beef. Once the paste has cooked, whisk in the beef broth. Cook for 1-2 minutes while the broth thickens, creating a gravy.
- Next, add the Worcestershire, salt, pepper, paprika, and cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Add the frozen green beans and mix until combined.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the baking dish and top with the cheddar jack cheese. Line the tater tots up on top of the cheese. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Allow the hot dish to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Aw, man! This recipe smacked me upside the ‘ol noggin’. I’m talking about a full-swing whack from the nostalgia bat that made me want to jump into my jammies and tune into Power Rangers on Nickelodeon.
My dad used to make a version of this recipe, but with Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup and ground turkey. Sometimes he’d put corn in it just so my little brother could yell “hey! I didn’t eat any CORN” after he went to the bathroom. Sorry for oversharing a bit. I guess that’s what happens when the nostalgia button gets pushed. Anyway, try this hotdish. It’s creamy and yummy and sticks to your ribs. You’ll definitely grow up big and strong if you eat it. 🙂
What high praise, Tyler! So glad this tater tot hot dish brought you right back to childhood 😀