Tater Tot Corn Casserole is a favorite in our house. This dish has it all with crispy tater tots, sweet whole kernel corn, and a creamy meat mixture filled with cheese.
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I adore the simplicity of this cheesy tater tot casserole with sour cream. With minimal prep time, it's a lifesaver on busy days. Plus, when the heat's too much, I opt for Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole.
The crispy layer of tater tots atop the creamy filling creates a delightful contrast. Once baked, they turn irresistibly crispy outside and soft inside, pleasing both kids and adults.
This hearty dish is a family favorite and never fails to impress a crowd. Sneaking veggies into my easy tater tot casserole ensures the kids eat them happily. Hamburger tater tot casserole with corn is a frequent request from my little ones.
For more Easy Comfort Food Casseroles, check out our Easy Shepherd's Pie with Instant Mashed Potatoes, Chicken Divan Casserole, and Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Basic ingredients. We just need some simple ingredients to make this tasty casserole.
- Easy prep. The prep work for this recipe is pretty minimal. There are about 10 minutes of active time where you're just mixing things around as they cook, and after that, it's time for a little patience as it bakes.
- It's filling. This is one of those recipes that will have you feeling stuffed in no time. It's perfect for feeding the family something comforting too.
🛒 Ingredients
Ground beef. Any fat percentage works. Drain excess grease after cooking.
Shredded cheddar cheese. Freshly shredded melts best, but pre shredded saves time.
Cream of mushroom soup. Thickens the filling and adds flavor.
Frozen tater tots. Use straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.
If you have extra tater tots, try them in our Loaded Totchos (Tater Tot Nachos) or Overnight Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
No cream of mushroom. Use any condensed soup you prefer, such as cream of chicken, cheddar cheese, or cream of celery. Each gives a slightly different flavor but works well.
Ground meat options. Swap ground beef for ground turkey for a lighter option, or use ground chicken or pork if that's what you have on hand.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Stretch the beef: Use ½ lb ground beef and add extra corn or diced potatoes to lower the cost.
Swap the soup: Store-brand condensed soups work just as well and are usually cheaper.
Cheese savings: Buy block cheese and shred it yourself for the best price per cup.
Use what you have: This recipe is flexible, use leftover veggies or a different frozen potato topping if needed.
🥄 Instructions for Tater Tot Corn Casserole
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease the inside of a 9x13 baking dish and set it aside.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion (Image 1) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent. (Image 2)
Step 3: Add the ground beef to the skillet (Image 3) and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease. (Image 4)
Step 4: Remove from heat. Add in the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. (Image 5) Stir together until well combined. (Image 6)
Step 5: Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. (Image 7) Layer the drained corn on top. (Image 8)
Step 6: Spread the shredded cheese evenly over the corn. (Image 9) and then carefully arrange the frozen tater tots over the cheese in an even layer. (Image 10)
Step 7: Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Adjust sour cream. If the sour cream flavor is too strong, reduce it to ½ cup and add ¼ cup milk to keep the dish creamy with a milder taste.
- Frozen corn swap. Use about 1 cup frozen corn in place of fresh. You can add more if you want extra texture and sweetness.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage. Refrigerate leftover Tater Tot Corn Casserole in a covered container for up to 4 days.
Freezing. Assemble unbaked, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before baking.
Make ahead. Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Reheating. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes. The tater tots may soften.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Serve Tater Tot Corn Casserole with a simple green salad, steamed broccoli, or green beans to balance the richness. It also pairs well with fresh fruit or applesauce for an easy family-friendly meal.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Tater tot casserole is a comfort food dish that is as cheap to make as it is delicious to eat. Truly one of the better tasting and more filling frugal meal options out there.
Made with crispy tater tots and a can of cream of mushroom soup, you get a mix of flavors and textures that work great together.
Trying to figure out what to eat with a tater tot casserole can be a challenge when you already have such a mix of ingredients. Pairing your comfort dish with a side salad or other cooked vegetables can be great.
With tater tot hotdishes often having a bit of a rich and greasy feel to them, pairing them with something lighter is a great way to offset that heavy feeling.
Not much. Both are terms that come from the Midwest United States. But, generally speaking, a tater tot hot dish recipe contains vegetables and a can of condensed soup like cream of mushroom.
A casserole is very similar but often contains lighter meat like chicken or tuna. But both are baked and have some form of starchy base, veggies, and a nice topping. So, you can think of it as a hot dish as a type of casserole.
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🐝 If you tried this Tater Tot Corn Casserole, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Tater Tot Corn Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - ($0.14)
- ½ cup onion, diced - ($0.35)
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef - ($5.94)
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) cream of mushroom soup - ($0.70)
- ½ cup sour cream - ($0.47)
- 1 can (15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained - ($0.76)
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded - ($0.99)
- 16 ounces frozen tater tots, about 32 tots - ($1.49)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease the inside of a 9x13 baking dish and set it aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
- Remove from heat. Add in the sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. Stir together until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Layer the drained corn on top.
- Spread the shredded cheese evenly over the corn. and then carefully arrange the frozen tater tots over the cheese in an even layer.
- Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes until bubbly and golden on top. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Notes
- Tater Tot Amount: The number of tater tots needed may vary depending on pan size and how tightly they are arranged.
- Sour Cream Swap: Sour cream can be reduced or replaced with milk or plain unflavored Greek yogurt if desired.
- Corn Options: Frozen corn may be used in place of canned corn, about 1 cup thawed.
- Soup Variations: Cream of chicken, cream of celery, or cheddar cheese soup work well as substitutes.
- Reheating: Reheat leftovers covered in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes or microwave smaller portions, noting the tater tots may soften.
Nutritional Information
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Kevin A Lloyd says
How much of everything?
Nicole Durham says
If you click "jump to recipe" or scroll to the bottom of the post you will see a printable recipe card with all of the exact measurements needed.