I glanced at the clock: 5:30 PM. The kids would burst through the door any minute, hungry and impatient. What started as a rainy Tuesday was a full-blown thunderstorm, and I desperately needed comfort food that wouldn’t break the bank.
Opening the freezer, I spotted a bag of tater tots and smiled. It was my mother’s hamburger tater tot casserole, the dish that had turned countless chaotic evenings into warm family gatherings during my childhood.
I mixed ground beef with oatmeal, just like Mom taught me, stretching the protein without anyone noticing. The familiar aroma filled my kitchen as I layered the meat mixture with crispy tots and creamy cheddar soup.
When the kids and my husband arrived, soaking wet and grumbling, the golden casserole was emerging from the oven. Even my pickiest eater cleaned his plate.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This hamburger tater tot casserole stands out from other versions because it transforms simple ingredients into a satisfying meal. The ground beef mixture is enhanced with oatmeal and egg, creating a meatloaf-like texture and flavor as the perfect foundation. The tomato juice adds moisture and a subtle tanginess that complements the savory beef. Topping the meat mixture with frozen tater tots creates a crispy, golden crown that adds an excellent texture contrast. The cheddar cheese soup ties everything together, melting through the tater tots and into the meat mixture for a cohesive, delicious casserole. This recipe also scores high for versatility, allowing you to customize it with additional vegetables or different soups based on your family’s preferences while still maintaining that classic comfort food appeal that makes it a guaranteed hit at the dinner table.
Ingredients
For the Meat Mixture
- Ground beef – Provides hearty protein and savory base flavor
- Tomato juice – Adds moisture and subtle acidity
- Oatmeal – Creates meatloaf-like texture and stretches the beef
- Egg – Binds the meat mixture together
- Onion salt – Infuses savory onion flavor throughout
- Salt – Enhances all the flavors in the casserole
- Black pepper – Adds subtle spice and depth
For the Topping
- Cheddar cheese soup – Provides creamy cheese flavor throughout
- Frozen tater tots – Creates the crispy, golden crown
How to Make Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
Mix together tomato soup, oatmeal, egg, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl.
Add ground beef and combine.
Place mixture in a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish
Top with tater tots and cheese soup.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Serve and enjoy!
Variations – add your own personal touch!
It’s easy to add some veggies to this tater tot casserole with beef. Try green beans or corn. Or use a can of peas and carrots or mixed vegetables. You could also swap out the cheddar cheese soup with some nacho cheese soup for a little extra flair! Here are some ideas!
- 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped diced onion
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- Top with 2 or 3 slices of crumbled crispy bacon just before serving
- You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey if desired
- You can swap the cheddar cheese soup for mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup
Add toppings for fun!
Want to upgrade this family favorite hearty casserole? You can add a variety of toppings to the top of the tater tots. You could add:
- a dollop of sour cream
- a sprinkling of sliced green onions
What to serve with this easy one-dish meal
Want to serve up a great dinner? You can add a green salad and a vegetable like some green beans, or Brussels sprouts to make a complete meal.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Let the casserole cool completely, then cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezer Storage: This casserole freezes beautifully after baking. Cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil or place in airtight freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating From Refrigerated: For individual portions, microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. For the entire casserole, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until hot.
- Reheating From Frozen: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results, then reheat as above. Alternatively, bake from frozen at 350°F for 45-60 minutes until thoroughly heated.
- Maintaining Crispiness: When reheating, remove foil for the last 5-10 minutes of heating to help re-crisp the tater tots.
Cheesy Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole: Simple Comfort Food
Ingredients
- 1 cup Tomato Juice
- 3/4 cup Oatmeal
- 1 beaten Egg
- 1/4 teaspoon Onion Salt
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
- 28 ounces tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the first six ingredients and mix well in a large mixing bowl.
- Add ground beef and stir to combine mixture.
- Place the ground beef mixture into a 9" by 13" baking pan.
- Top with tater tots and Cheddar cheese soup. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Nutrition
Love meatloaf? Try these recipes
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- Simple Taco Casserole
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Take a look at more of my budget-friendly recipes and easy casseroles.
Okay, this is a MN staple and it’s called Tator Tot Hotdish. No tomato juice. No oatmeal. No onion salt. Maybe garlic salt.
Cheese is optional, as is corn in the Hotdish.
There is 4500-5000 mg. of sodium in this recipe without the salt & onion salt.
I think this should have some sauteed garlic and onion .plus omit tomato juice. For maybe a can of French onion soup or something maybe some catsup under tater tots
Linda your version sounds like a great recipe. I would like to give this one a try soon.
I added a little taco seasoning to the meat to give it more flavor and a layer of cheddar cheese under the tater tots and added a little milk to the soup before I poured it over in order to keep it moist and spread more evenly
This was ok….soup was hard to spread around the tater tots…meat didn’t have much flavor. Not sure I would make this again.
my kids would love this..gotta try it!And i may add some kind of veggie to the meat and there you go..