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Tater Tot Hotdish, also known as Tater Tot Casserole, is a classic comfort food recipe best known in Minnesota.

This Tater Tot Hotdish recipe is a combination of five ingredients you will most likely already have on hand – ground beef, onion, cream of mushroom soup, corn and tater tots.

Tater Tot Hot Dish on white plate
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Why this recipe works:

This is definitely one of our favorite go-to casserole recipes.

  • Super easy to make and one skillet to clean.
  • Only five ingredients: ground beef, onion, corn, cream of mushroom soup, tater tots.
  • Even the pickiest of eaters tend to love this casserole.
  • Tastes like pure comfort food. You can always lighten up the meal by serving it with a fresh green salad.

Here’s how to make it:

  1. Preheat the oven because you will be transferring the skillet from the stove to the oven.
  2. Brown the ground beef with the onion in the skillet until it starts to crumble (photo 1). Top with corn (photo 2) and the cream of mushroom soup (photo 3).
  3. Then, cover with tater tots (photo 4) band bake in the oven until everything is heated through and the tater tots are crisp.
step by step process photos of how to make Tater Tot Hotdish

Cooking tips:

  • My friend Julie who was born, raised, and still currently resides in Minnesota (she calls it “supper” instead of “dinner” and says “Ya”) insists that true Minnesota Tater Tot Hotdish is made with corn. Based on all the comments from my midwest readers, you can definitely change up the ingredients and still call it Hotdish.
  • Vegetable variations: Try swapping out the corn with your other favorite vegetables. Readers have recommended using mixed vegetables, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, etc. You can also increase the amount of vegetables in the recipe.
  • Crispy tots: When making a Tater Tot casserole, you definitely want the tater tots to be crispy. To do this, you can: ensure they are in a single layer, allow them to partially thaw before baking, or even pre-fry them before making the casserole.
  • Other add-ins: my Midwest readers have also recommended adding sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, cream of chicken along with the cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and additional shredded potato mixed into the ground beef. 
tater tots placed on top of casserole in large round pan

There is quite a lot of debate as to whether a Tater Tot Hotdish is a Tater Tot Casserole. Some people say they are one in the same and others argue they are completely different.

Either way, here are some other Tater Tot Casserole recipes that you might enjoy.

close up image of tater tot casserole with ground beef and corn

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Tater Tot Hotdish

Prep15 minutes
Cook55 minutes
Total1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Tater Tot Hotdish, also known as Tater Tot Casserole, is a classic comfort food recipe best known in Minnesota. This recipe is a combination of five ingredients you will most likely already have on hand – ground beef, onion, cream of mushroom soup, corn and tater tots.

Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 2 cups corn 14-ounce can, drained; or approximately 2-cups frozen or fresh corn
  • 22 ounces cream of mushroom soup I used 2-11oz containers of Trader Joe's Portabella Cream of Mushroom; if using condensed, you must follow directions to add the appropriate amount of liquid
  • 2 pounds tater tots
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Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Brown ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once meat is starting to brown and is crumbly, remove from heat. This should take about 10 minutes.
    Ground beef and onions for Tater Tot Hot Dish
  • Either transfer meat mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish or keep it in the skillet if it is 12″ diameter and oven safe. Top with corn. 
    ground beef and corn for Tater Tot Hot Dish
  • Next top with cream of mushroom soup.
    Cream of mushroom for Tater Tot Hot Dish
  • Finally, top with tater tots. You can just dump them on, but I like to make a pattern because I’m weird like that.
    Tater tots on top of Tater Tot Hot Dish recipe
  • Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until everything is heated through and tater tots are crisp on the outside.

Notes

  • Vegetable variations: Try swapping out the corn with your other favorite vegetables. Readers have recommended using mixed vegetables, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, etc. You can also increase the amount of vegetables in the recipe.
  • Crispy tots: When making a Tater Tot casserole, you definitely want the tater tots to be crispy. To do this, you can: ensure they are in a single layer, allow them to partially thaw before baking, or even pre-fry them before making the casserole.
  • Other add-ins: my Midwest readers have also recommended adding sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, cream of chicken along with the cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and additional shredded potato mixed into the ground beef. 

Nutrition

Calories: 467kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 53mg, Sodium: 700mg, Potassium: 631mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 12.7mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 2.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me a comment below

This recipe was originally created for Centsless Meals in April 2018 and has been updated with more cooking tips, helpful information, and photos. Don’t worry – I haven’t changed the recipe because it’s just too darn delicious!

Hi! I’m Krissy.

I love to create the BEST versions of your favorite recipes. If you love to cook, love to eat, or just have a deep appreciation for good food, you're in the right place! Stick around... I have hundreds of recipes for you to make.

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25 Comments

  1. I make different kinds of this dish I make it with caned chicken and cream of chicken soup, I make the hamburger one also and a breakfast dish but all my dishes has cheese in them and I make sides of rice with the chicken and hamburger dish. Very cheap and filling dish.

  2. 5 stars
    Yesss! (Or Yasss! Lol 😉
    “This” is exactly how Tatertot Hotdish is supposed to be made!
    No green beans, shredded cheese or Cream of Chicken anything.
    What are other Tater Tot Hotdish posters thinking?!

    Then again I was born and raised in Minnesota … this is truly the Upper Midwest version!

    And yes, it’s Breakfast, Lunch & “Supper” in these parts. ;D

    Thank You for Posting!

  3. Tater tot casserole
    1lb hamburger
    1small onion chopped
    Salt and pepper to taste
    Briwn inion and hamburger together
    Mix in 1 family size can vegetable beef soup plus one small can vegetable beef soup, 1 12oz can tomato juice. Put into a 13×9 pan. Top with tater tots. Bake until tater tots are golden brown in oven at 350 degrees.
    This is how my mother ( God bless her) always made taters tot casserole.