The Budget Tater Tot Casserole Recipe Everyone Is Making (6 Ingredients) by Donna John

A cookbook from my now-grown kids' elementary school has been sitting on my shelf since 2001. Why it took me so long to start making the recipes in the cookbook is a mystery. So far I've made creamy creole green bean casserole, refrigerator mashed potatoes and this delicious tater tot casserole recipe.

Photo credit (all photos): Donna John

This budget high-protein tater tot casserole recipe originally was a five-ingredient recipe. Yep, I made a few changes to the original recipe. Let's start with the simple budget-friendly shopping list: ground beef, onion, cream of mushroom soup, milk, cheese and a bag of frozen tater tots. Onion was not in the original recipe, but it's hard for me to brown ground beef and not throw in some chopped onion. I also used shredded cheese instead of slices as the original called for. Another change was I used evaporated milk instead of regular milk. I used 1 pound of ground beef, but my husband wants more meat next time, so I'll up it to 1 1/2 pounds. 

The ground beef and onion are browned in a skillet until the meat is cooked through. Pour the meat onto the bottom of a 13x9-inch  casserole dish. Top the meat with most of the cheese (save a little for the top), the soup and milk stirred together and then the frozen tater tots (line 'em up pretty!). Bake until hot and bubbly and crispy on top, the sprinkle with the remaining cheese and let it melt. Dinner is done.

Serve this easy ground beef tater tot casserole with a fresh garden salad or vegetable on the side. Be sure to read about the health benefits of protein in our diets. 

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 10 ounces (1 can) cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 soup can of evaporated milk or regular milk
• 2 cups shredded cheese (divided)
• 32 ounces (1 bag) frozen tater tots

Here's how to make it: 

1. Brown the ground beef and onion together in a skillet until meat is cooked through and onion is soft.
   
2. Put the meat onto the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish.
   
3. Layer about 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese over the meat. (I used a combination of cheddar, mozzarella and gruyere, which upped the cheese factor.)
   
4. Put the soup into a small bowl. Fill the empty soup can 3/4 full with milk (stir it around to get all the remaining soup out). Pour the mixture over the cheese. (I used evaporated milk for this recipe. My husband and I don't drink milk, so cans of evaporated milk are a staple in my pantry.)
   
5. Place the frozen tater tots over the top. Season with black pepper and a little salt.
   
6. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 45 minutes, adding the remaining cheese during the last couple minutes of cooking time to melt.
   
7. Garnish with chopped green onions and/or chopped fresh chives, if desired.
   
8. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
   

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