Home » Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole With Sour Cream

Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole With Sour Cream

Name: Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole With Sour Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter; 1/3 cup white onion - chopped; 1.5 pounds ground beef; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce; 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup - 10.5 ounces; 2.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon salt; Non-stick cooking spray; 24 ounces frozen tater tots (or enough to cover the top of the dish); 1/3 cup cooked crumbled bacon (about 5 slices)

Laura

August 30, 2025

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White plate with tater tot casserole and cooked spinach

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Tater tot casserole is a comforting delicious dish that is a combination of savory ground beef and a creamy, cheesy filling, topped off with crispy tater tots, melted cheese, and bacon bits.

There is a light tan plate with a serving of a casserole made of ground beef, cream soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, tater tots, and crumbled bacon on the top of the casserole. There are four stalks of roasted asparagus on the plate as well. The plate is on a light gray surface.

It’s one of those easy dinner recipes that can be thrown together in a short amount of time and everyone loves it!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 to 10
Prep Level: Beginner +

What You’ll Love

Simplicity: This easy casserole recipe has basic ingredients and instructions. It’s perfect for busy weeknights or beginner cooks.
Cheesy Goodness: The melted cheese adds richness and yummy flavor.
Creamy Texture: The mixture of sour cream and condensed milk, give this dish a delicious texture.
Crowd-pleaser: Whether it’s for a family dinner or a potluck, this casserole is a hit with both kids and adults alike.
Leftover-friendly: The casserole reheats well, so you can enjoy any leftovers for a few days.

Ingredient Notes

There are eight white bowls of various sizes. The largest bowl has tater tots in them. There is a medium size bowl with raw ground beef in it. There are four smaller bowls. One has shredded cheddar cheese in it, one has milk, one has sour cream, and the forth has condensed cream of chicken soup it it. There is also a small bowl with cooked crumbled bacon. There is a whole white onion, a white ramekin with a pad of butter it it. There are four clear ramekins. One has Worcestershire sauce, one has garlic powder, one has ground black pepper and the last one has salt in it. All items are on a light gray surface.

Tater tots: These bite size cylinders of shredded, deep fried potatoes create a crispy golden brown topping. You can use your favorite brand that is found in the frozen food section of your local grocery store.
Ground meat:The most popular choice for this classic tater tot casserole usually is ground beef but you can substitute ground chicken or ground turkey.
Bacon: You can use either strips of cooked bacon chopped or store-bought pre-cooked bacon bits.
Creamy sauce:A variety of condensed soups can be used in this delicious recipe. Cream of chicken is a favorite although cream of celery and cream of mushroom soup are often used. If you really want the casserole to be extra cheesy, try using cheese soup!
Shredded cheese: Cheddar cheese is most commonly used but feel free to mix in other cheese varieties like Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or Swiss for a some extra flavor.
Milk: Whole milk is my preference for creaminess. Low fat 2% is fine, but I wouldn’t go below that.
Sour cream: This also helps with the creaminess and adds a little flavor and tang.
Worcestershire sauce: This just gives it a little extra zing, which I love in ground beef! It’s optional, but it really adds a lot of flavor to it.
Chopped onion: I use white onion but you could also use yellow onion.
Garlic powder: Garlic salt can be used. If you do use it, omit adding additional salt.

There is a white plate serving of a casserole made of ground beef, cream soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, tater tots, and crumbled bacon on the top of the casserole. There is a serving of sauteed spinach on the plate as well. The plate is on a light wood surface.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Diced onions cooking in a skillet with a wooden spatula.

Crumbled cooked ground beef in a skillet with onions

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook chopped onion. Add the ground beef and cook until done.
Add Worcestershire sauce to the cooked ground beef and simmer for a couple minutes.

Shredded cheddar cheese, soup, milk, salt, and black pepper in a white mixing bowl.

Crumbled cooked beef in a skillet with onions and a bowl with a sauce mixture in it.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, soup, most of the shredded cheese, and dry seasonings together.
Drain the excess grease and add the ground beef mixture.

Cooked crumbled ground beef mixture with onions and sauce in a white bowl.

Unbaked creamy casserole mixture in glass baking dish.

Throughly blend cooked beef into the sauce mixture.
Pour mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Unbaked tater tots on top of a casserole in a glass baking dish.

Unbaked casserole with shredded cheese and crispy bacon on top in glass dish

Arrange tater tots in a single layer on top of the casserole and bake uncovered.
Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar and bacon bits over the crispy tater tots.
Bake until the cheese is bubbly.

There is a large rectangular clear pan with a baked creamy ground beef mixture covered with light brown tater tots, shedded cheddar cheese. There is crumbled bacon sprinkled over the top. Baking dish on on a light gray surface.

See the recipe card below for complete measurements and cooking times.

Laura Belle’s Tips

Save time on a busy weeknight – Use pre-chopped onions and cooked bacon that you find at a grocery store.
To avoid a soggy casserole – There could be a few reasons your casserole is soggy. Often, the main reason is excess moisture due to: not cooking the onions fully, too much ice on the frozen tater tots, or not cooking the casserole long enough.

Storage

To store, cover the baking dish with aluminum or place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days.

Variations Of Creamy Tater Tot Casserole

Vegetarian alternatives – Replace the ground beef with chopped tofu, black beans or a medley of sauteed vegetables like bell peppers, corn, and mushrooms.
Mexican Tater Tot Casserole – Switch up the dish by adding Tex Mex flavors of cumin, green chiles, and a Mexican blend cheese.
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole – Transform this casserole dish into a morning meal by adding eggs and using breakfast sausage or ham.

Reheating

To reheat the casserole, let it come to room temperature. Place in a 350° degrees preheated oven. Warm the tater tot casserole for 20 to 30 minutes.

You can also heat any leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes per serving. Note that if you use the microwave, the tater tots won’t be crispy.

More Must Try Casseroles

Easy Zucchini Casserole With Stuffing Mix
Easy Company Chicken Casserole With Wine Sauce
Easy Cheesy Texas Potatoes Casserole– A great breakfast casserole!
Easy Hatch Green Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe
Corn Casserole With Green Chilies And Cream Cheese
Spicy Mexican Chicken Casserole With Black Beans – Great for taco night!

Yield: 10 servings