Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Brown the beef. Heat the oven to 375°F (200°C). Brown the ground beef with the onion in a skillet over medium-high heat, 6-7 minutes. Drain the fat.
- Mix the filling. In a large bowl, stir together the beef mixture, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, mixed vegetables, 1 cup of the cheddar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble. Spread the filling in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange the tater tots in a single neat layer over the top.
- Bake until golden. Bake 35-40 minutes until the tots are deep golden and crispy and the filling bubbles at the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheddar and bake 5 more minutes. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
🥔 Tot tactics
A single, non-overlapping layer of tots is the crispiness secret — overlapping tots steam instead of crunch. No thawing needed; they go on frozen. Swap the cream of mushroom for cream of chicken or cheddar soup to change it up.
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📌 Pin it for later❓ Common questions
Do I thaw the tater tots first?
No — arrange them frozen. They crisp up perfectly in the oven.
Can I make it ahead?
Assemble up to 24 hours ahead (without baking) and refrigerate; add 5-10 minutes to the bake time.
Can I use ground turkey?
Yes — ground turkey or chicken work great for a lighter version.