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    Ingredients » Recipes » Beef

    Lighter Tater Tot Casserole

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure for more information. Published: Sep 24, 2020 · Modified: Feb 25, 2021 by Dee

    A Lighter Tater Tot Casserole with ground beef, sour cream, mixed vegetables and without cream of soup is an easy cheesy one dish dinner. You'll love this delicious hot comfort food! via @meamel

    A Lighter Tater Tot Casserole with ground beef, sour cream, mixed vegetables and without cream of soup is an easy cheesy one dish dinner. You'll love this delicious hot comfort food!

    Jump to Recipe -
    tater tot casserole in a glass baking dish on the table

    Tater tot casserole is a classic hot dish dinner that just about everyone loves, right? As much as I hate to mess with a classic easy recipe, I usually make a lighter, slightly healthier version without canned soup.

    My version of this ground beef casserole recipe is just as easy, and best of all, it's still delicious. My picker eaters love it, and that's definitely a good sign!

    If you want to use your favorite cream of mushroom or celery soup, you can just mix it in along with the sour cream or instead of the sour cream before baking.

    How to Make Tater Tot Casserole with Sour Cream

    I used to make the casserole with cream cheese. But, I think sour cream blends better, so that's what I use now.

    First, brown your ground beef, and season it well. I use lean ground beef, so I usually don't have to drain off any grease. If your hamburger meat isn't lean, drain it, then add the seasonings.

    Next, you'll add some low sodium beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and sour cream. Then, pour the meat mixture into a greased casserole dish, and top with plenty of grated cheese.

    cooked hamburger meat and shredded cheese in a baking dish

    Then, add a layer of frozen veggies. I used a 10 ounce bag, which is slightly more than 2 cups. Next, add enough tater tots to cover the cheese.

    We had a big ol' bag of frozen tater tots, so I didn't count them. But, you get the idea.

    If you have time, line the tots up nice and straight. When I'm in a hurry, I don't always make sure they're in neat rows, but it looks a little neater this way.

    frozen tater tots over ground beef and vegetables in a baking dish

    Finally, add some more shredded cheese over the tater tots, and pop the dish into a preheated oven. That's all there is to it!

    I like to broil the casserole for a little bit at the end to give more crunch and color to the tater tots. It's not necessary though. You can also add more cheese over the top if you want!

    baked tater tot casserole on the table

    Freeze for Later

    If you want to freeze the tater tot casserole for later, assemble the casserole, but don't bake. Make sure the casserole dish you use is freezer safe. The disposable ones work great here.

    Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and foil, just foil, or the lid if your container has one, and pop it into the freezer. When you're ready to eat, uncover the dish, and bake. Make sure your dish can go from freezer to oven.

    baked tater tot hot dish with square missing

    Post first published in 2015 and updated September, 2020

    Recipe

    tater tot casserole in a glass baking dish on the table

    Lighter Tater Tot Casserole

    Published by Dee
    A Lighter Tater Tot Casserole with ground beef, sour cream, mixed vegetables and without cream of soup is an easy cheesy one dish dinner. You'll love this delicious hot comfort food!
    5 from 8 votes
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    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 381 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
    • 2 tablespoons dried minced onions
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ½ cup low sodium beef broth
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
    • 3 cups grated Colby Jack Cheese or cheddar divided
    • 16 ounces frozen tater tots or enough to cover the dish

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
    • Cook ground beef in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat until no longer pink, and season with sea salt, garlic powder and pepper, as it cooks. If not using lean beef, drain the fat, then season the meat.
    • Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, and cook until bubbling.
    • Remove from heat, stir in the sour cream, and transfer to a greased baking dish
    • Top with 2 cups of cheese, then layer frozen mixed vegetables, and top with tater tots and remaining cheese
    • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until heated throughout and bubbly. Broil for 5 minutes at the end, if desired, and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving

    Notes

    Use ground turkey for an even lighter casserole.
    If you want to add cream of mushroom or celery soup, add that in addition or in place of the sour cream.

    Nutrition information is estimated. Please do your own calculation to fit special diets.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 27gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 765mgPotassium: 548mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2314IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe? Please comment and rate it! Show me your dish on Instagram!Mention @meatloafandmelodrama or tag #meatloafandmelodrama!

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kerri says

      March 02, 2022 at 3:33 pm

      I saw this lighter version of tater tot casserole and just had to make it. I used ground turkey, and for the frozen veggies I used cauliflower rice. It turned out AHHMAZING!
      Hubby requested seconds, and asked of it could be in our weekly rotation!
      Thank you for sharing your recipe.😁5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        March 03, 2022 at 11:31 am

        So glad you liked the recipe. Thanks, Kerri!

    2. Cathy says

      September 29, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      I'm all about this lightened up version!

      Reply
    3. Kevin says

      September 28, 2020 at 8:53 am

      Great way to enjoy big flavors but on the lighter side! So glad I found this!5 stars

      Reply
    4. Beth says

      September 28, 2020 at 7:05 am

      Yummy! This looks so delicious and easy! I can't wait to make this for dinner tonight!5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        October 03, 2020 at 9:27 pm

        Thanks so much, Beth. I hope you like it!

    5. Toni Dash says

      September 28, 2020 at 6:38 am

      This is such an amazing comfort food! My family really loved it.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 28, 2020 at 8:57 pm

        So happy to hear this, Toni. Thank you!

    6. Beti says

      September 27, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      I can't wait to try this! It looks SO delicious!!5 stars

      Reply
    7. katerina says

      September 27, 2020 at 12:34 pm

      Oh my, this looks incredibly delicious!! My family would LOVE this!5 stars

      Reply
    8. Erin says

      September 25, 2020 at 6:38 pm

      This Tater Tot Casserole looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!5 stars

      Reply
    9. Kim says

      September 25, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      Yum! I am printing this and filing under COMFORT FOOD! Thanks for the recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Dee says

        September 26, 2020 at 2:18 pm

        Thank you so much, Kim! It's definitely comfort food. 🙂

    10. Miz Helen says

      October 12, 2015 at 12:13 am

      We will just love your Tater Tot Casserole, it looks awesome. Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    11. Dee M says

      October 09, 2015 at 7:32 am

      Thanks for the invite -- will try to stop by later. )

      Reply
    12. Dee M says

      October 09, 2015 at 7:31 am

      Thanks! My family just loved it. 🙂

      Reply
    13. DIY Crush Blog says

      October 09, 2015 at 7:26 am

      This sounds absolutely delicious! We love tatertots and I'll give this a go very soon!
      I would like to invite you to my DIY Crush Craft Party which starts at 7pm EST. and is new every Thursday. I'll pin every post!! 😉

      Reply
    14. Heart says

      October 06, 2015 at 11:43 pm

      Wow! This is just so good! Now I'm hungry!

      Reply

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    I’m the blogger, chief cook, recipe developer and photographer behind Meatloaf and Melodrama. I absolutely love to create easy, budget-friendly, homemade meals and treats for my family. I also love to think of new ways to repurpose leftovers so that my family will actually eat them!

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