Tater tot casserole with green beans is the ultimate comfort food mash-up! It’s warm, hearty, and packed with flavor thanks to crispy tots, creamy sauce, and tender green beans. This easy weeknight recipe is a family favorite—simple to make, delicious to eat, and always a hit at the dinner table. If you’re craving something satisfying that comes together in one dish, this is it!
Green bean tater tot casserole is a comforting dish that’s as easy to customize as it is to prepare. You can make it ahead for busy weeknights or bring it to potlucks and gatherings—it reheats beautifully and disappears fast. With a savory beef and veggie base, it’s a cozy classic that always hits the spot.
For an extra indulgent twist, try transforming it into a loaded tater tot casserole. Mix in crispy bacon bits or layer on jalapeños and a drizzle of ranch after baking. You can even pair it with something creamy like white cheddar cheese mac and cheese to round out a comfort food-style meal everyone will love.
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Why We Love This Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole
- It has green beans!
Instead of making crispy potatoes the star of the dish, this version turns some of the focus to fresh green beans. This isn’t the classic green bean side dish you may be used to enjoying on holidays, though. In fact, it’s not a side dish at all! - Full meal in one dish.
Our hamburger hotdish is a full meal, with beef, green beans and potatoes in a creamy sauce! - Kids will love this!
The best part is, even though it has green veggies, this tater tot casserole with green beans is one that kids love just as much as adults!
Do you LOVE tater tots?
Buy an extra bag or two, then make delicious tater tots appetizer cups or totchos loaded tater tots to serve before the meal.
We also have tater tot casserole recipes with different proteins. You can make them with chicken and tater tot casserole, turkey, or chili in them!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Lean hamburger: We recommend using 85% lean ground beef. If you need to use a blend with more fat, keep in mind that there will be a lot of grease to drain from the pan.
- Green beans: Almost any green bean casserole recipe (including this one) can be made with fresh, frozen, or canned green beans.
*For canned beans, we recommend draining the liquid through a colander, then rinse the veg with tap water to remove the metallic taste. - Aromatics: We include fresh onion and garlic to brighten the flavors of the green beans and potatoes. If necessary, dried onion powder and/or garlic powder are fine, too.
- Condensed mushroom soup: If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, cream of chicken and cream of celery are both good substitutes.
- Cheddar cheese: freshly shredded or grated cheese is best. For a little kick, use shredded pepper jack in place of cheddar, or a combination of both!
Recipe Variations
- Classic pantry casserole: Swap the fresh or frozen green beans for a mix of canned vegetables like peas, carrots, and corn. This pantry-friendly version is perfect for those days when you’re pulling dinner together with what you have on hand.
- Creamier hot dish version: Add an extra can of cream of mushroom soup for a richer, more comforting hot dish. A splash of Worcestershire sauce in the ground beef mixture gives it a savory boost that deepens the flavor.
- Ground turkey twist: Lighten things up a bit by replacing the ground beef with ground turkey. It’s just as satisfying and works beautifully with the other flavors, especially when paired with sharp cheddar or even a touch of butter for richness.
- Loaded veggie bake: Double up on the vegetables for a hearty meatless option or to stretch the casserole further. Add sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini for extra color and nutrition—great for cleaning out the fridge!
Equipement Used in this Recipe
- Cast iron skillet, other oven-safe skillet, or Non-stick large skillet
- 2-quart casserole dish
How to Make Loaded Tater Tot Casserole
This tater tot casserole with green beans takes just a few minutes to assemble. If you aren’t making it ahead, the dinner is ready to serve in just over 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 425ºF so it’s ready by the time you finish prepping the casserole.
- Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and green beans. Continue cooking until the onions become translucent. Drain off any excess grease from the pan.
Fresh green beans work best. Using frozen veggies is convenient; we use them when we make soup recipes. However, not for a green bean casserole. As they thaw, the frozen green beans and potatoes can become soggy.
- Mix in the soup. Stir in the can of cream of mushroom soup with the ground beef mixture until everything is fully combined. If your skillet is oven-safe, you can continue using it; otherwise, transfer the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Add the cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar (or try white cheddar cheese mac and cheese for a fun twist) evenly over the top of the beef and vegetable filling.
- Top with tots. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer across the top of the casserole. Make sure they’re evenly spaced so they cook up crispy and golden.
- Bake. Place the casserole uncovered in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tater tots are nicely browned and the edges of the casserole are bubbling.
- Cover the dish to prevent burning, if necessary.
After 15 minutes of baking in the oven, take a look at the top of the tater tot casserole. If the potatoes are looking too golden for your liking, lightly cover the skillet or baking dish with aluminum foil. - Cool and serve. Let the dish cool for about 5 minutes before serving. Add garnishes like sour cream, chopped parsley, or green onions if you’d like a little extra color and flavor.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
If you are making ahead to freeze, assemble the loaded tater tot casserole in a foil pan. This way, the casserole can go straight from the freezer to the oven!
Serving Suggestions
Because the green bean tater tot casserole already has beef, green beans, and potatoes, it’s a complete meal as-is. But homemade biscuits or old fashioned potato rolls recipe are the perfect addition to this comfort food dinner!
Garnish the top with sour cream, sliced green onions, or some fresh parsley. For an even heartier meal, add chopped bacon, too.
Recipe FAQs
Once baked, the casserole will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before covering the dish with a lid or foil.
Yes! As written, this recipe will serve 6 people. For fewer servings, simply halve the ingredients and bake in an 8×8-inch casserole dish. If you double the recipe, use two 9×13-inch baking pans.
You can prep this tater tot hamburger hotdish ahead by assembling it but not baking. Cover with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, place the uncovered dish in a 375°F oven and cook for 45 minutes, checking after 30. If the top browns too quickly, lightly tent with foil. Great for busy nights, meal trains, or gatherings!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, simply pop a serving in the microwave until warmed through. To turn it into a convenient freezer meal, let the casserole cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Love Easy Casserole Dinners For Busy Nights? Here’s More…
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Tater Tot Casserole with Green Beans
Equipment
- cast iron skillet - or other oven-safe skillet, non-stick skillet
- 2-quart casserole dish
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 85/15 is recommended
- 2 cups green beans fresh or frozen, cut in 1" pieces. *See Notes
- 1 cup diced onion (1 small onion)
- 2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 10 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup *See Notes
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese freshly shredded is recommended
- 2 cups frozen tater tots 16 ounces, or half of a 32-ounce bag
- ½ teaspoon salt or more/less, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper or more/less, to taste
Optional Garnishes
- sour cream
- chopped green onion
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Brown ground beef in a 10-12" skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, chopped onion, and garlic to skillet and saute until onions turn translucent. Drain fat from pan.
- Add condensed soup to ground beef and vegetable mixture, and stir to combine. If your skillet is oven-safe, continue on to the next step. Otherwise, add the mixture to a 2-quart casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over the green bean casserole, then add an even layer of tater tots over the top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until the tater tots are crispy and golden brown, and the edges of the casserole are bubbly. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, sliced green onion, or parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Green Beans – Substitute with one 14-ounce can green beans, drained.
- Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup – Substitute with a different condensed cream soup like chicken, celery, or potato.
- How far ahead can I make green bean casserole with tater tots?
- Once baked, the casserole will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it cool completely before covering the dish with a lid or foil.
- Can I double or halve this hamburger hotdish recipe?
- Yes! As written, this recipe will serve 6 people. For fewer servings, simply halve the ingredients and bake in an 8×8-inch casserole dish. If you double the recipe, use two 9×13-inch baking pans.
- Classic Pantry Casserole: Swap the fresh or frozen green beans for a mix of canned vegetables like peas, carrots, and corn. This pantry-friendly version is perfect for those days when you’re pulling dinner together with what you have on hand.
- Creamier Hot Dish Version: Add an extra can of cream of mushroom soup for a richer, more comforting hot dish. A splash of Worcestershire sauce in the ground beef mixture gives it a savory boost that deepens the flavor.
- Ground Turkey Twist: Lighten things up a bit by replacing the ground beef with ground turkey. It’s just as satisfying and works beautifully with the other flavors, especially when paired with sharp cheddar or even a touch of butter for richness.
- Loaded Veggie Bake: Double up on the vegetables for a hearty meatless option or to stretch the casserole further. Add sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini for extra color and nutrition—great for cleaning out the fridge!
- Follow steps 1-3 of recipe card instructions, then cover and refrigerate casserole for up to 3 days.
- When ready to serve, bake at 375º F for 35-40 minutes, until the tater tots are golden brown and the edges of the casserole are bubbly.
- Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, sliced green onion, or parsley, if desired.
- The potato and green bean hotdish don’t take too long to bake for dinner tonight. Or, you can make it ahead for easier meal prep on a busy night. If you need to serve a larger crowd, you can even prep two pans at the same time.
- That way you can enjoy one casserole hot for dinner that night, and freeze the second to have ready for meal trains, holidays, family gatherings, potlucks, or any time you need a dish to share.
- Simply put together the tater tot hamburger hotdish per the recipe but do not bake. Cover with a layer of aluminum foil (double wrap with foil if freezing). Then either keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before baking and serving or freeze for up to 3 months.
- There’s no need to defrost the dish before baking! Preheat the oven to 375° F. and place the uncovered foil pan in the oven.
- If cooking from frozen, add 15 minutes to the regular cook time, for a total of 45 minutes. Check on it after 30 minutes; if the top is browning too quickly, lightly tent the baking dish with foil.
Nutrition
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Lauren says
I loved that this is a like a green bean casserole but for a whole meal! I also preferred the tater tots on top too! My family loved this!
Chenee says
This was absolutely delicious! The kids asked for seconds!
Ashley says
This was perfect for brunch. Easy to assemble and tasted great. I will definitely make it again.