Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Tater Tot casserole soggy? ›

Why is my tater tot casserole soggy? If your casserole is soggy, it's likely either because there was too much moisture or it has not baked long enough. Be sure to sauté the onions thoroughly, and bake until the filling is bubbly.

All hotdishes are casseroles, but not all casseroles are hotdishes. But the main difference between hotdish and other casseroles is where you make it. What someone in Minnesota or North Dakota would call hotdish, a person in Indiana would simply know as tater tot casserole.

Brush/mist each tot with olive oil, be generous. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, slide a spatula underneath the tots, then flip and bake 10 more minutes. Flip once to the uncooked side, bake 10-12 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.

To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.

So, did John Wayne himself invent his eponymous casserole? Not exactly. The actor did submit the recipe himself, but the original dish detailed in Connery's cookbook described a more understated egg and cheese casserole than the dish folks enjoy today.

Tater Tots History and Popularity

Another story is that a contest took place, and a housewife made the name using tater (slang for potato) and tot (slang for baby), effectively naming the new food potato baby.

TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal.

This tater tot casserole is a family favorite Midwest comfort food that's layered with tender veggies and ground beef in a creamy gravy topped with melted cheese and tater tots.

Do you need to thaw the tater tots first? Tater tots are so easy to bake and you don't need to thaw them before baking!

Why aren't my tater tots getting crispy? ›

You want them crispy, tater tots need to be cooked at a high temperature for this to happen. 375-400F is great, I find 375F the sweet spot to get them crispy but to also cook the inside before the outside burns.

Avoid stirring too much when frying. Try frying raw potatoes in enough oil (I usually pour ~0.3 cm of oil for a full pan of potatoes) on medium-high or high heat WITHOUT the lid and WITHOUT salt/pepper. Stir them not often (but don't let them burn, indeed) till they are crispy enough on all sides.

Frozen hash browns will leak moisture during cooking, which could leave a soggy, sad mess behind. For the best results, let the frozen hash browns thaw overnight in the fridge, then thoroughly pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible before cooking them to crispy.

For extra crispy tater tots, you can lightly spray them with cooking spray or drizzle some oil over them before baking. If you're short on time, you can increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.

Why is my casserole runny? Raw potatoes, peppers and onions will release their moisture into the casserole as it bakes, making the casserole runny. This why it's important to remove excess moisture before these ingredients are added to the egg mixture.