Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole

Instant pot tater tot casserole is a comforting side or breakfast that is a hearty crowd favourite casserole that can feed a crowd. So kick off Christmas morning or supper with this yummy casserole to satisfy everyone’s cravings. This is one of my favourite instant pot recipes! I never thought I would be a fan of tater tot recipes, but I am hooked!

Instant Pot tater tot casserole
Tater tot breakfast casserole
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What are tater tots?

Tater is short for potato

Tater tots are grated Potatoes made into small cylinders and then deep-fried they are often served as a side dish.

Tater tots were invented in 1953 when American frozen food company Ore-Ida founders F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up potatoes. They chopped up the slivers, added flour and seasoning, then pushed the mash through holes and sliced off pieces of the extruded mixture. Thus, Tater Tots came to be. The product was first offered commercially in stores in 1956.

Originally, the product was very inexpensive; people did not buy it at first because there was no perceived value. When the price was raised, people began buying it. Today, Americans consume approximately 70,000,000 pounds (32,000,000 kg) of Tater Tots, or 3,710,000,000 Tots per year!

How do I make Instant Pot tater tot casserole?

First, grab all the ingredients that you will need.

  • 2 lb or so of lean ground beef
  • 1 onion
  • 1 clove of garlic (or garlic powder to taste)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1-2 cups of chicken broth
  • 2 cans of mushroom soup
  • 1-2 cups of frozen beans chopped or whole (Frozen Veggies or fresh )
  • 1 can of corn (drained corn)
  • 2 cups or a little more grated cheddar cheese (I always just eyeball it)
  • 1 bag of frozen tater tots

Saute Mode on Instant Pot

First, select the Saute Mode on your instant pot and then wait until the digital time reads hot next you can add your ground beef to brown as well as add onion and garlic, salt and pepper. Next, add to your ground beef mixture your chicken broth. Feel free to use beef broth if that’s what you have I just always seem to have chicken or vegetable broth on hand.

Sauté mode in instant pot
Press the Saute function
Beef cooking in instant pot
Beef cooking in Instant Pot

The next steps to this recipe are so easy it’s just about the layering of the food now. mushroom soup, green beans, Cheddar cheese, and the tater tots.

Mushroom soup

Campbell's Mushroom soup

I love to use mushroom soup in a lot of my recipes because it is so quick and easy when you are on the go with the kiddos 24/7 and it tastes yummy as well! Bonus! I use Campbell’s Mushroom soup. Another option is to make a tater tot casserole with cream of chicken soup. There are so many tater tot casserole variations just use your imagination! You could also make this cheesy tater tot casserole with sour cream by adding the sour cream to the mushroom soup.

So the first layer on top of your beef mixture will be your mushroom soup just spread the soup out evenly to cover the beef.

Mushroom soup in instant pot
Mushroom Soup on top of beef in Instant Pot

The second layer will be the green beans you can use fresh or frozen. I used frozen because the fresh this time of the year where I live is not so fresh. You can also add a can of corn or even diced green onions at this point I did not because someone in my family dislikes it but the recipe is just as good without the corn in my opinion.

Green Beans in Instant Pot
Second layer green beans in Instant Pot
Shredded cheddar cheese In instant pot

The third layer is your shredded cheese the recipe calls for 2 cups but ya know if you want to add a little more no one is looking… lol You could also use white cheddar. old, medium or old that’s totally your preference. So if you have remaining cheese, add it in! You could also make this cheesy tater tot casserole with sour creaby adding to

Frozen Tater Tots

The third step is to add your frozen tater tots. I used McCains I got these at my local grocery store. Tator tots if you don’t already know are small cylinders of grated potatoes deep-fried. If you would like crispy tater tots then cook the tater tots in the oven before putting them into the instant pot.

Tater Tots

Cover the grated cheese and then add tater tots and the tater tot breakfast casserole is on its way!

Tater Tots in the Instant Pot

Cover Instant Pot with your lid to your instant pot and make sure it is set to seal then press the pressure on and set for 20 minutes. When it is finished immediately release the seal and serve! Careful because this can be a very hot dish.

Set the Instant Pot to seal

Press the pressure cooker button on for 20 minutes

When 20 minutes is up press cancel and release the pressure by turning the pivot to the venting position.

This tater tot breakfast casserole is such an easy recipe to whip up for a crowd on Christmas morning or even as a side for dinner.

You can also make this recipe in a casserole dish if you prefer and do it in the oven if you do not have an Instant Pot. Just preheat the oven to 350 F and brown beef and onions with garlic before putting in the (heat proof baking dish)casserole dish then add your broth and layer accordingly then once the oven is preheated bake for 20 minutes or less depending on your oven.

Tater tot breakfast casserole
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

Well, what are you waiting for, sit down and enjoy this probably not so healthy but great tasting meal! Enjoy your tater tots!

Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole

Recipe by Raegen BrettCourse: Sides, Breakfast, Brunch, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Calories

300

kcal

Instant pot tater tot casserole is a comforting side or breakfast that is a hearty crowd favourite casserole that can feed the whole clan. This is one of my favourite instant pot recipes!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of lean ground beef

  • 1 sweet onion chopped or you can use diced green onions

  • 1 clove garlic chopped ( or 1 tsp of garlic powder )

  • salt to taste

  • Pepper to taste

  • 1-2 cups of Chicken Broth

  • 2 – 284 ml cans of mushroom soup

  • 1-2 cups of frozen green beans

  • 1 can of corn (drained corn)

  • 2 cups or more of grated cheddar cheese

  • 1- 800 gr bag of frozen tater tots

Directions

  • First, select the Saute Mode on your instant pot and then wait until the digital time reads hot next you can add your ground beef to brown as well as add onion and garlic, salt and pepper. Next, add to your ground beef mixture your chicken broth.
  • Turn off the pressure cooker once the beef mixture is cooked.
  • Next, spread the mushroom soup evenly on top of the beef mixture.
  • The next layer will be your green beans and corn
  • Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over beans and corn
  • Finally, add your bag of tater tots on the top and move them around so they are evenly covering the cheese layer.
  • Cover Instant Pot with your lid to your instant pot and make sure it is set to seal then press the pressure button on and set for 20 minutes.
  • When 20 minutes is up press cancel and immediately release the pressure by turning the pivot to the venting position
  • Ready to Serve!

Notes

  • If you wish for crisper tater tots then crip them in the oven prior to putting them into an instant pot.
  • You can also make this recipe in a casserole dish if you prefer and do it in the oven if you do not have an Instant Pot. Just preheat the oven to 350 F and brown beef and onions with garlic before putting in the (heat proof baking dish)casserole dish then add your broth and layer accordingly then once the oven is preheated bake for 20 minutes or less depending on your oven.
  • Try making this recipe in your instant pot, Mexican tater tot casserole just change the cheese to pre-shredded Mexican and add a little salsa to spice things up!