Crock Pot Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole

Name: Crock Pot Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 315 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef; 1 small onion, diced; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 2 (1 ounce) packets mild chili seasoning ((can use no or low sodium)); 2 cloves garlic, minced; 10.5 ounces can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained ((like Rotel)); 15 ounces tomato sauce; 28 ounces frozen tater tots ((no need to thaw first)); 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ((divided use)); sliced green onions ((for garnish, optional))

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Delicious Crock Pot Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole is an easy and flavorful dinner that’s loaded with beef, cheese, and crispy tater tots.

A Filing and Hearty Dinner Recipe

I don’t care how old I get, I love tater tots! This Crock Pot Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole is an easy, family-friendly dinner that comes together with very little prep. If you know me, you know I love this kind of meal! It really is a whole meal in one or you can serve it with some steamed veggies or a salad to round it out.

Looking down into a Slow Cooker where a utensil is getting some Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why are the tots not cooking evenly?

It’s all about how they’re laid in the Crock Pot to cook. Layer tots as evenly as possible so they cook consistently. You don’t want them overlapping each other (if possible.)

Can I cut this recipe in half?

Absolutely. This recipe can easily be halved and cooked in a 4-quart slow cooker. The cooking time should stay fairly close to the original recipe, but start checking a little earlier.

Can I make this in the oven instead?

Yep! Prepare the beef mixture on the stovetop, then spread it into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Top with the tater tots and bake at 375°F for about 40-45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle the cheese on during the last 10 minutes of baking.

How do I keep the tater tots from getting soggy?

Placing a layer of paper towels underneath the slow cooker lid helps absorb excess moisture while the casserole cooks. Also, avoid lifting the lid too often during cooking.

What else can I add?

Black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans can easily be added for extra protein and fiber and to stretch the meal a bit further. I am at that age where I gotta think about the fiber y’all. Ha! You can bring some heat by adding in some jalapeños. Bring some creaminess to this dish by adding a bit of sour cream.

What sides go well with this Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole?

This casserole pairs well with a simple green salad, coleslaw, roasted vegetables, corn on the cob, garlic bread, dinner rolls, or fresh fruit.

Is this spicy?

Most people would not consider this recipe spicy at all. The tomatoes with green chiles add flavor more than heat. If you are super sensitive to spice, you can use regular diced tomatoes instead.

How to store leftovers?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until heated through. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

A serving of Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole being lifted from the Slow Cooker.

Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)

ground beef– Ground turkey or ground chicken work great in this recipe and can sometimes be a more budget-friendly option than ground beef. You may want to add a little extra seasoning since they are milder in flavor. I find in my area, that it’s cheaper to buy frozen ground turkey in a tube than fresh ground turkey, but this will vary depending on store and region. I also know that buying in bulk can bring the price per pound down as well, so that can help if needing to cut overall prices for groceries down. You can freeze any leftover ground meat as well for later.
onion – fir you don’t like onion, just leave it out. A mild sweet onion works well here.
mild chili seasoning
garlic – you can use freshly minced or the jarred stuff.
diced tomatoes with green chiles– like a can of Rotel. If you don’t want to use Rotel, you can use a can of diced tomatoes.
tomato sauce
frozen tater tots – there’s no need to thaw them first.
shredded cheddar cheese– Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican cheese blend all work well in this recipe. I have found that cheese that is freshly shredded from the block melts better than the pre-shredded stuff in a bag. But, if you only have that stuff, it should work, it just may need more time to melt.
sliced green onions– this is an optional ingredient that I used for garnish.

Ground beef, onion, salt, black pepper, mild chili seasoning, garlic, diced tomatoes with green chiles, tomato sauce, frozen tater tots, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions.

How To Make Crock pot Chili Cheese Tater Tot Casserole

Cook and crumble the ground beef

In a large skillet, brown and crumble the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain any excess grease. Note: If you like your onions to be super soft, cook the onions along with the ground beef to soften. To a 6 quart slow cooker add the ground beef and onion.

Add everything to the crock pot

To the slow cooker add salt, pepper, chili seasoning, garlic, diced tomatoes with green chilies, tomato sauce and half cup of cheese. Spread tater tots in a even layer on top of ground beef mixture.

Cover and cook

Cook on low for 4–5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours (note: it is recommended to cook on low.) To help keep the tater tots from getting too soggy from the steam, put a layer of about 2-3 paper towels under the lid of the slow cooker.