Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole–the hot dish your mom used to make with ground beef, veggies and tater tots only it’s made in the Instant Pot instead of the oven.
Each week in 2020 I’m sharing a recipe inspired by one of the 50 states. (See all the state recipes I’ve covered so far.) Today’s recipe is inspired by The Beaver State, Oregon. When I think of Oregon I think of Crater Lake, Tillamook Cheese, Haystack Rock, Nike, University of Oregon, Running Town USA and the Oregon Coast.
Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole
Today I could have chosen several food items to include. Oregon is known for its abundance of mushrooms, hazelnuts and marionberries. It also is home to the Tillamook cheese factory. I tried to make a berry buckle with hazelnut topping in the Instant Pot and it completely and utterly failed.
So I went back to the internet for ideas and came across the fact that tater tots were created and perfected in a plant in Northeastern Oregon. The Ore-Ida company was named after the location of the potato plant which is on the Oregon-Idaho border. Tater tots were made from potato scraps that seemed unusable and so were fed to cattle. The founder of Ore-Ida, Nephi Griggs, was “not one to waste anything, especially ‘product that has been purchased from the grower, stored for months, gone thru the peeling process, gone thru the specking lines and trimmed of all the defects, only to be eliminated into the cattle feed,’… So they got creative, smashed those bits together with some new machinery, blanched, formed, cooked in oil, and froze what would become their company’s namesake.” Read the whole origin story.
And I can’t reference tater tots without referencing this scene from Napoleon Dynamite…classic 😂!
So with that as a backdrop, today’s recipe is Instant Pot tater tot casserole. I have heard of tater tot casserole but I honestly can’t remember ever eating it. It’s a classic hot dish recipe with ground beef, cream soup, vegetables and topped with crispy tater tots. Probably not the healthiest recipe but it does taste good and the kids love it!
You’re probably wondering how in the heck the tater tots will get crispy if this is an Instant Pot recipe. I used my Mealthy Crisplid to get them nice and toasty. You can also use the Ninja Foodi* or the Instant Pot with the air fryer lid*. Alternately, you can cook the tater tots in the oven and toss them on top of your casserole.
More Instant Pot Casserole Recipes…
Instant Pot Dolly Parton’s 5-Layer Dinner
Instant Pot John Wayne Casserole
Instant Pot Macho Nacho Casserole
Instant Pot Kitchen Sink Casserole
Instant Pot Beef Chow Mein Casserole
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Instant Pot Tater Tot Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
The hot dish your mom used to make with ground beef, veggies and tater tots only it’s made in the Instant Pot instead of the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra lean or lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp Worcesteshire
- 3/4 cup beef or chicken broth
- 1 (12 oz) bag frozen cut green beans
- 1 (14 oz) can corn, drained (you can also use frozen)
- 1 (10 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 16 oz frozen tater tots
- 1–2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When the display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onion. Add in garlic powder, salt, pepper and Worcestershire. Brown the beef for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Add the green beans on top of the meat. Then dump the corn on top of the beans. Scoop the mushroom soup on top of the corn. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 4 minutes. When time is up move the valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the sour cream and half of the cheese.
- Layer the tater tots on top of the mixture. Then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
- If you have an air fryer lid place it on top of the Instant Pot. Turn the lid to 400° F and cook for 10 minutes until tater tots are crispy and cooked through. If you don’t have an air fryer lid then cook the tater tots according to package directions in the oven and then scoop on top of Instant Pot contents and top with the rest of the cheese.
- Serve and enjoy! Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*.
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
All I have is my insta pot. No oven or air fryer. How would I do the tater tot’s?
★★★★★
If you have an air fryer lid for your Instant Pot then you could use that. Otherwise I think you’re out of luck. Tater tots are best when cooked in a way they could get crispy.
if you have a toaster oven you could toast them in it?
mine said burnt now I have to put it in oven
★
Haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I can confirm many sightings of tater tot casserole here in Oregon — I’ve seen it mostly at church potlucks or other places where people bring food to feed a crowd. Thanks for the always interesting recipes and commentary, and the easy-to-follow instructions, which helped me get used to my instant pot.
Thanks Starla!
I have a question about size. I plan to start using my instant pots (I have a 3,6 & 8 Quart) and am wondering if you can use the 3 quart if I cut the recipe in half
and can you do this with every recipe?
If I double the recipe can I use the 8 quart?
Are all your recipes done in the 6 quart IP?
I love your recipes because the ingredients are very common and because of the feature of changing the size, how easy it is to cut the recipes in half or double them. Thank you.
https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-double-instant-pot-recipes/
https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/how-to-halve-instant-pot-recipes/
Read these articles they will help you!
I made this today instead of tator tots I had cauliflower tots I air fryer them in my air fryer. And I switched out cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken.
This casserole dish was soooo good and easy. Thank you Karen
I love those ideas!
I am really excited to try this recipe! My family has made tater tot casserole in the oven for EVER. It usually is ground beef, cream of something soup, French style green beans, and tatertots. I have used mushroom and chicken creamed soups. And have used broccoli instead if green beans. I look forward to the attempt in the IP, so the house does not heat up!!! Thank you!
Good plan! I love using the IP in the summer for this reason!
Could you substitute can green beans in place of frozen
Yes!
Dear Karen, Thank you for all The hard work you put in making and sharing your wonderful recipes. What a clever idea that I can just get either the instant pot or the slow cooker recipes. Oh I cook with a 3 quart instant pot and all of your recipes are easily cut in half. I also want to thank you for editing your recipes in such a way that is so easy to print them out which I always do. Looking forward to more of your instant pot and air fryer recipes and thanks again!
So glad to hear it Jo! I appreciate you being here.
Switch out Cream of Mushroom soup with Cream of Chicken soup. It is soooo much better.
Good idea! I like both!
I plan to do that as my fiance unfortunately is allergic to mushrooms.
Nice flavor. Used 6 quart instant pot and instant pot air fryer. Next time I think I will spread the meat out in a casserole dish & cover it with cheese first, then tater tots, & finish in the oven. I think that would give a better ratio. of tots to casserole.
Good idea! Bet that would be great.
I’ve been making as many of the ‘state’ recipes as I can. Unfortunately, we can’t make this one as we do not have an air fryer lid. Any suggestions on how to make this without one? Thanks for all the hard work putting these together!
If you don’t have an air fryer lid then cook the tater tots according to package directions in the oven and then scoop on top of Instant Pot contents and top with the rest of the cheese.
Thanks Karen! Appreciate the reply!
I’ve been making Tator tot hot dish/casserole in the oven for over 20 yrs but the recipe I used didn’t call for cheese so I would recommend putting that on the last 5-10 mins, u can get a oven recipe online but I think I baked it in a 350° oven for 30-45 mins, probably the same amt of time the tots are supposed to be cooked.
Good tips Karmel thanks!
could you use frozen broccoli maybe instead of the green beans (not a fan,lol). looks delicious
Sure you could. I would only pressure cook for 1 minute for frozen broccoli. it cooks quicker than beans.
thank you I will give it a try, looks so good and easy too.
OK Folks! I just did all the work for you. 3 states left: NJ, RI & ME. SC had 2 recipes so don’t just count the pictures on the recap pages or you’ll get thrown off like I did. Hate to see this series come to an end, it’s been a great ride. Thanks Karen. Maybe DC & Puerto Rico(almost a state) too?
That’s so fun Nick that you are keeping track!!! I did wonder what I would do for the last 2 weeks of the year. haha! I have some fun stuff coming in 2021 so stay tuned.
My husband and his family are from Oregon and none of them have had or heard of this tater tot casserole. They are all fans of tater tots and I’ve made other tater tot casseroles usually with chili and cheese. Interested in trying but since I don’t have a crisp lid or air fryer, I’m wondering if this would be just easier to put in the oven as a regular casserole. Either way it’s simple ingredients that I usually have on hand so it’s something to try for a quick weeknight meal. Thanks for sharing. BTW, if you ever figure out the berry buckle, please pass along recipe. Oregon is big on all berries, filberts (hazelnuts), and Tillamook.
Yes it would probably be just as easy in the oven. I would google search for tater tot casserole and fine one that looks good to you!
★★★★★
Yeah I saw the title of tator tot casserole and went Minnesota? That can’t be right we already had a meal back in jan/feb.
haha, yes it could probably be for other states. but the tater tot originated in oregon so that’s why.