Chili Cheese Dog Tater Tot Casserole

This chili cheese dog tater tot casserole is a one-pot weeknight wonder loaded with homemade chili, lit’l smokies, melty cheddar, and a crispy layer of tots on top. It’s pure comfort food that the whole family will go crazy for!

This is a Midwestern masterpiece.

• Chili cheese dogs AND tater tots?! All in one casserole. Yes – I know. There’s a lot going on here, but I promise it all comes together easily, and best of all – it comes together in one pan! Just make the lit’l smokie + ground beef chili on the stovetop, top it with cheese and tots, and let the oven do the rest!
• The flavors and textures are out of this world. This casserole has everything you love about a chili cheese dog – smoky stovetop chili and melty cheese – but instead of a bun, you get the crispiest, most satisfying layer of tater tots.

Here’s what you’ll need.

Here’s how it all comes together.

SAUTÉ ONION + GARLIC. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion with a couple pinches of salt and pepper and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until super soft and almost starting to caramelize. Add garlic and cook for one more minute.

BROWN GROUND BEEF. Make a well in the center of the pot, add ground beef with a couple pinches of salt and pepper, and cook, crumbling with a spatula, until cooked through.

DEGLAZE. Use the fat from the beef to deglaze the pan and scrape up all the good bits.

SPICE IT UP. Add tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, and a couple big pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for one minute.

MAKE IT INTO CHILI. Add Rotel, chili beans, tomato sauce, lit’l smokies, and a couple more big pinches of salt and pepper.

SIMMER. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and season to taste. If you don’t have an oven-safe pot, transfer the chili to a 9×13 baking dish.

ADD CHEESE. Top the chili with shredded cheddar.

ADD TOTS. Then arrange tater tots in a single layer on top.

BAKE. Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, until the tots are cooked through and crispy on top and the edges are bubbly.

REST + SERVE. Let it rest for a few minutes, then serve with sour cream and sliced green onions.

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Use an oven-safe pot if you have one. Fewer dishes, and the chili stays hotter going into the oven. A 5-quart braiser or large sauté pan works great.
• Don’t skip browning the beef in the same pot as the onions and garlic. Deglazing with the beef fat picks up all those caramelized bits and adds serious depth to the chili.
• A single layer of tots is the move. Pile them too deep, and the bottom layer steams instead of crisping.

Make it on Sunday, so Tuesday dinner takes care of itself.

• This casserole reheats beautifully, which means making it over the weekend sets you up for easy weeknight leftovers.
• The chili only gets better as it sits, and the tots crisp back up with just a few minutes in the oven.
• For best results, reheat, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until mostly warmed through. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or so to crisp up the tots.
• The microwave works in a pinch. Heat in 60-second intervals until warmed through, but the tots will be softer.

Here’s what I’d serve with this.

• skillet cornbread casserole
• crispy garlic bread
• sliced garlic cheese bread (Texas Toast)
• simple house salad

Just in case you have leftovers.

• STORING: Let the casserole cool completely, then transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• FREEZING: This casserole freezes well before baking. Make the chili, add it to your baking dish, top with cheese and tots, cover tightly with foil, and place in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, covered, at 375 for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 30–40 minutes until the tots are crispy and the chili is heated through.

More easy casserole recipes for your eating pleasure.