Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

This Ninja Foodi tater tot casserole recipe is a delicious twist on an old favorite. Beef, vegetables, cheese, and of course, tater tots, come together in the Ninja Foodi to create a cheesy dish that's full of flavor and topped with cheesy, crispy tater tots.

Ah, casseroles. Is there anything more quintessentially comfort food than these amazing one-dish meals? I can't think of anything. When I think of casseroles, I think of good times with friends and family, and of course, delicious food. I can't think of a single potluck, holiday party, or gathering of any sort where a casserole wasn't present. They're such easy, simple dishes to make people always seem to bring one, and I'm totally okay with that.

Growing up, my grandmother and mother made all kinds of dishes. If you've been a long-time reader, you probably have heard me say it again and again. They just loved to cook, though. I loved everything that they ever made, but one of the things I loved the absolute most was when they made casseroles. There was something so cozy about a big dish of something hot and cheesy being set on the table and doled out to everyone sitting there that made me feel as warm inside as the food did.

One of the first dishes I ever learned to make was a casserole, and as the years went by, I never lost my love for them. I made casseroles quite frequently when I married my husband, and I continued to make them after we had our sone. Not only are they delicious, but they're an excellent meal option to save time and effort when you have a family and a business!

I've made all kinds of casseroles over the years, from side dishes like green bean casserole to main dishes like cheeseburger casserole. One of my favorites is this delicious Ninja Foodi tater tot casserole. I love my Ninja Foodi as much as I love my Instant Pot, and just like my Instant Pot, my Foodi was a game-changer for me. It can do so much! One of the things it can do is make this fantastic casserole. It's so good, I just had to share it with all of you.

What Makes a Ninja Foodi Great

Before we go any further, I want to talk for a minute about the Ninja Foodi. If you have one, you already know how amazing it is. If you don't, you need to know how amazing it is! The Ninja Foodi is a machine that can do it all.

It's a combination pressure cooker, air fryer, and tender crisper. It's a triple threat, and that makes it an indispensable addition to any kitchen, in my opinion. Whether you're making a rice dish, fried treats, or in this case, a casserole, the Ninja Foodi can probably make it for you.

On the air fryer setting, the Foodi uses heat and circulating air to cook, brown, and crisp food uniformly. When using the pressure cooker function, the Foodi cooks foods up to 70% faster than traditional cooking. It's just an amazing machine all the way around.

I've been using it a lot lately. In fact, it's been seeing as much action as my Instant Pot, and if you know me at all, you know that's saying something!

The Tasty Trail to Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

This dish is absolutely delicious, but if it weren't for tater tots and casseroles, I wouldn't be able to share it with all of you. Let's take a quick look at the history of both casseroles and tater tots.

Both of these delicious dishes might be party staples, but their histories are far, far different. They're also kind of interesting, so if you enjoy history and food even a little bit, give them a quick read.

Casseroles

Casseroles have been around since before there was a word "casserole". People have been baking dishes for thousands of years. The earliest casseroles were made of pounded, pressed, and filled with a mixture of meats like chicken or sweetbread.

Around the 1870s the casserole as we know it is thought to have come into being, although cooking in earthenware containers had been a standard cooking practice in most cultures for hundreds of years.

In the USA, the casserole became extremely popular around the 1950s when new forms of cookware made of lightweight metal and glass became commonplace.

By the 1970s the once venerable casserole fell out of favor, considered a dish of the unsophisticated and "hicks". Although they were still a commonly made dish, for decades they were considered something to be made only for parties and only among the lower to middle class.

Around the early 2000s, however, casseroles saw a resurgence in popularity, and these days, you can find them in upscale restaurants in various forms as well as on family dinner tables.

Tater Tots

Although tater tots have become a generic term for any small cylinder of grated, deep-fried potato, it's actually a registered trademark of Ore-Ida, the company that created them.

Unlike many of our favorite foods that have a long, storied history dating back to ancient times, tater tots were actually created in the early 50s.

In 1953, Ore-Ida founders, F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up potatoes. Any potatoes left on the table, as it were, were a wasted opportunity.

After some brainstorming, they came up with the idea of chopping up the potato slivers, adding flour and seasonings, and then pushing the mash through holes and slicing off pieces of the extruded potato "tube". And so, tater tots were born.

They were first sold commercially in 1956. An interesting little fact is that they were actually sold too cheaply at first. People wouldn't buy them because they perceived them to be of no value due to the low cost. When the price was raised, people began to buy them, and their popularity took off.

Go figure.

Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

This Ninja Foodi tater tot casserole is the quintessential casserole in every way. It has meat and veggies, cheese, a creamy soup, and cheese-covered tater tots on top. It's everything you'd expect to find in any casserole, and it's absolutely delicious.

All that delicious ground beef, mixed vegetables, and tater tots come together with the cream of chicken soup to create a delicious, creamy base. The addition of more tater tots topped with cheese on top seals the deal. Every bite is nothing but pure deliciousness.

The best part is that this recipe is incredibly easy to make. It's all done in the Foodi, and all the steps are extremely easy. There's no chopping because we're using frozen mixed vegetables.

You're really just cooking the beef, stirring, topping with tater tots and cheese, and then cooking. It's an incredibly easy recipe that lets the ingredients and not any sort of fancy cooking methods do all the work!

Ingredients

It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this delicious casserole. The best part is that you most likely have all of them in your kitchen already. Okay, you might have to buy the ground beef, but other than that, I can't think of anyone who doesn't have all of these ingredients in their kitchen right this second. Here's everything you'll need.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 16 oz tater tots, divided
• 12 oz frozen mixed vegetables
• 10.5 oz can cream of chicken
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

See? That's one simple list. Like all casseroles, it's all about how the flavors work together, not the number of ingredients that makes this recipe so delicious.

Making the Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

Making this casserole is just as simple as the ingredient list. The entire recipe is simply a matter of browning the beef, stirring everything together, and cooking it. At the end, you'll top with more tater tots and cheese, cook for a few more minutes, and you're done. It's so easy, and it's so, so good.

• Place ground beef, salt, and pepper in your greased Ninja Foodi pot.
• Saute until beef is fully cooked.
• Add half the tater tots, mixed vegetables, and cream of chicken.
• Stir until everything is combined.
• Top with remaining tater tots.
• Air fryer at 360ºF for 12 minutes.
• Sprinkle cheese evenly over top.
• Air fry for an additional 3 minutes.
• Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Serve and enjoy!

That's all there is to it. As you can see, it's a very straightforward affair. Simple steps and simple methods make for a simple dish that's simply delicious! It's the perfect meal for almost any occasion, large or small.

Tips

There are zero tips for this recipe. That's how easy it is. I can't think of one thing that you would need to know that would make this recipe easier or more delicious. How's that for simple?

Variations

Like all casseroles, this Ninja Foodi tater tot casserole is the perfect base for experimentation. Because casseroles are simply a bunch of ingredients thrown together and cooked, there's no end to what you can do with this recipe.

So long as the tater tots remain as part of the recipe, you'll still have a tater tot casserole. What you do with the rest is entirely up to you.

Different Meat

I used ground beef because it's my favorite type of meat to use in a casserole, but you can use anything you like. Ground beef, ground turkey, leftover beef roast - anything at all can make a great addition to this casserole. For items like leftover roasts, be sure to shred or cube the meat.

Your Cheese of Choice

You can use any cheese you want in this recipe. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack - any of it works. I like to use yellow cheese or yellow cheese blends because I think it works best with the recipe, but ultimately, it's all up to your personal preference.

Cream Soup of Choice

I love the flavor of cream of chicken soup, but again, it's all up to your preference when it comes to this Ninja Foodi tater tot casserole. You can use any cream soup you like from my cream of chicken to cream of broccoli, potato, cheese, and anything in between.

Serving Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

The best way to serve this casserole is to simply set the entire dish on the table and let everyone spoon out as much as they want. Whether you're serving it as a dinner for the family or bringing it to a potluck, everyone always loves spooning out their own hefty helping of this delicious casserole feast.

As to when to serve it... Anytime! This is the perfect weeknight dinner, party food, or addition to any potluck or holiday get-together. There's never really a wrong time for beef, cheese, and tater tots, you know?

Storing Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

This casserole will keep well in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for three to four days. While you can freeze this, I don't advise it because the thawing process will change the texture of things, especially the tater tots. Instead, simply make as much as you'll eat for about three days.

You Need This Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole

You just didn't know it. Loaded with beef, veggies, cheese, and of course, tater tots, this Ninja Foodi tater tot casserole is a complete meal that fills you up and satisfies your tastebuds. Whether you serve it for a weeknight meal or bring it to a party, the outcome is always the same. It's a huge hit! Give this recipe a try and prepared to be wowed.

Ninja Foodi Tater Tot Casserole Video