Hey y'all! Have you ever made a big, yummy tater tot casserole and ended up with more than you can eat? Well, good news! You can totally freeze your leftover tater tot casserole. It's a great way to save all that tasty food for another day.
Let's check out how you can reheat a casserole easily and safely.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Yes, you can freeze leftover tater tot casserole.
- Freezing keeps it tasty for later.
- Use the right containers to keep it fresh.
Just about any casserole is a great freezer meal, and tater tot casseroles are easy dinners anyway.
Why not double or even triple the recipe and have a few extras on hand for busy weeknights?
How to freeze leftovers
Freezing your leftovers is super easy! Be sure to let the casserole cool down first. Then, you can either:
- Cut it into portions and put each piece in an airtight container, or
- Wrap the whole casserole dish with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Make sure it’s wrapped tight to avoid freezer burn.
How to freeze tater tot casserole before baking
I love doubling recipes and freezing one for later! A make ahead freezer meal is nice for those over-the-top chaotic days or to take to a friend who needs dinner.
Just put your unbaked casserole in the baking dish, cover it with aluminum foil, and pop it into the freezer.
This way, it becomes a handy-dandy tater tot casserole freezer meal!
How to reheat
When you're ready to eat your frozen casserole, you have two choices:
- Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bake it in the oven until it's hot and bubbly. This is my recommendation.
- Bake it straight from the freezer, but it’ll take a bit longer to cook. You'll likely need to double the baking time.
🍴Equipment
You’ll need:
- Airtight containers or aluminum foil
- Casserole dish or baking dish
- Disposable aluminum pans, as long as none of the ingredients are acidic (like tomatoes).
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: Label your containers with the date, what's inside, and heating or baking instructions. Tater tot casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Make sure your casserole is completely cool before freezing to keep it tasting great.
- If you are covering it with aluminum foil cover with a layer of plastic wrap first. This keeps any acids in the recipe from reacting with the aluminum. Just make sure to remove the plastic wrap before baking!
- Once you've thawed and baked your casserole store leftovers in the refrigerator. Don't freeze it a second time.
- I like to pick up inexpensive casserole dishes at thrift shops and garage sales. That way if I take a casserole to someone I don't worry about getting my nice casserole dish back.
- Make sure your casserole dish is freezer to oven safe!
👩🍳 FAQs
Yes! Most tater tot casseroles freeze really well.
It's best to eat it within 3 months for the best taste.
It's good for about 3 to 5 days. Be sure to wrap it well with plastic wrap.
If you wrap it well, your casserole should taste just as yummy as when you first made it!
📚 Related recipes
Now that you know how to freeze tater tot casserole you'll need a great recipe to try out! These are all quick and easy, made with simple ingredients, and family tested and approved!
Crockpot tater tot breakfast casserole
This cheesy tater tot casserole is so easy because it's done in a
Meat lovers tater tot pizza casserole
All your favorite pizza toppings and tater tots, too! This is one for the picky eaters in the family.
Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
Who doesn't love a saucy sloppy joe? Get all that flavor and crispy tater tot goodness in every bite.
For more freezer meal ideas check out the Freezer Meals category!
📞 The last word
There you have it! Freezing leftover tater tot casserole is a fantastic way to save your delicious meal for later. Just follow these simple steps, and you'll be all set.
Homemade tater tots also freeze well so you can make up a batch to have on hand for casseroles anytime.
Do you use freezer meals in your meal planning? Leave a comment and let me know.
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