Spam is a block of salty, umami-heavy satisfaction in an average meal scenario, but when you bake it with eggs and tater tots, it rises to a whole other level. This casserole somehow tastes like a cross between fast food and fancy, but maybe that's just a state of mind. Either way, you should definitely treat yourself to a Spam and tater tot casserole.

This crowd-pleasing dish is a great example of the great results you can get from using packaged foods to create a creative meal. Spam and tater tot casserole use these namesake ingredients in their pre-prepared form, there’s no need to prep or cook egg whites or potatoes, and aside from onion powder and paprika to garnish the eggs, the ingredients are already seasoned. I especially appreciated the specific use of smoked paprika. It’s not as obvious a flavor enhancer as garlic powder, but it did wonders to enhance the smoky flavors of the Spam.

I was expecting this dish to taste amazing, but I was definitely not prepared for how the tater tots would change the overall texture. They come straight from the freezer into the mixture—no thawing required—so I assumed the potatoes would end up as separate, recognizable tater tots. Instead, the tots softened and blended seamlessly into the fluffy egg base, giving the entire casserole that tater tot flavor. Any tater tots poking out of the mixture on top got nice and crispy, making me feel like I was eating a fancy French bread pudding.

I stumbled across this genius recipe on the Spam website, and while I think the ingredients and directions are mostly correct, there are a few things to consider to ensure your casserole is a success. The recipe calls for "one bag" of tater tots, but doesn't specify what size bag. A 28-ounce bag versus a 5-pound bag is quite a difference. I used a 28-ounce bag (Ore-Ida tater tots) and felt it might be even better with a handful less tots.