So we call this classic comfort food Tater Tot Hotdish while many of you may call it Tater Tot Casserole. Whatever the name you use, this is a family favorite and a classic comfort food here in Minnesota!
Try our Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Hotdish for a tasty mix on the traditional recipe.
Is Tater Tot Hotdish or Casserole?
Most of the country probably calls it Tater Tot Casserole but here in MN, we call everything baked up together in a baking pan a HotDish, dontcha know.
For those of you who don't know, tater tot hotdish is a delectable dish made with corn, peas, carrots, green beans, and other veggies. Tater tot hotdish also has ground meat, cream of mushroom soup (some like to use cream of celery, instead), and tater tots on top.
The tater tots are usually considered best when crispy, but some like theirs less crisped.
Though mixed veggies or green beans are traditional, some add mushrooms or other veggies of their choice.
Can you freeze Tater Tot HotDish?
Yes! You can freeze Tater Tot HotDish. Prepare it in a freezer to oven safe pan (disposable aluminum pans work great, too!) and wrap it in aluminum foil after it is prepared (don't bake it!). Simply thaw and bake when you are ready. Expect it to take an extra 30 minutes or so to bake.
Though our Tater Tot Hotdish recipe calls for ground beef, substitutes like turkey, venison, or other similar types may be used instead. It depends on your preference.
Like chili or chocolate chip cookies, every family has their "BEST" Tater Tot HotDish version. Today, I'm going to stick with the standard recipe and you can mix and match as you like!
TaterTot HotDish without soup?
You can also substitute cream of celery, cream of corn, or another cream of soup for the cream of mushroom or make homemade mushroom soup. Making the homemade soup is quite simple and tastes soooo good!
How can I make this a Cheesy Tater Tot Hotdish?
You may add about a cup of cheddar cheese in with the cream of mushroom soup if you would prefer, whether it is for another binder or simply because you like cheese (for good reason). The cheese can also go on top of the tater tots, just sprinkle it on about 5 minutes before the hotdish is done, giving it enough time to melt but not burn. You don't even need to use cheddar cheese if you'd prefer! Pepper Jack, Colby, or other cheeses would also be delicious.
For fun, you can substitute the tater tots for other similar products. For example, smiley fries can be great for kids (it might even make up for the veggies they will be eating!), sweet potato tater tots for a little more vitamin A, or just fun flavored tots like onion or cheddar to spice up your dish.
What sides go with Tater Tot casserole?
We serve this up Tater Tot casserole with nothing more than a simple salad. This dish already has your meat, potatoes, veggies, and dairy and doesn't need anything else. Although, you do need ketchup :).
P.S. that cooking pan can be found here.
Minnesota Tater Tot Hotdish
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground beef
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup peas and carrots mixed veggies
- 1 pkg tater tots
- 1 large onion
- 1 cup cheddar cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Put the diced onion in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and saute until ground beef is cooked and onions are translucent.
- Grease a 9x13 pan.
- Pour the cooked meat and onions into the 9x13 pan. Spread the veggies evenly over the top. Add the cheddar cheese. Spread the cream of mushroom soup over the veggies. Some people mix it here, some people don't. It's up to you.
- Place the tater tots evenly on top of the mixture in straight lines. (It's okay if you're lazy and don't put them in straight lines, just make sure they're pretty even or they won't cook properly)
- Bake for 1 hour. Check. If tater tots are not golden brown and the veggies are still crunchy, put in over for another 20 minutes.
- Let cool and enjoy!
Video
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Additional ground beef recipes your family might love:
Goulash Hot Dish
Venison Chili
Steven Lutz says
Say now, ya got that kinda wrong there see. See now the hot dish, that there we make in a 9 x 13 pan, but that casserole, well ya gotta get out the 13 x 9 for that.
Nellie says
Ya sure...don't ya know!
Dulcy says
Great recipe. My husband doesn't care for mushrooms so I used cream of chicken soup. Turned out delicious!
Lanet says
Tator tot hot dish is something that always reminds me of home! Living in a place that rarely eats hot dish (and calls it "casserole"), this comfort food is extra special.
I tend to leave out the veggies, just because I think they mess everything up. But if you are looking for a traditional, honest Minnesota dish, this is perfect!!!!