Tater Tot Hotdish

This easy Tater Tot Hotdish is a perfect family dinner or potluck favorite. A hearty filling is topped with crispy tater tots for a truly comforting meal.

I love me a good casserole. I like cooking them because the prep is usually pretty easy, and then I can pop them in the oven and go on about my business. I like eating them because they are usually comforting and loaded with tasty flavor and texture combinations.

Why I love this Tater Tot Hotdish Recipe

This Tater Tot Hotdish fits the bill for one of those easy and comforting casseroles we all love. Ground turkey (or beef or chicken!) is combined with onions, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and peas and carrots. That savory filling is topped with shredded cheese and then frozen tater tots.

My whole family loves tater tots. My youngest said he didn’t like them until a few months ago, so I thought he might have been switched at the hospital or something. He came to his senses though and now understands how delicious they are. I love the crisp outside and creamy inside of a perfectly baked tot! Baking them on top of a casserole and calling it dinner is my idea of dinner heaven.

What is a hotdish casserole?

I’ve only lived in the South and California, so I hadn’t heard of hot dishes until recently. They are one-pan baked meals featuring a creamy, meaty filling with potatoes on top. That sounds like a casserole to me, but in the Midwest they call it a hotdish. Whatever you want to call it, just make this meal at home very soon!

You can adjust the filling to incorporate your favorite veggies. Try peas and carrots, corn, or mushrooms would be a great addition too. If your family eats vegetables better than mine, broccoli or squash would be tasty too! I served mine with a salad on the side since my kids eat that better than if I get too creative with veggies mixed in…

Can you make a Tater Tot Hotdish as a freezer meal?

This hotdish is best right out of the oven when the tater tots are crisp, but it works great as a freezer meal or as leftovers. It’s perfect for potlucks, church dinners, or taking to a friend who is under the weather or just had a baby. Be sure to bookmark or pin this recipe to keep it handy. I have a feeling you’ll want to make it again and again!

If you want to make this hotdish casserole as a freezer meal the first thing I recommend is get a quality aluminum pan to make it and freeze it in. This way you do not tie up your casserole pan in the freezer. It also makes it easier to give to someone for a meal train dinner. Next follow the recipe through step 5, then cover the casserole with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. You can now store your tater tot hotdish in the freezer for 3-4 months.

When you are ready to eat your frozen hotdish simply remove it from the freezer and bake for 60-75 minutes at 375 degrees. You can also thaw it in the fridge for 2 days prior to baking. This will allow you to reduce the baking time to about 45 minutes.

Tater tot hotdish recipe variations

This recipe is what I would consider a classic tater tot hotdish recipe because it uses ground beef or turkey, cream of mushroom soup, frozen vegetables and shredded cheese. If you want to create some variation in your flavors I would recommend trying different cream soups such as cream of chicken, cream of broccoli, cream of celery or broccoli cheddar. Each one of these will give the casserole a little bit of a different flavor to it. I know not everyone is a fan of cream of mushroom soup or cream soups in general so if you want to remove the soup altogether you can substitute it with 1/2 cup of mayo and a 1/2 cup of whole milk plus a little extra salt and pepper to taste.

Tater Tot Hot Dish

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

This easy Tater Tot Hot Dish is a perfect family dinner or potluck favorite. A hearty filling is topped with crispy tater tots for a truly comforting meal.

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 16 ounces 93% lean ground turkey or beef
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 cups frozen peas and carrots
• 10 ounces condensed cream of mushroom soup (I like Pacific brand because it’s organic and gluten free.)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 16 ounces frozen tater tots

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray, and set aside.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onion, and saute for about three minutes.
3. Add ground meat and seasoned salt. Brown and crumble the meat until cooked through.
4. Stir in frozen vegetables, soup, and sour cream until smooth. Bring to a simmer, and then cook for about 3 minutes. Spread mixture from skillet into prepared baking dish.
5. Spread cheese over the top of the filling, and then arrange tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
6. Bake uncovered for approximately 40 minutes or until filling is bubbly and tots are golden brown. Serve warm.

• Author: Andi Gleeson
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 40
• Category: Casseroles, Dinner
• Cuisine: American

More Tater Tot Casserole Recipes