Classic Tater Tot Hotdish - Easy, Filling, and Family-Friendly

Tater Tot Hotdish is a classic comfort food that embodies the essence of a true hotdish—a hearty, one-pan meal that’s synonymous with family gatherings in the Midwest. While "hotdish" is another term for casserole, not all casseroles qualify as hotdish. For a recipe to be considered a hotdish, it must include four essential components: a starch, a meat, a vegetable, and a soup base, all baked together to create a warm, satisfying, and drool-worthy main dish.

Photo by12 Tomatoes

Tater Tot Hotdish is the most iconic version, combining ground beef, green beans, or corn with a creamy mushroom soup base, all topped with a crispy layer of tater tots and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese throughout, because everything is always better with a bit of cheese! This family-friendly recipe is not only simple to make but also incredibly filling, making it a perfect choice for busy weeknights or casual get-togethers. For a fantastic meal, serve it with a fresh salad and crusty bread.

Photo by12 Tomatoes

ProTips:

1. Brown your meat well: Take the time to thoroughly brown the ground beef. This adds depth of flavor and helps the meat hold its texture during baking. If you want, you can always substitute ground turkey for ground burger.

2. Season in Layers: Don't forget to add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cracked red pepper to the meat and vegetables.

3. Use Frozen Tater Tots: For this recipe, frozen tater tots work best. They maintain their shape and crisp up nicely, adding the perfect crunchy topping.

4. Mix It Up—Try Different Soup Bases: While cream of mushroom soup is the classic choice, you can experiment with cream of chicken, celery, or even cream of asparagus soup to change up the flavor profile. All of these are delicious and add new depth to your Hotdish.

5. Add More Veggies: Mushrooms, peas, carrots and little pieces of cauliflower or zucchini add texture, flavor, and color! So add your favorites!

6. Bake Until Golden Brown and Crispy: For the best crunch, bake your dish uncovered. If they’re not crispy enough, pop the dish under the broiler for a few minutes at the end.

7. Allow Your Hotdish to Rest: After baking, let the hotdish rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and makes it easier to serve.

8. Shred Your Own Cheese: Instead of using pre-shredded varieties, always shred your own cheese. Freshly shredded cheese melts more smoothly and evenly because it doesn't have the added anti-caking agents found in pre-shredded cheese.

Photo by12 Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 lb hamburger (90/10)
• 12 ounces of xsharp cheddar cheese
• 1 C. Frozen or canned corn (thawed if using frozen)
• 1 1/2 C. frozen green beans, thawed
• 1 medium-sized sweet onion, diced
• 10 ounce can condensed cheddar soup
• 10 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 C. Whole milk
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 pound bag of tater tots (frozen)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp of dried parsley
• 1 tsp of onion powder
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Warm your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Using nonstick spray, grease a 9x13" baking dish.
2. Using a large skillet, add your burger and begin to cook. Add in your diced onions, minced garlic, and spices (onion and garlic powder, dried parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper). Cook, stirring well, until the burger reaches a golden brown color.
3. Add your condensed soups and milk to a large bowl, stirring to combine. Add in half of your cheese, corn, and beans (or your vegetables of choice).
4. Once your burger has finished browning, transfer it to a large bowl and thoroughly combine it with your soup mixture.
5. Stir everything together, then add your burger, veggie, and soup mixture to your baking dish.
6. Place your remaining cheese on top of your mixture.
7. Then top with your frozen tater tots.
8. Add your hotdish to your preheated stove and bake for 40–50 minutes, or until your tater tots are golden brown and crispy and your burger filling is bubbly and hot.

Enjoy Friends! ❤️

Photo by12 Tomatoes