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Tater Tot Casserole is a cozy and comforting casserole that’s packed with flavor! The filling is made with ground turkey, veggies, cheese, and a homemade shortcut version of the cream of soup base. Top it off with frozen tater tots and bake until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are crisp. Serve with fun toppings, and get ready to actually enjoy your leftovers!
Why you’ll love Tater Tot Casserole:
- Easy Dinner – This dinner is relatively easy to make, and can help you use up odds and ends in your fridge, freezer, or pantry!
- Healthier Comfort Food – This recipe is made a little healthier than classic tater tot casserole since we’re using flour and milk to build a base, instead of using canned cream of mushroom soup (not that there’s anything wrong with the canned version!).
- Leftovers – Nothing beats having leftovers waiting for you come dinnertime – especially leftovers that are packed with flavor!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Ground Turkey – To keep this dish a little healthier, I’ve swapped out ground beef for lean ground turkey. You can certainly use beef, though!
- Cheese – Have fun with the cheese! Use your favorite type.
- Flour – Use all-purpose flour for the filling.
- Milk – I always use 2% because that’s what we keep on hand, but whole milk works too.
- Corn – Feel free to use frozen or canned corn.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Black Beans – Leave these out if you’re not a fan!
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite, trusted, brands of dairy-free milk, butter, and cheese.
- Meat – Use ground beef instead of turkey if you’d like, or use meatless crumbles to make this recipe vegetarian!
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole:
Step 1: Cook the Meat. Season your ground turkey and cook in a 12-inch cast iron pan (or any oven safe pan of similar size) until completely cooked through. Set aside on a paper-towel lined plate to drain.
Step 2: Make the Filling. Sauté the onion and peppers in the same pan. Add the garlic, and then add the meat. Stir in the flour, so it coats everything.
Slowly add the milk while whisking. Then, slowly add the cheese, little by little, so the sauce doesn’t clump. Add black beans and corn. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Step 3: Top. Top the casserole with the tater tots.
Step 4: Bake. Bake the casserole at 350 F for 25-30 minutes. The tater tots will be golden and the filling will be bubbly.
Serving + Storing:
Top with extra diced peppers, cilantro, etc., if desired. Enjoy immediately! Store leftovers, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Love a cozy casserole? Make my Cornbread Taco Casserole or my Cheesy Sausage Pasta Bake, next!
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
- Cheese – Use a block of cheese and grate it yourself – this reduces the chance of the sauce clumping up or becoming grainy when you add the cheese, due to the added starches in pre-shredded cheese.
FAQs:
I think you’d be better off making two separate batches and baking in two separate 12-inch skillets than doubling it. You can certainly halve this – bake in an 8-inch skillet or an 8×8 square pan.
Yes! Freeze individual portions in freezer containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
Special Tools:
- 12-Inch Skillet – Use a cast iron skillet, or any oven-safe skillet or pan of similar size. I think a 9×13 pan would work as well.
More Comforting Dinner Recipes:
- One-Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Mom’s Best Homemade Lasagna
- Best Ever Slow Cooker Chili
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
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Healthier Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
For the Meat:
- 1 lb ground turkey, or ground beef
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
For the Hot Dish:
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large bell peppers, diced
- 1/2 one large yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- pinch of pepper
- 12 to 16 ounces cheese, grated, I used a mix of monterrey jack and cheddar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 bag frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350℉. Chop your onion and bell pepper.
- Cook the Meat: Add the ground turkey (or beef) to a 12-inch cast iron pan (or another 12-inch oven safe skillet). Add the turkey seasonings. Cook over medium heat, stirring to break up the meat, until the meat is completely cooked through. Add the meat to a large paper-towel lined bowl or plate (to soak up any grease) while you make the filling.1 lb ground turkey, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- Make the Hot Dish Filling: In the same pan, heat 1-2 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, and peppers until crisp-tender (it'll cook more in the oven). Add the garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds, to cook out the raw garlic taste. Add the meat back into the pan with the veggies, and add the spices, stirring to combine everything. Add the flour, and give it a good stir so it coats everything.Next, slowly pour in the milk while whisking the mixture in the pan to keep everything nice and smooth. Next, slowly add the grated cheese, a handful or so at a time, whisking while you add each handful. Go slow here, so the cheese doesn't clump up. You can add anywhere from 12-16 oz of cheese, depending on how cheesy you want it. Stir in the drained black beans and corn. Taste and add extra seasoning if desired.1-2 tbsp olive oil, 2 large bell peppers, diced, 1/2 one large yellow onion, finely diced, 3 large cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp paprika, pinch of pepper, 12 to 16 ounces cheese, grated, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup milk, 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed, 1 can corn, drained
- Bake: Top the mixture in the skillet with the frozen tater tots. If your skillet is super full when you put it in the oven, add a sheet pan underneath to catch any drips. Bake for 25-30 minutes – the tots will have browned slightly and the filling will be bubbling underneath.1 bag frozen tater tots
- Serve + Store: Top with extra diced peppers, cilantro, etc. after baking, if desired. Enjoy immediately! Store leftovers, tightly covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made these this morning, and followed instructions exactly. They were out of this world. Outstanding! I can’t wait to make these for friends.