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Bring a tater tot hotdish to a table outside the upper Midwest and call it a casserole, and someone from Minnesota will correct you. Politely, and for the next thirty years. The dish itself is beyond argument: ground beef and onion in a creamy mushroom sauce with green beans, a layer of cheddar, and a top made entirely of frozen tater tots arranged standing on end in tight rows. In the oven the tots turn crisp and golden, the sauce bubbles up between them, and eight people eat without complaint.
There is nothing to it, which is the point. Brown a pound of beef with an onion, stir in a can of cream of mushroom and a little milk, fold in the beans, spread it in a pan, scatter cheese, and then take the time to stand the tots up in rows. Standing them up is not fussiness; it packs more tots into the pan and lets the hot air crisp every side. Forty-five minutes later it is Tuesday dinner, potluck dinner and new-baby dinner all at once.
Why this tater tot hotdish works
- Tots standing up. Rows of tots on end fit more into the pan and crisp on every side instead of steaming flat.
- Beef drained well. Pouring off the fat keeps the sauce creamy instead of greasy.
- Cheese under the tots. A layer of cheddar between the beef and the tots melts into the sauce and holds the top together.
- Uncovered bake. No foil, so the tots brown. Cover it and you get soft potatoes.
Ingredients
Makes one 9x13 pan, 6 to 8 servings. US cups with grams in brackets.
- 1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120ml)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) cut green beans, drained, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (170g), divided
- 1 bag (32 ounces, 900g) frozen tater tots
Keep the tater tots frozen until the moment they go on. Thawed tots go soft and will not stand up.
How to make tater tot hotdish
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, breaking the meat up, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Drain off the fat.
- Stir in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, cream of mushroom soup, milk and Worcestershire sauce. Cook 2 minutes until bubbling, then take off the heat.
- Fold in the green beans (or corn). Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- Scatter 1 cup of the cheddar over the beef.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots on top, standing each one on end, in tight rows that cover the whole surface.
- Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tots are deep golden and crisp and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Tips that make the difference
- For extra-crisp tots, bake at 400°F for the last 10 minutes.
- If the beef mixture seems thick, add a splash more milk; it should be saucy so the bottom stays creamy.
- Lean beef (90/10) needs no draining and gives a cleaner sauce; 80/20 tastes richer but drain it well.
- A 9x13 metal pan browns the bottom better than glass.
Variations
- Cream of chicken. Swap the mushroom soup for cream of chicken and add a handful of shredded cheese under the tots. A common family variation.
- Cheeseburger hotdish. Add 2 tablespoons of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of yellow mustard to the beef, and use corn instead of beans.
- Vegetable-heavy. Use a 16-ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables in place of the beans.
- Turkey. Ground turkey works; add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet since it is leaner.
Storage and make-ahead
Leftovers keep for 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes to re-crisp the tots; the microwave works but the tots go soft.
Assemble ahead without the tots, cover and refrigerate up to a day. Add the frozen tots just before baking and add 5 to 10 minutes.
Freeze the baked hotdish, cooled and wrapped, for up to 2 months. Reheat covered at 350°F for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called hotdish and not casserole?
In Minnesota and the Dakotas, hotdish is the word for a one-pan baked main of meat, starch, vegetable and a creamy binder. Casserole is what the rest of the country calls it. The tater tot version is the most famous hotdish of all.
Can I use fresh green beans?
Yes. Blanch 12 ounces of trimmed fresh green beans for 3 minutes, drain, and fold them in. Frozen green beans can go in straight from the bag.
Do the tater tots need to be thawed?
No. They go on frozen. Thawed tots collapse, will not stand up and turn soft in the oven.
Can I make it without canned soup?
Melt 3 tablespoons butter, whisk in 3 tablespoons flour, then 1 1/2 cups milk and 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked mushrooms; simmer until thick, season, and use in place of the soup and milk.
Rows, standing up, all the way across. Then it is a hotdish, and everyone from Minnesota can relax.
Tater Tot Hotdish (The Classic Minnesota Recipe)
The classic Minnesota tater tot hotdish: seasoned ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, green beans and cheddar under a top of frozen tater tots standing in tight rows, baked until golden and bubbling. A 9x13 pan, 15 minutes of work, dinner for eight.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) cut green beans, drained, or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar (170g), divided
- 1 bag (32 ounces, 900g) frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion, breaking the meat up, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Drain off the fat.
- Stir in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, cream of mushroom soup, milk and Worcestershire sauce. Cook 2 minutes until bubbling, then take off the heat.
- Fold in the green beans (or corn). Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- Scatter 1 cup of the cheddar over the beef.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots on top, standing each one on end, in tight rows that cover the whole surface.
- Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tots are deep golden and crisp and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar over the top and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
