Tater Tot Hotdish recipe, make it with or withOUT canned soup! (2024)

prep time: 15 minutes mins

cook time: 1 hour hr

total time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Recipe #1 – tater tot hotdish with homemade gravy:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 4 T. unsalted butter divided
• 1 c. diced yellow onion about 1/2 of a large onion
• 8 oz. chopped fresh mushrooms
• 4 large cloves garlic minced
• ⅓ c. all-purpose flour
• ¼ c. soy sauce
• 1 T. Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 c. whole milk
• ¼ c. sour cream
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste (I like to add quite a bit!)
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley divided
• 2 T. chopped fresh thyme divided
• 16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables I like to use a mix of corn, carrots, green beans, and peas
• 2 lbs. frozen tator tots
• 6 to 8 oz. sharp cheddar shredded

Recipe #2 – tater tot hotdish with canned soup:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 c. diced yellow onion about 1/2 of a large onion
• 4 large cloves garlic minced
• 2 cans 10-oz. size Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup (I prefer the regular soup for this, not the reduced fat or sodium)
• 3 T. soy sauce
• 1 T. Frank’s RedHot Sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ c. sour cream
• 2 tsp. dried parsley divided
• 1 tsp. dried thyme divided
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables I like to use a mix of corn, carrots, green beans, and peas
• 2 lbs. frozen tator tots I usually use just a bit less
• 6 to 8 oz. sharp cheddar shredded

Recipe #1 – tater tot hotdish with homemade gravy:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.

• In a 12″ cast iron skillet, brown beef over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up any large chunks. Once beef is browned, remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the beef fat, and then add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the beef fat in the skillet. Turn heat to medium. Once butter is melted, add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Stir to incorporate. Cook until the onions are transparent and the mushrooms are nicely softened, about 6 to 10 minutes.

• Now slide everything in the skillet to one side. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to other side of skillet. When the butter is melted, sprinkle the flour over the butter, whisking all the while (a flat whisk works awesome here!). Draw in as much butter, beef fat, and juices from the vegetables as you can, into the flour. Cook for a couple minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and slightly browned.

• Add soy sauce, Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to the gravy side of the pan. Whisk and cook for 1 minute. Then slowly add the milk while you whisk and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Once this mixture is smoothed out, bring the mushroom mixture into the milk mixture, and then add the reserved cooked beef. Stir to incorporate. Cook until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then stir in sour cream, plus 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Next add the frozen vegetables and stir to incorporate. Level mixture out in the skillet. Then top with frozen tater tots.

• Place skillet in the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Move skillet up a bit higher in the oven and broil until tater tots are nicely browned – this can take up to 10 minutes, depending on your broiler. Remove skillet from oven and sprinkle tater tots with cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place skillet back in the oven and cook for an additional 6 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and gravy is bubbling. If desired, place skillet underneath the broiler for a few more minutes to brown the cheese just a bit. Remove skillet from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and 1 tablespoon of thyme. Serve hot. I like to eat mine with ketchup and/or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.

Recipe #2 – tator tot hotdish with canned soup:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.

• In a large cast iron skillet, brown beef over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up any large chunks. Once beef is browned, remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Discard beef fat and then add butter to the pan. Once butter is melted, add the onion and garlic. Stir to incorporate. Cook until the onions are transparent and nicely softened, about 6 to 10 minutes.

• Add cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, Frank’s RedHot Sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to fully incorporate. Fold beef into the mixture and then cook until itis warmed and bubbling, stirring regularly. Add sour cream, half of the parsley and thyme, and the salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Then stir in the frozen vegetables.Level mixture out in the pan. Then top with frozen tater tots.

• Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Move skillet up a bit higher in the oven and broil until tater tots are nicely browned – this can take up to 10 minutes, depending on your broiler. Remove skillet from oven and sprinkle tater tots with cheese and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place skillet back in the oven and bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and gravy is bubbling. If desired, place skillet underneath the broiler for a few more minutes to brown the cheese just a bit. Remove skillet from oven and sprinkle with remaining parsley and thyme. Serve hot. I like to eat mine with ketchup and/or Frank’s Red Hot Sauce.