Published: · Modified: by Christina Lane · This post may contain affiliate links · 23 Comments
Tater tot casserole for two. I've taken all of the amazing flavors of a classic tater tot casserole, and scaled it down to a smaller serving size. With homemade cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, and real cheese, you've got to try this version!
I know, you've been waiting your whole life for your favorite casserole to be scaled down to serve two. It's so true for me, too!
I had to wait until a really strong craving for tater tot casserole hit before I tackled it. I mean, sure, tater tot casserolealways sounds good. But, I needed one of those 'gotta have it now!' cravings to hit before I could conquer the recipe. Only then could I eat spoonful after spoonful of the same dish with only a slight variation between batches.
I get a lot of requests for your favorite homestyle casseroles scaled down. I'm currently working on this perfectbroccoli rice casserole. I'm having trouble deciding, though---with or without chicken?
Tater Tot Casserole
As you know, I'm an overachiever. So, I made cream of mushroom soup from scratch for this recipe. The recipe makes a heaping cup of homemade condensed soup. However, the store-bought can is only 10 ounces, so you could easily substitute. And I won't judge you one bit. Sometimes, dirtying up one more pan in the kitchen brings me to the brink. If you're not having one of those days, I say make it from scratch! I use extra-rich Kerrygold butter and a pinch of thyme to make my homemade condensed mushroom soup, so I think my from-scratch recipe is pretty special. Special, as in better-than-the-can, but really, this is a judgement-free zone--use what you like!
It's time to talk about this mini casserole baking dish. I got it at a really random store, and can't remember any details about it, but I found this similar small baking dish on Amazon. You're looking for any small ceramic baking dish for this recipe. If you pour water into it, it'll hold 2 cups of liquid.
One thing I really love about this recipe is that it doesn't use the whole bag of tater tots. So, my late night cravings for hot tater tots with ice cold ketchup swirled with mustard can still be satisfied. Tell me I'm not the only one who swirls mustard into ketchup.
Back on track: casseroles are warm and cozy and delicious and you love them. I love them, too. But really, we all just love tater tots, isn't this true?
Tater tot casserole, made from scratch! Real homemade cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, and actual grated cheese make this the best casserole ever!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Ingredients
½ pound organic ground beef
1 small white onion, diced
5 ounces sliced mushrooms
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup milk
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
frozen tater tots, to cover the entire surface of your casserole dish
½ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a mini casserole dish (mine holds 2 cups of water to the brim) with cooking spray.
In a skillet, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Break up the beef with a spoon as you go.
Scrape the beef out of the pan and onto a paper-towel lined plate. Don't worry about leaving too many drippings in the pan-we're reusing it.
Return the pan to the heat and add the butter, mushrooms, onion and thyme. Saute until the onions begin to soften, about 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the salt and pepper.
Next, sprinkle the flour on top and stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the milk and cream, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.
Turn off the heat to the thickened sauce, and stir in the salt and pepper.
Place the ground beef on the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with a layer of tater tots. Spread the cream sauce on top, followed by the cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and the tater tots are cooked through.
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Overcrowding: If the tater tots and other ingredients are packed too tightly, they may steam rather than bake, leading to sogginess. Temperature: Cooking at too low a temperature may not allow the casserole to firm up, resulting in a soggy texture.
What can I serve this with? This tater tot casserole could be served as a side dish itself alongside roasted meats such as roast chicken, turkey, beef or ham. If you're serving this as the main dish then why not try serving this tater tot casserole with green beans, spinach, or a bountiful fresh salad.
Tater Tot Hot Dish is a Minnesota staple. There are many things Minnesotans take personally: pop vs. soda, an allegiance to the original Jucy Lucy and the correct way to prepare Tater Tot Hot Dish (not casserole).
To prevent a soupy casserole, be sure to fully thaw any frozen vegetables in a colander over a bowl, and pat dry, squeeze excess moisture out of greens like spinach or chard, and quickly precook watery fresh vegetables like onions, mushrooms or squashes just until they release their moisture.
The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.
All hotdishes are casseroles, but not all casseroles are hotdishes. But the main difference between hotdish and other casseroles is where you make it. What someone in Minnesota or North Dakota would call hotdish, a person in Indiana would simply know as tater tot casserole.
This tater tot casserole is a family favorite Midwest comfort food that's layered with tender veggies and ground beef in a creamy gravy topped with melted cheese and tater tots.
TWO HOURS is the MAXIMUM time perishable foods should be at room temperature (ONE HOUR at temperatures 90 degrees F and higher). This INCLUDES the time they're on the table during your meal. Just ONE bacterium, doubling every 20 minutes, can grow to over 2,097,152 bacteria in 7 hours!
The term “tater tot” is a proprietary name owned by Ore-Ida. In Australia, tots are widely called “potato gems,” and non-Ore-Ida brands have called them “tater treats,” “tasti taters,” “potato crunchies,” and “spud puppies.” Ore-Ida's website calls these imposters “imi-taters.”
McDonald's Is Serving ~Tater Tots~ Now and They Look Seriously Delicious. Tiny fried potato bites! McDonald's is introducing tater tots to its menu — officially named Hash Brown Bites — and of course, they're not available in the United Sates.
A traditional main course, hot dish is cooked and served hot in a single baking dish and commonly appears at family reunions and church suppers. Hotdish is constructed on a base of canned cream of mushroom soup and canned vegetables. The other ingredients are as varied as the Minnesota landscape.
To keep things easy and healthier, we bake the tots instead of frying them. A microwave and food processor makes quick work of the potatoes. Shaping the mixture is a little tricky — but with a bowl of cold water next to you, you'll quickly get the hang of it (see our notes in the recipe).
Frozen hash browns will leak moisture during cooking, which could leave a soggy, sad mess behind. For the best results, let the frozen hash browns thaw overnight in the fridge, then thoroughly pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible before cooking them to crispy.
According to Allrecipes, the vegetables you selected are the most common culprit for your watery casserole, due to the high percentage of moisture that some of them contain in their raw form which seeps out as they cook down in your dish.
Brush/mist each tot with olive oil, be generous. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, slide a spatula underneath the tots, then flip and bake 10 more minutes. Flip once to the uncooked side, bake 10-12 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Introduction: My name is Rev. Leonie Wyman, I am a colorful, tasty, splendid, fair, witty, gorgeous, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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