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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But, while anything baked in a casserole can be called a casserole, the Midwestern preparation known as "hotdish" is much more specific. A hotdish always consists of meat, vegetables, a starch, and sauce—it's not a side dish, but an entire meal unto itself.
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.
Tater tot hotdish is an old-school, family-friendly Minnesota classic weeknight dinner. You might call it a casserole, but we Minnesotans call it a hotdish.
The best side dishes to serve with tater tot casserole are blooming onion, blistered tomatoes, Korean corn dogs, potato rosti, coconut shrimp, cucumber salad, mozzarella sticks, collard greens, quinoa salad, grilled asparagus, sweet cornbread, loaded baked potato, spinach and strawberry salad, fried rice, and zucchini ...
John Wayne first wrote the casserole recipe, but it looks a little different today. John Wayne Casserole was first popularized by the 1979 cookbook, "Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends," a collection of different celebrities' favorite dishes.
Tater tots – Use frozen tater tots straight from the freezer without thawing first, this stops them from overcooking in the oven. Sour cream – I love adding sour cream for extra tang and flavor it's the perfect combination with scallions, cheese and potato.
A slightly longer cook time makes the most delicious difference in both the taste and texture of tater tots. A longer cook time will cause the tots to shrink and dry out a little, which makes them even crispier all around on the outside with a potato-y center that's more dense and creamy.
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.
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.”
Created by Ore-Ida in the 1950s to limit waste during french fry production, tater tots (also known as potato rounds) have come a long way from their humble origin.
Tater Tot Hotdish is a quick and easy comfort food staple recipe all over the Midwest! This hotdish is full of meat, veggies, soup, cheese, and topped with tater tots for a super satisfying meal!
Purpose: A casserole can serve any function, for example, a main dish, side dish, breakfast, or even dessert. A hot dish is a main meal only, as it (purportedly) contains all the nutrients one needs in a hearty meal. Well, there you have it folks.
Hotdish is common terminology in western Wisconsin and Minnesota, while casserole is the preferred name everywhere else in the country. The story behind that is still a mystery, at least according to Deutsch, Elias and Ann Burckhardt, author of Hot Dish Heaven.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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