Skillet Tater Tot Casserole is an updated childhood classic made in one skillet and without condensed soup! This gluten free dinner recipe is always a smash hit.
Sound the alarm: Tater Tot Casserole (or Hotdish as my neighbors to the north in Minnesota like to call it!) has been officially updated – make that UPGRADED – to skillet meal status! Oh yes, what you see here is saucy, seasoned ground beef and vegetables topped with the king of the frozen foods aisle – tater tots of course – and everything is simmered then oven-crisped in just one skillet. Comfort food does not get easier than Skillet Tater Tot Casserole!
Tater Tot Casserole is a Midwest classic. Eating it is like getting a big hug from your Mom. Satisfying and comforting. Plus, like the time I shared my Mom’s Maid Rite recipe, I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a whole bunch of you who have never even heard of it before! You’re welcome. Go forth and spread the good word.
What’s Inside?
Tater Tot Casserole usually calls for condensed soup mixed with ground beef and frozen vegetables which are piled into a casserole dish then topped with tater tots and baked. I’m ditching canned soup because it’s usually not gluten-free plus it’s full of unnecessary ingredients. PLUS my homemade version tastes way better.
I’ve also updated the classic to be cooked then baked in just one skillet. From browning the ground beef, to making the flavorful sauce, to crisping up the tots in the oven, all you need is an oven-safe skillet. I use this 10-1/4″ cast iron skillet from Le Creuset – it’s my all-time favorite all-purpose skillet and will literally outlive me.
Skillet Tater Tot Casserole is a meat and potatoes dish that’ll stick to your ribs but since it’s made with mostly homemade ingredients you can feel good about feeding it to your whole family. We scrape the skillet clean anytime I make it for dinner!
How to Make This Recipe:
First thing’s first – pretend this is the orange, oven-safe cast iron skillet that you’re going to see in the rest of the pictures. The one time I made this dish with the intent to photograph the steps I was doing approximately 49 other things, including peeling hummus-slathered turkey off the kitchen floor courtesy of Lincoln letting know he was done with dinner. Good times!
Start by browning ground beef, seasoning with salt and pepper then drain and set aside.
Next, melt butter in the skillet over medium heat then add sliced mushrooms and chopped shallot. Saute until the mushrooms are slightly tender, 3-5 minutes, then add minced garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Sprinkle in gluten-free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using AP flour) then whisk while cooking for 1 more minute.
Now slowly stream in chicken broth and milk (I use skim or unsweetened almond milk) while whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Add gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using traditional soy sauce), ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, plus smoked paprika then turn the heat up slightly to bring the mixture to a bubble. Turn the heat back down to medium then simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened. Resist the urge to let the sauce reduce down too much as it will reduce in the oven. It will feel watery but trust me – it’s just right!
Stir the ground beef back into the sauce then remove the skillet from the heat and layer frozen tater tots on top. The precise amount will depend on how deep and wide your skillet is. You’ll want at least a 10″ skillet, but I also tried it in our big 12″ cast iron and it worked great too. Like I said, since the sauce is thin the tots will sink down a little bit but it’s fine!
NOTE: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet you could pour the mixture into a baking dish at this point, top with the tots, and then bake.
Pop the skillet into the oven then bake according to the time/temp indicated on the bag of tater tots. Let the dish sit and cool for about 5 minutes before serving up hot. This dish will be a smash hit with the whole family – the kids (and kids at heart) will adore the crispy tater tots, while the rich and flavor-packed sauce is unbelievably satisfying. Enjoy, enjoy!
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Gluten-Free Homemade Chicken Noodle SoupSkillet Tater Tot Casserole (No Condensed Soup!)
Description
Skillet Tater Tot Casserole is an updated childhood classic made in one skillet and without condensed soup! This gluten free dinner recipe is always a smash hit.
Ingredients
- 1lb ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 Tablespoons gluten-free or all-purpose flour (dish will not be GF if using AP flour)
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk (I use skim)
- 2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using soy sauce)
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2lb bag tater tots
Directions
- Preheat oven according to tater tot bag instructions. Brown ground beef in a very large, oven-proof skillet (at least 10" - cast iron works great) seasoning with salt and pepper over medium-high heat. Drain then set aside.
- Turn heat down to medium, melt butter in skillet, and then add mushrooms and shallots. Season with salt and pepper then saute until mushrooms start to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 1 more minute. Sprinkle in flour then whisk to combine and cook for 1 minute. Slowly stream in chicken broth and milk a splash at a time, whisking to avoid lumps. Add tamari/soy sauce, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika, turn heat up slightly to bring mixture to a bubble, then turn heat back down to medium and simmer until just slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat then stir in ground beef and arrange tater tots on top. Place skillet on top of a baking sheet (or place one on the rack below) then bake according to tater tot bag instructions. Let sit and thicken for 5 minutes before serving.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
[…] Broccoli to be served with brown rice Super Easy Ravioli Lasagna to be served with Texas Toast Skillet Tater Tot Casserole to be served with broccoli Powder Keg Chili to be served with plain Greek yogurt, cheddar cheese […]
I live in Cyprus and we can’t get ‘tater tots’. What could I use instead?
Hi Liz! Hmm, I’m not sure since the tater tots are one of the main ingredients. You could possibly use hash browns, though I think they’d probably sink vs staying on top and crisping.
This might possibly be my first blogger comment ever! I kinda hate when I read all the comments that say, “this LOOKS so good” instead of people commenting how it tasted after they actually tried making it. Well, I made this. And it was freaking delicious. I added frozen peas and green beans to the base. I also thickened it a little more with some more broth and cornstarch mix, only because I’m anal. I had seconds and regretted it only because my gut ached from eating too much. The leftovers were just as delish even with slightly soggy tater tots. I love that this was truly a one pot meal with our cast iron skillet (I used a 12 inch). Toddler loved it, hubby loved it, I loved it (a Minnesota gal!).
So glad to hear, Risa! Thanks for sharing your experience – I’m so glad you loved it!!
I am SO excited to try this! Since going GF and eliminating most of the soup aisle, I’ve been craving some comfort food like this!!! And you call yourself a Midwesterner without eating Tater Tot casserole (or is it hotdish…) heheheh ;)
We only use about half the 2lb bag of tater tots in this, correct? If I double everything will it fit in a 9×13 baking dish?
Yep, that is correct! I haven’t tried doubling the recipe and using a 9×13, but I’m sure it would work!
[…] Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats […]
Wondering why the recipe calls for a 2 lb bag of taster tots and the recipe says to put approx one pound on top. Am I missing what to do with the other pound?
This was really good, made just as written using gf all purpose flour and everyone gobbled it up. Thanks for the recipe!
We’ve had this recipe several times at our daughter’s house. It’s a family favorite. Today is the first time that I’m making it. My husband is starting to drool just looking at the pictures.
Awesome!!!
[…] 8. Skillet Tater Tot Casserole […]
This is happening right now. Can’t wait to eat it! We added some fresh corn. We added it with the shallots. It’s June.
Yummy! My husband loved it! We had grilled asparagus along with it, since it is early June. The fresh corn we added was also delicious. We don’t have a 10” skillet, so we baked it in a casserole dish. It was fine.
Why do I need to use gluten free flour, and Soy Sauce? I didn’t use them and everything tasted just fine! I think if you are gluten intolerant, you would automatically make this accommodation. Just wondering if it would have tasted any different.
It wouldn’t have tasted any different with those particular swaps, you are right! People who need to eat gluten-free would know to make the adjustment, but many times people who are cooking for someone who is GF wouldn’t.
Kristin, I just saw that Carnation has just come out with almond milk, next to the evaporated milk and lactose free milk in the baking aisle. Might be worth a try?
What options would you recommend if I want to substitute the milk?
Hi Kristin,
I just made this recipe last night and my husband and I absolutely loved it! I especially liked it because it doesn’t have any condensed soup in it. I did add some frozen organic peas and corn and topped it with cheddar cheese. I will be making this again. Thank you for the recipe.
OMG! This recipe is amazing and I will definitely make it again. The paprika is the perfect touch. I used ground turkey and leftover McD hashbrowns. The sauce is so good and can have many variations. Thanks for sharing it.
I’ve been wanting to make this for a while. I don’t know how I managed how to grow up in the Midwest and never once had a tater tot casserole, but this was GOOD! I threw in a handful of chopped spinach and put a light layer of Italian blend shredded cheese under the tots. Delish.
This is my favorite Tater Tot Casserole EVER! The last time I made it I only had one pound of tater tots, but it didn’t matter. The dish was delicious and no one knew the difference. We’re hosting a Tater Tot contest at our home in March and I KNOW this will be the winner! I’ll totally give all credit to Iowa Girl!
Yesss!! So glad to hear it! I made this dish just last night! :)
I’m making this to take to a family who just welcomed a baby. I’m going to do all the stove top stuff and then put it in a disposable pan and add the tater tots and the deliver and she will bake it when they are ready to eat. Will it be an issue that the tater tots will thaw out before she bakes it? Suggestions? Thanks!
I think it should be ok!
This was awesome! I wasn’t expecting to love it so much but I shouldn’t be surprised since ALL of your skillet recipes have been amazing and easy so far!
Can I substitute ground turkey for the beef?
Amazing! The homemade sauce is incredible. I could eat it on its own, and I am already dreaming up other recipes to use the sauce in!!
So happy to hear that, Jessica! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
The whole family loved this!
I’m so happy tp hear that, Crista! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
My favorite grown-up version of childhood favorite.
YES. #nevergrowup Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating, Jane!
Can I use almond flour or tapioca starch as a thickener?
Just made this and it was amazing! Will definitely be on repeat for those days when I need comfort food!
I grew up in MN and was raised by a mom who grew up in MN. Guess what? We never had tater tot casserole (hotdish). I always thought it sounded gross and that my frugal parents found tater tots an overpriced frivolous grocery purchase. I don’t think I even had a tater tot until I was an adult.
I actually asked my mom today if she ever made it. No. We both tried it for the first time as adults. The first time I had it was at our church when I worked there and coordinated with our head cook at the local school to purchase this for a church dinner. I could not believe that I liked it – almost loved it. To me her recipe was basic but correct (IMHO). Rice, beef, mixed veggies in sauce with tater tots. No cheese. I try to be healthier – kind of funny when using a processed tater tot :) , So I’ve always made my own sauce and used quinoa for the grain. Your recipe very much appealed to me because it has a more involved sauce with the smoked paprika (a fav of mine!), shallots and Worcestershire sauce.
I made it slightly modified but was most interested in the sauce which I made as called for except no mushrooms. I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies, quinoa, beef, shallots, garlic mixed in the sauce with the hamburger. Divided it into 2 square baking dishes – one for now, one probably for next week. Perfect! The only problem is I have to police the scooping because if I don’t there seems to be no control over trying to swipe as many tater tots as possible!
This was delicious. I followed the recipe but omitted the mushrooms since my husband doesn’t like them. The whole family loved it. We will definitely be making this on a regular basis.
This is a great recipe. I substituted coconut milk for the milk and used cassava flour. Tastes amazing. Next time I’ll add water chestnuts!
This looks delicious! I don’t have a cast iron skillet- could I use my Dutch oven instead?
Hi Amanda! I would actually transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish then top with the tots!
This is delicious! I love the flavor! It’s definitely a “make again recipe!” I might add some mixed veggies to it next time.
what is a good side dish to go with this
This was delicious and so easy! My toddler has been a bit picky lately but ate every bite of this. It reheated really well in the oven too.
Thrilled to hear that, Maggie! My kids all happily gobble this up, too!
Made this tonight…VERY flavorful and my family loved it. I added frozen corn and pees just before putting the tators on top and it made it colorful and tasty. This will be in our rotation for sure! Great easy and fast recipe!