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.
“This was so delicious! Much better than the version I grew up with – can’t wait for my lunch leftovers!”
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, all prepared in one skillet.
Comfort food does not get easier than Skillet Tater Tot Casserole!
Midwestern Classic Made Easy
Tater Tot Casserole is a Midwestern classic. Each satisfying and comforting bite is like a food hug. The dish usually calls for condensed soup to be mixed with browned ground beef and frozen vegetables which are poured into a casserole dish then topped with tater tots and baked. I’m ditching canned soup because it’s usually not gluten-free, is full of unnecessary ingredients, and my homemade version tastes way better.
I’ve also updated the dish to be cooked entirely using just one skillet. From browning the ground beef, simmering the flavorful sauce, and crisping up the tots in the oven, all you need is an 10-12″ oven-safe skillet. I use my enameled cast iron skillet, though here’s a more budget-friendly option.
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!
Serve with Air Fryer Asparagus
How to Make This Recipe
Start by browning lean 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 shallots or onions. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and golden brown then add minced garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
Sprinkle in gluten-free flour (or AP flour if not GF) then whisk while cooking for 1 more minute.
Now slowly stream in chicken or beef broth and milk while whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
Add gluten-free tamari (or soy sauce if not GF), ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, plus smoked paprika then turn the heat up slightly to bring the mixture to a simmer.
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 make this in our big 12″ cast iron and it works great too. Like I said, since the sauce is thin the tots will sink down a little bit but it’s fine!
Recipe Tip
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. Kids (and kids at heart) adore the crispy tater tots, while the rich and flavor-packed sauce is unbelievably satisfying. Enjoy!
More Cozy Skillet Dinners
- Ground Beef Stroganoff
- Creamy Summer Veggie Gnocchi Skillet
- Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
- Skillet Shepherd’s Pie
- Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine
- Beef & Veggie Enchilada Skillet
- Homemade Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sliced or chopped mushrooms, any kind, I recommend button or baby bellas
- 1 large shallot or small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed minced
- 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour, or AP flour if not GF
- 1-1/2 cups chicken or beef broth
- 1 cup milk, any kind
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free REDUCED SODIUM Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 lb bag tater tots, Ore Ida recommended
Directions
- Preheat oven according to tater tot bag instructions. Brown ground beef in a large, 10-12" oven-proof skillet (cast iron works great) over medium-high heat, seasoning with salt and pepper. Drain then set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium, melt butter in skillet, 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 broth and milk a splash at a time, whisking to avoid lumps. Add Tamari, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, and smoked paprika then turn heat up slightly to bring mixture to a simmer. Turn heat back down to medium then simmer until just slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat then stir in ground beef and arrange tater tots on top in a circular pattern. 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
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 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.
Do you think I could replace the milk for almond milk and get same results?
Hi Jacque! You bet – I make this with unsweetened almond milk all the time (my son is allergic to dairy!)
Awesome! Just curious what you use for butter replacement? (In this recipe) My daughter is dairy too. I always substitute with EVOO, but I’m a really bad cook so curious if I should be using my Earth Balance or something else that might bring more flavor as butter.
We use soy-free Earth Balance all the time to replace butter if Lincoln’s eating a dish. It tastes just like real butter!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic. My husband said it was the best casserole I’ve ever made. I’ve been a long time lurker on here and used several of your recipes. They have all been really good. I figured it was time to chime in and tell you how much I like your blog and your recipes. Thank you!
Yesss, so glad to hear it! It’s a favorite of ours too – we make it when there’s no plan for dinner as we always seem to have all the ingredients in the house. Thanks for the great feedback!
Just made this tonight for dinner and we all loved it, including my toddler and preschoolers. Thanks for making this good old recipe tastier and healthier! The only thing I did different was add fresh cut green beans to the sauce with the hamburger.
Just found your blog and I tried this last night, it was amazingly good. This and your chicken fried rice are now going to be on my monthly menu, thanks,
I’ve made this twice and am making it again tonight. Delicious!
I made this on Friday. It was delicious! I made a vegetarian version with morningstar crumbles and vegetable broth but otherwise held true to the recipe.
This was perfect for a cold, wintry day! Loved this recipe and will definitely do it again. It’s so convenient in an iron skillet! Thanks!
I made this tonight – been waiting to try it out since I read about it! It was delish!! Better then my regular recipe with canned soup. I did add green beans – need to make picking out the veggies more difficult for my kids! In fact they ate a few! I did speed it up a little by starting the tators in the oven first, just less time required in the oven! Thanks for another PERFECT recipes!!
This is one of my most favorite recipes you have made! It’s DELISH!! Are you going to make a cookbook!!?? You are my go-to website for recipes! And thank you for using butter and real foods in your recipes!
So I made this for the hubs tonight and his response was “Oh ___, I’m gonna get fat.” Which in his, generally picky term, is “Delicious!” Great recipe! Definitely making it again soon!
We made this last week and it was fabulous! We haven’t had condensed soup in a long time, and I was craving this casserole. So glad to have this recipe now!