Tater Tot Hotdish

!±8± Tater Tot Hotdish

If you are from Minnesota, North, or South Dakota, the title says it all. If you are from anywhere else in the United States, this is a casserole. Whoever invented this particular dish is to be commended, since it is one of the tastiest and most beloved hotdishes in the Midwest. It is a really good comfort food, and as is usually the case with such dishes, tastes just as good if not better when reheated. This is one casserole that little kids seem to enjoy just as much as the adults do.

Aside from the name, there are a few other differences between a casserole and a hotdish. While the hotdish generally uses some cream-based soup as a binder, the casserole uses pasta or flour. Both have a crunchy topping, and both contain meat of some sort, and vegetables. The casserole uses a much wider variety of meat, while the hotdish almost inevitably contains hamburger. Both are cooked uncovered.

Highly Addictive Tater Tot Hotdish

This tater tot hotdish recipe is anything but bland. Because the primary ingredients can be quite bland, this recipe relies on several unusual ingredients to jazz things up. As always, the cook should make their own changes based on personal preferences.

What You Will Need:

2 pounds ground round 2 cans cream of mushroom soup 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables 1 bag tater tots, thawed Worcestershire sauce Soy sauce Minced garlic Red pepper or red sauce Chopped onion (can be bought frozen, use as much as desired) You will also need a large skillet for browning the meat, and an oversized baking pan (13 x 9 has a tendency to not be big enough, so use either the next size up or a high-sided 13 x 9 pan).

How To Make It:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Start grounding the hamburger, adding the sauces, garlic, and onion to taste. This will give the hamburger a very robust flavor, which will help alleviate blandness. You may also add those sauces to the cream of mushroom soup. Do not salt, because cream of mushroom soup is very high in sodium, as is the soy sauce.

Drain the hamburger completely, and place it in a very large bowl. Add the soup and mixed vegetables. Stir thoroughly, and place in the greased (or sprayed) pan. Completely cover the mixture with tater tots, and bake for one hour.

Cheeseburger Tater Tot Hotdish

Before removing from oven, cover hotdish with 12-16 ounces of shredded cheese. Close oven door and let sit until cheese melts, roughly 5 minutes (keep a close eye on it).

Remove from oven and let set for 5-10 minutes.

Side Dishes

Some welcome accompaniments to tater tot hot dish would be a simple garden salad, warm bread sticks, or even a fruit salad.