The absolute best Tater Tot Hotdish!! Made completely from scratch without canned soup! Full of flavor and loaded with seasoned ground beef, vegetables, lots of homemade cream sauce, crispy tater tots, and cheddar cheese! Cozy and easy dinner that's loved by all!
Like most Minnesotans, growing up I ate my fair share of Tater Tot Hotdish! It's simple to make and my whole family loves it, so it was always one of my mom's go-to dinners, which I was 100% happy with. This recipe is based on my mom's, but with some upgrades like homemade sauce!
Unlike most Tater Tot Hotdish recipes, mine is made without cream of soup from a can! The extra effort to make homemade sauce is so worth it! This hotdish is full of flavor and loaded with beef, veggies, homemade sauce, lots of tots and cheddar cheese. It's the perfect easy weeknight dinner for a hungry family!
What is Tater Tot Hotdish?
Tater Tot Hotdish is my favorite hotdish of all, made with ground beef, vegetables, cream sauce, cheddar cheese, and best of all, tater tots! It's a hearty, comfort food that is loved by so many, especially in Minnesota! The same as a casserole, everything is baked together in just one baking dish until hot and bubbly!
Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Yellow onion
- Dry onion soup mix
- Frozen green beans
- Frozen corn
- Tater tots
- Cheddar cheese
- Chicken broth
- Milk
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Worcestershire
- Soy sauce
How to make tater tot hotdish
Making Tater Tot Hotdish is simple and doesn't require a lot of prep time! Instead of using cream of soup from a can like most Tater Tot Hotdish recipes call for, I make my own sauce from scratch, adding in a little extra prep time, but it tastes SO much better. Here's an overview on how to make From-Scratch Tater Tot Hotdish.
- Brown the ground beef. Start by cooking the ground beef until no longer pink, then season with Worcestershire, soy sauce, and dry onion soup mix. It might sound a little weird, but trust me, the flavor is on point! Transfer the ground beef to a baking dish.
- Add the vegetables. Top the ground beef with frozen corn and green beans, or you can use your favorite frozen vegetables!
- Make the cream sauce. A simple mixture of chicken broth, milk and spices come together to create a delicious creamy sauce that's poured right over the ground beef and vegetables.
- Top with tater tots. Spread frozen tater tots over the sauce. The best part!
- Bake. Bake until hot and bubbly around the edges, then sprinkle with lots of cheddar cheese and continue to bake until melted.
- Serve. Enjoy while it's warm and the cheese is melty.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Is tater tot hotdish a midwest thing?
Hotdish is most definitely a midwest thing, primarily Minnesota. There are many types of hotdish, but they're always made with at least one scratch, protein, vegetable, and cream sauce.
What is considered hotdish?
Hotdish is always made with meat, vegetables, starch (such as potatoes, pasta or rice), cream sauce and usually cheese. It's all made in one dish and baked until hot and bubbly.
Most often, hotdish is made using cream of soup, but I always like to make my own homemade sauce!
What is the difference between hotdish and casserole?
Hotdish and casserole are actually the same thing. The word "hotdish" is commonly used in the Midwest, and more specifically in Minnesota.
What is tater tot hotdish made of?
Tater tot hotdish, like all other hot dish, is made with a protein (ground beef), vegetables (green beans and corn), starch (tater tots), and homemade cream of chicken soup. What really sets my tater tot hotdish apart from the others is my insanely delicious homemade sauce and lots of cheddar cheese!
Why do Minnesotans call it hotdish?
Hotdish has always been a staple for church basement potlucks in Minnesota. The story has it, the term "hotdish" first appeared in a cookbook in 1930 by a Mankato, Minnesota church group.
What sides go with tater tot hotdish?
One thing that I love about Tater Tot Hotdish it covers all the food groups! It has ground beef for protein, vegetables, and tater tots for some carbs! That said, most times I don't serve Tater Tot Hotdish with any sides, but sometimes I'll pair it with a side salad or freshly baked bread if I'm serving it to guests!
Storage Instructions
Tater Tot Hotdish stores incredibly well. Cover & store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Reheat Tater Tot Hotdish uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through and bubbly around the edges, about 20-30 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze leftovers, transfer to a freezer container (or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions). Freeze for up to 3 months.
To freeze the entire hotdish, see the instructions below under "Make Ahead."
Make ahead
Tater Tot Hotdish is best served freshly made! As the hotdish sits, the tater tots absorb some of the sauce, making it less saucy. But, you there are a few ways to make it ahead of time and avoid this problem.
Make ahead 1-2 days in advance: Brown the ground beef and add the seasoning, then make the cream sauce. Store both in separate containers in the fridge. When you're ready to bake, assemble the hotdish by starting with the ground beef, add the frozen vegetables, top with the cream sauce and finish with frozen tater tots. You'll need to add an extra 10-15 minutes onto the bake time.
Make ahead for freezing: Using a disposable aluminum baking dish, prepare the recipe in full, but instead of baking the hotdish, cover tightly with plastic wrap then tinfoil and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Bake the hotdish from frozen. You may need to cover with tinfoil if the tater tots are cooking too fast. As well, you will need to adjust the bake time and add on an extra 20-30 minutes. When the hotdish is hot and bubbly around the edges, top with cheddar cheese and bake until melty.
Variations & substitutions
- Meat: You can try using ground pork or ground chicken in place of the beef! I also have a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie Tater Tot Hotdish that you'll love!
- Vegetables: Add your favorite frozen vegetables in place of or in addition to the green beans and corn.
- Cream sauce. I highly recommend making homemade cream sauce, but if you're in a pinch, you can use two 10.5 ounce cans of cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom soup and mix with about ¼-1/2 cup of milk to thin it out before pouring over the meat and vegetables.
Recommended recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below! I'd love to hear from you! If you're on Instagram, share a picture of the food you created and tag me at Modern Farmhouse Eats! I enjoy seeing all the pictures! 😊
From-Scratch Tater Tot Hotdish
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ yellow onion diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 packet dry onion soup and dip mix
- 12 ounces frozen green beans
- 12 ounces frozen corn
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded (8 ounce block)
Creamy Sauce:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups milk (whole or 2%)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- To a skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until the beef is no longer pink. Mix in the Worcestershire, soy sauce, and dry onion soup mix. Evenly spread the beef into a 9x13 inch baking dish
- Add the frozen green beans and corn over the beef in an even layer.
- Using the same skillet or small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a light boil over medium-high heat. In a bowl, whisk together the milk, flour salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Worcestershire, and soy sauce until combined. While whisking, slowly pour the mixture into the boiling chicken broth until combined and thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables in baking dish, and lighlty mix together the beef, vegetables and sauce. You want to mostly keep the layers, but help some of the sauce reach the meat layer.
- Spread frozen tater tots over the top of the sauce.
- Cover with tinfoil and bake for about 45 minutes, until bubbling around the edges. Remove the tinfoil and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes uncovered until the cheese is melted and tater tots are crispy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
Laurie Swenson says
It's awesome to see Tater Tot Hot Dish as a from-scratch recipe. But it's "hot dish" (two words) and has been from the first iteration of the phrase in a 1930 church cookbook. Here in Minnesota, I rarely see "hotdish." I feel that the use of it started mockingly from non-Minnesotans, along with the very common insistence that this dish (and hot dish in general in Minnesota) must have canned cream soup and canned vegetables. (Of course, many hot dish recipes are from scratch, and many, perhaps most, recipes feature tomato-based sauces.)
Annie says
I’m very sorry but this dish is so bland. I followed the recipe exactly and it just has no flavor.
Rachel Kochlin says
Annie, I'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy the recipe! It's a family and friend favorite with lots of 5 star reviews. You can add a little extra soy sauce and Worcestershire to the cream sauce to boost that savory, umami flavor a bit more. You could also mix one cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the cream sauce. Hope that helps!
LaDonna Clements says
Your recipe has intrigued me to try this dish.
I’m going to try it very soon! I’m looking forward to the flavor! As for the veggies whether canned, frozen or fresh this is going to be great. Just adjust to your budget or use what you have on hand. It’s the flavor of the spices and sauces together that I’m looking at. Thank you for doing all work to come up with a winner! .
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
LaDonna, thank you so much for your kind message!! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Beth says
This is a great recipe. I had left over mushroom gravy from our vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner. The recipe I use for the gravy is similar but also calls for some dry white wine in it as well- This is a great addition to the cream soup base if you are making homemade. I chop the mushrooms finely so the non mushroom eaters don't even know they are there. For the hot dish, I add diced fresh carrots and onion, the only frozen item I used was the peas. I am not a real fan of peas, but this is a must in this recipe. I did not add the beans or the meat, but did add the corn. You could use a meat alternative if you eat vegetarian but I really don't think it is necessary. The only other addition was some chopped fresh parsley. Truly a wonderful hotdish. My husband who refuses to eat mushrooms said this was the best tater tot hot dish he has ever had. I have to agree. You have an amazing recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Emily Stene says
Quick question! Most onion soup mixes come in 2 oz boxes with 2 1-ounce packets inside. Your recipe calls for 1 2-ounce packet dry onion soup mix- is that correct, or did you mean 1 1-ounce packet? Thanks a bunch!!
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
Emily, thank you for bringing that to my attention! You just need one packet. I hope you love the recipe!
Laurie Swenson says
Your recipe looks delicious and creative, and I like that you included freezing and reheating instructions. That said, hot dish (two words; the one-word spelling is a novelty that didn't originate in Minnesota) is not "always made with at least one [starch], protein, vegetable, and cream sauce." It is also not always made with canned soups and canned or frozen veggies, as people frequently say, but it often is. The most common hot dish around me is made from hamburger, pasta and tomato-based pasta sauce. Tater Tot hot dish is very popular, as is wild rice hot dish. But we Minnesotans call any casserole a hot dish, which is just another term for the same thing. Also, the recipe that appeared in that Mankato cookbook in 1930 was for hot dish, not hotdish.
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
Thank you for your insight, but I prefer the one-word spelling.
Matthew says
It's definitely a 1-word word.
Jim says
Go gate keep somewhere else. Maybe touch some grass.
Mikayla says
Hi Laurie - you sound like you need to get laid. Go fuck yourself.
Smitty Jost says
Will Make Again and sharing the recipe. Thank you!
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
That's the sign of a great recipe! Thank you so much!
Allison G says
This was excellent! I love that it’s made from scratch and I don’t need to use store bought canned goods. I used venison burger instead of hamburger, my own frozen vegetables from my garden and I added some shredded cheese in between the vegetable and sauce layers. My family devoured it! It tasted just as good as leftovers for lunch the next day as it did for the meal I made it for.
Not a Midwesterner says
Frozen frozen frozen package frozen and then you claim victory for making one component yourself?
Wow. Sounds like someone emptying the freezer rather than cooking.
I've been trying to imagine some more healthy (not to mention tasty) version of this: why not do this with fresh vegetables, fresh onions and fresh potatoes? Make a nice creamy sauce, why not - sort of a Midwestern Moussaka. Start with a layer of sauce, layer of beef, layer of potatoes, layer of vegetables, etc until you finish with sauce and cheese. I wouldn't mind eating that, but to the frozen concoction here I would say "let it go".
I understand that if you're snowed in for 4 months a year you're not looking for a trip to the grocery store (and everything is frozen anyway) but still, let's start with fresh products if we can. For health reasons if nothing else.
Good luck!
Modern Farmhouse Eats says
If you aren't even going to try the recipe, why leave a negative review?? There is absolutely nothing wrong with using frozen vegetables, and not everyone has time to make homemade tater tots! My goal here was to avoid canned vegetables (from a texture perspective) and canned cream of chicken soup, which is filled with questionable ingredients. I've had plenty of rave reviews on this hotdish.
Former midwesterner says
No one said you have to make it. Keep negative comments to yourself unless you make it and eat it. I teach young children and host a cooking class with them. I teach them to always try something new first before saying “I don’t like it! Yuck!”
Matthew says
To be fair, frozen vegetables (not that I cook with them that often) are actually healthier than many "fresh" ones. Since frozen vegetables are picked at the peak of freshness than flash frozen. And many fresh vegetables are picked a few days before they're ripe so they're not bad when they actually arrive on the shelves. While over those few days they're sprayed with chemicals to attain the appearance of ripe, despite not actually being so in many cases.
Chris says
Unless you have fresh vegetables year round, frozen is the best alternative. Flash freezing them fresh doesn't do much of anything to the nutritional value, and if you think it does, you have been lied to.
Just shut up and go to a fancier food blog if you need something like that. Maybe start your own if you have so many ideas? Seriously.
Shelly says
Do you want a cookie for not using frozen stuff? Sorry you didn’t get enough attention as a child so you have to resort to being insufferable on a recipe review. Go touch grass.
Michelle says
Hi. How are ya? Go fuck yourself!
Teri says
My mother taught me, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. You should try it.
Alex says
We absolutely love this recipe in our house! It's frequent rotation during the colder months for sure. I love that Rachel figured out a way to make this classic with a better-for-you twist to it by not using canned soup. Love love love!