Tater tots, which are cylindrical pieces of potato that have been deep-fried, are typically served as a side dish.
It is registered as a trademark by Ore-Ida a frozen food manufacturer in the United States but is used as a generic name.
“Taters” is short for potatoes.
Tater Tot Casserole is a delectable and simple-to-prepare dish that everyone will enjoy.
Coating layers of tater tots, meat, and vegetables with a basic sauce and then frying them until hot and bubbly is superficial, creamy, and wonderful.
The best part is making this tater tot casserole with whatever you have in your refrigerator!
While you use frozen vegetables in this recipe, fresh vegetables can also be utilized!
The frozen vegetables are convenient because they don’t need to be prepared; all I have to do is rinse them in a sieve and pour them into the slow cooker.
If you’re using fresh vegetables, there’s no need to prepare them ahead of time; just cut them up small and toss them in with the rest of the recipe.
The entire recipe will take a few minutes to prepare in your slow cooker, and you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand.
This easy Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole is delicious on its own, but we love it with a fresh green salad and crusty bread!
Recipe for Slow cooker tater tot casserole
You may make a lot of different versions of this recipe.
Ground turkey, shredded buffalo chicken, or ground pork can be substituted for ground beef.
If you don’t want to consume meat, you can leave it out totally.
It would be great to add some enchilada sauce or cream of mushroom soup to this casserole.
If you like the flavor of taco seasoning, you can double the amount used in this recipe.
The casserole will become overly salty if you go too far with the salt. To make this casserole even
more tasty and nutritious, you can easily add more veggies.
Some chopped mushrooms, for example, will complement the rest of the ingredients perfectly.
Tater Tot Casserole Accompaniments:
- There is no need for side dishes or extras with this casserole as it is delicious. If you want something extra to go with, here are some suggestions.
- Sour cream and fresh guacamole are my favorite toppings for this meal. I usually top the casserole with a spoonful of each condiment.
- I recommend a mild green salad as a side dish to balance off the richness of the casserole. A basic salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and an excellent homemade dressing is what I usually make.
Check out below for instructions on creating this Tater Tot Casserole in the Slow Cooker.
Alternatively, you can find the complete recipe below:
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) frozen tater tots
- 500 g (1.1 lb) ground beef
- 250 g (8.8 oz) bacon, roughly chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning (30g/1 oz)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Step By Step Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crispy in a skillet over high heat. Place to the side once crisp.
- Fry the ground beef in the same pan until it is browned. Drain and set aside after browning.
- In the slow cooker, add all the ingredients and mix.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Serve & Enjoy.
Recipe Tips:
- If you don’t like cheddar, you can substitute another type of cheese.
- I strongly advise pre-cooking the ground beef to keep the casserole from turning too soupy. Uncooked bacon can be added to the slow cooker, but it will not crisp up.
- Although crispy bacon is not required, it does enhance the texture and flavor of the dish.
- If you can’t get enough cheese, add some more. Scatter the remaining cup on top of the dish.
- If you can’t get taco seasoning in a packet, you can always make taco seasoning from home. You only need a few basic spices in your pantry.
How to Make Cheesy Ground Beef Tater Tot Casserole in the Crockpot?
Here is a rundown of the steps to making tater tot casserole.
- Prepare the ground meat by browning it in a skillet.
- Slice the onion into small pieces.
- Remove the green beans from the water.
- Combine all ingredients except the tater tots and cheese in a mixing bowl.
- Transfer the tater tots to the slow cooker.
- Evenly distribute the ground beef mixture on top.
- In a slow cooker, simmer on low for 7 hours.
- When the dish is finished cooking, sprinkle it with cheese.
- Take pleasure in all of your family’s compliments on how delicious this food is!
Nutrition Information
- Calories: 348
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Protein: 24g
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Cholesterol: 83mg
- Sodium: 561mg
- Potassium: 407mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 1g
- Vitamin A: 2726IU
- Vitamin C: 6mg
- Calcium: 309 mg
- Iron: 2mg
Tater tots with more nutrition for which Adaptations that have been suggested:
- Use ground beef to make this dish. Are you a turkey hater? In this healthier tater tot casserole, use a pound of ground beef instead of ground turkey. You can remove any excess grease from the pan after sautéing the meat before continuing with the rest of the dish.
- This tater tot dish can be made vegetarian. I haven’t tested any vegetarian alternatives to this recipe yet. Cooked lentils, mushrooms, or a combination of the two would provide a terrific texture and flavor replacement for the ground meat.
- Make it lactose-free. Instead of adding milk, use all of the broth. You can use a dairy-free cheese or leave it out entirely for the cheese. Many tater tot casseroles don’t even include cheese!
- Instead of frozen vegetables, use fresh ones. Cook a large finely diced carrot with the onion at the start of the dish, then add peas and corn if desired. You may be as creative as you like and use whatever vegetables you have on hand, such as mushrooms, peppers, green beans, and cauliflower. Ensure your vegetables are tender before adding the tater tot topping to the oven.
- Use gluten-free tater tots to make the recipe gluten-free. Tater tots are made using potatoes, but what is frequently used. If you require gluten-free products, read the ingredients on the bag and verify that they are gluten-free certified.
- With a homemade sauce and a healthy dose of fresh vegetables, tater tot casserole became healthier. This comfort food staple will delight you and your family.
- This tater tot dish is made with minced turkey, a tasty homemade sauce, and simple frozen vegetables. This is a substantial, cozy meal recipe that pulls together quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What Was the Origin of Tater Tot Casserole?
It was first heard about it from another considerable family, and the recipe was tried.
Since then, several more large families have cited it as a staple in their homes.
The dish was passed about as a quick and easy meal to feed a large group.
We also discovered that the dish had been featured on a popular reality TV show.
After doing some investigation, it was discovered that tater tot casserole originated in the United States Upper Midwest region, where the dish is still popular today.
Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota, in particular.
Is Slow cooker Tater Tot Casserole Required to Be Frozen?
Because of my specialization in Slow cooker Freezer Meals, you must know I enjoy showing people how to prepare their recipes for freezing, especially when they are simple, when your life is in chaos mode, like mine, having a few of these fast meals put together in the freezer for you to pull from is a huge help!
What’s the deal with my Tater Tot Casserole being so watery?
What’s the deal with my potato tot casserole dish being so runny?
It will be liquid when you remove it from the oven.
It will thicken up a little on its own as it cools.
If you want it to be a little thicker, just let it cool for a few minutes.
How well does Tater Tot Casserole reheat?
You have two options for reheating Tater Tot Casserole: Cover leftovers in a pan with foil and reheat for 30 minutes at 350°.
Place pieces on a microwave-safe platter and reheat for 1-2 minutes on high power.
(Note that the crispiness of the tater tots will be lost in the microwave.)
Conclusion
It’s not only one of the best comfort food dishes you can make in your slow cooker, but it’s also a terrific dish for feeding a party.
This dish will serve around eight people from a single batch.
The entire dish will only take a few minutes to prepare in your slow cooker, and you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand!
This simple Slow Cooker Tater Tot Casserole is a great meal in and of itself, but we like to serve it with a fresh green salad and crusty bread.
Slow cooker tater tot casserole
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 kg tater tots
- 500 g beef
- 250 g bacon
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- 1 taco seasoning 30g/1 oz
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Cook the bacon until crispy in a skillet over high heat. Place to the side once crisp.
- Fry the ground beef in the same pan until it is browned. Drain and set aside after browning.
- In the slow cooker, add all the ingredients and mix.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Serve & Enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
I have a true passion for cooking and experimenting with new ingredients, and I have been creating and perfecting recipes for friends and family for years.
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