Description
Hearty shepherd’s pie tater tot casserole merges classic comfort with modern twist, blending savory ground beef and crispy potato gems. Delicious layers promise a satisfying meal that brings family together with simple, irresistible goodness you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Ingredients:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced yellow onions
Vegetables and Sauce Ingredients:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) canned corn
- 1/2 cup water
- 0.87 ounces (25 grams) beef gravy mix
- 1/2 cup milk
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
Mashed Potato Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
- 4 ounces (113 grams) instant mashed potato mix
Topping Ingredients:
- 28 ounces (794 grams) frozen tater tots
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks.
- Add diced onions to the skillet and sauté until the onions become translucent and the meat is completely cooked through.
- Incorporate canned corn with its liquid, water, and beef gravy mix into the meat mixture. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder, stirring to create a cohesive and flavorful sauce.
- Spread the seasoned beef mixture evenly across the prepared baking dish, creating a uniform base layer.
- Prepare instant mashed potatoes by boiling water and margarine, then removing from heat. Stir in potato mix and milk, letting it rest for one minute before whisking until smooth and creamy.
- Carefully spread the mashed potato layer over the beef mixture, ensuring complete coverage.
- Arrange frozen tater tots in a single, neat layer across the mashed potato surface.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tater tots turn crispy and golden brown.
- Sprinkle a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the casserole, then return to the oven for an additional 4-6 minutes until cheese melts and becomes lightly golden.
- Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before serving, allowing flavors to meld and settle.
Notes
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a lighter, healthier alternative that reduces saturated fat intake.
- Create a gluten-free version by using cornstarch instead of traditional gravy mix and checking ingredient labels carefully.
- Enhance nutritional value by adding diced carrots or peas to the beef mixture for extra vegetables and color.
- Customize cheese topping by experimenting with different cheese blends like pepper jack or Swiss for unique flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 470 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg