Tater Tot Topped Shepherd’s Pie

I’m starting to get the hang of the whole grocery-shopping-every-three-weeks thing.

The first two weeks are great. My meals are packed full of fresh vegetables and fruit. The third week is the “lean” week. That’s the mad-dash to make casseroles and use whatever is left in the fridge/freezer. By the end of the third week I’m basically craving fresh produce.

This week I’ve survived off of two casseroles. This one is a classic, sort of—it’s a mix between Shepherd’s Pie and Tater Tot casserole. There’s nothing good or healthy about either of those casseroles, but they’ll work in a pinch…especially if your grocery shopping once every three to four weeks.

I low key loved this casserole. It’s pretty close to perfection. The casserole has this great homey taste that almost instantly transports you to a 1950’s kitchen. It will fill you up in a flash and you’ll be feeling satisfied afteward. No midninght runs to the fridge after eating this for dinner.

Out of the two casseroles I made this week, this one definitely takes the cake. I’ve been excited to heat up the leftovers (which are great despite the less-than-toasty tater tops) and ready to dig in on my dinner breaks.

The best thing about casseroles like this is you can make them ahead and freeze them if you wish. Tight wrap this one up in foil and freeze for a few weeks and then reheat in the oven later (it’ll take about an hour at 350 to reheat).

If that’s not your thing, then just wrap it tightly and keep in the fridge. The leftovers will keep well for up to a week.

Enjoy!

Tater Tot Topped Shepherd's Pie

• Servings: 6-8
• Time: 1 hour
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

A hearty beef and vegetable casserole topped with cheesy tater tots.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 (16 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables
• 3/4 cup French fried onions
• 2 (10 3/4 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 4 cups frozen tater tots
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium high heat until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Spray a 13×9″ baking dish with cooking spray. Add meat to the pan and top with frozen vegetables and French fried onions.
3. In a small bowl, stir together both cans of soup, milk, garlic powder and pepper. Pour over the top of the beef and vegetables.
4. Top casserole with frozen tater tots, covering the top of the casserole. Bake for 55-60 minutes.
5. Sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium high heat until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Spray a 13×9″ baking dish with cooking spray. Add meat to the pan and top with frozen vegetables and French fried onions.

In a small bowl, stir together both cans of soup, milk, garlic powder and pepper. Pour over the top of the beef and vegetables. Top casserole with frozen tater tots, covering the top of the casserole. Bake for 55-60 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese on top of the casserole and return to oven for another 5-10 minutes