Tater Tot Casserole

This Tater Tot Casserole is made with bell peppers and a homemade soup that puts any canned soup to shame. So rich, creamy, cheesy and just utterly delicious. The flavors and textures are amazing and it comes together really fast. A low effort keeper that the whole family can enjoy, even pickiest eaters. As always you can’t taste it is vegan.

I think we all can agree that tater tots are and always will be something from our childhood that won’t become less tempting just because we are adults.

These are timeless with many memories.

And what could be better than making a hearty, comforting casserole full of those?

You have seen a lot of yummy casseroles here. Just think of the Broccoli Rice Casserole, the Zucchini Casserole, or my Taco Casserole. 

There are more Casserole Recipes to try, so look browse around and enjoy many more ideas.

Why this is the best Tater Tot Casserole

First of all, there is no canned soup in this. Instead I include a homemade soup and that really makes all the difference. Therefore it is so easy to make and you get such an amazing flavor and texture.

The result is rich and creamy. Simply the food that you love and enjoy, even kids will eat this.

Step by step pictures show you each and every step in detail. So it is like you and me are together in the kitchen like friends that cook together. And you know cooking with friends is always great.

The flavors are spot on. I used red chili flakes, mustard powder, garlic, onion powder, hot sauce and that combination really transforms this casserole to such an delectable result.

What you need for this Tater Tot Casserole recipe

• Tater tots
• Vegan ground beef
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Onions
• Bell pepper
• Hot sauce
• Red pepper flakes
• Vegan Worchester Sauce
• Vegan cheddar

And here is what’s in this homemade soup

• Vegan butter
• Coconut milk
• Vegetable broth
• Flour
• Onion powder
• Mustard powder
• Garlic powder
• Vegan cheddar

How to make Tater Tot Casserole

Preheat oven to 410°F. At this point please set a 8×11 inch casserole dish ready, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Start by baking your tater tots according to the package directions.

Making the soup

In a Dutch oven or saucepan, melt vegan butter, then add flour. Stir in coconut milk and vegetable broth until the soup starts thickening a little.

Further add mustard powder, garlic, onion powder, 1 cup vegan cheddar (reserve rest for later). Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until everything is well combined to a creamy mixture, then remove from heat.

Heat olive oil in a pan. Add garlic, onions, bell pepper, and fry until everything is lightly golden.

Give the vegan ground beef, vegan Worchester Sauce, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for 5 minutes more.

Last but not least, transfer the beef and vegetable mixture from the pan to the soup and mix together.

Assembling the Tater Tot Casserole

Start with half of the soup mixture on the bottom of your casserole dish. Then arrange half of the tater tots on top of that. Repeat and sprinkle remaining vegan cheddar on top.

Bake for around 10 minutes, remove from oven.

Please allowed to cool down a bit, this will help to set up the texture and taste even better before serving on plates.

Storage and freezing

Leftovers stay fresh for around 4 days in the fridge if you use an airtight container. So this a great meal prep recipe to make in advance.

For freezing: prepare the Tater Tot Casserole except using the cheese on top. Keep in mind to use an freezer friendly container. Put it in the freezer only after you have made sure that it has completely cooled down. This way the casserole will be good for around 3 months.

To reheat: make sure to thaw completely, preferably overnight. When ready, bake with cheese on top and enjoy.

Tips and tricks for my Tater Tot Casserole

To save time you can make the soup in advance and store in fridge up to 4 days ahead.

As you can see in the instructions, I baked my tater tots for an extra crispy texture. My experience is that this really makes this casserole delicious. You can skip this step, but you will need a longer baking time in the final step. I definitely recommend to bake the tater tots before, because it is just worth for the taste and texture.

Also this is a great meal that you can easily double or triple the batch. Just make sure to also adjust the casserole dish size.

If you try this Tater Tot Casserole, tag me on Instagram or Facebook. 

Tell and show me all about your remakes.

Cheers, Florian.