Minnesota Tater Tot Hotdish

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch skillet
• •9x13-inch baking dish
• •Wooden spoon
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and prepare

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. Pull your frozen vegetables from the freezer now so they begin to temper while you work.

2. 2

   Brown the beef

   Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it into rough chunks with a wooden spoon. Let it sit undisturbed for two minutes to develop a brown crust on the bottom. Then stir and continue cooking, breaking the meat into smaller pieces, until no pink remains and you've built up good color throughout. This takes eight to ten minutes. Properly browned beef tastes like beef. Gray, steamed meat tastes like nothing.

   Resist the urge to constantly stir. Contact with the hot pan builds flavor through the Maillard reaction.
3. 3

   Build the aromatics

   Push the beef to one side of the pan. Add the diced onion to the cleared space and cook for three minutes, until softened and beginning to turn golden at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for thirty seconds more, just until fragrant. Stir everything together. Season with the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. The kitchen should smell savory and inviting.

4. 4

   Create the sauce

   Reduce heat to medium. Add both cans of cream of mushroom soup and the milk. Stir thoroughly, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. These fond bits carry tremendous flavor. Let the mixture simmer for two minutes, stirring occasionally, until it comes together into a cohesive, creamy sauce.

5. 5

   Add vegetables and cheese

   Remove the skillet from heat. Fold in the frozen green beans, frozen corn, and one cup of the shredded cheddar cheese. The vegetables will go in frozen. The oven's heat will cook them through. Stir until the cheese begins to melt into the warm mixture.

6. 6

   Assemble the hotdish

   Transfer the beef and vegetable mixture to your prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Scatter the remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the top. Now arrange the frozen tater tots in neat, orderly rows across the entire surface. Pack them close together. You want full coverage with no gaps. Brush the tops of the tots with the melted butter.

   Neat rows aren't just about appearance. Evenly spaced tots crisp uniformly. Chaos leads to some burning while others stay pale.
7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Place the dish in your preheated oven and bake uncovered for 45 to 55 minutes. You're looking for tater tots that have turned deep golden brown and crisp on top, with the filling bubbling visibly around the edges. The cheese beneath the tots should be melted and beginning to brown where it peeks through. If the tots are browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final fifteen minutes.

8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Remove the hotdish from the oven and let it rest for ten minutes. This cooling period allows the filling to set up slightly, making serving easier and preventing burned tongues. The tots will stay crisp. Scatter chopped chives over the top for color and a mild onion brightness. Serve directly from the baking dish with a large spoon, making sure each portion gets a generous layer of crispy tots.

Chef Tips

• •The 80/20 ground beef matters. Leaner meat produces a drier, less flavorful filling. You need that fat to carry flavor and create richness in the sauce.
• •If cream of mushroom soup offends your sensibilities, you can make a quick roux-based sauce with butter, flour, beef stock, and sautéed mushrooms. But understand that the canned soup is authentic to the tradition. This is what Minnesota grandmothers use.
• •Shred your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting and create a grainy texture in the sauce.
• •This hotdish travels beautifully. Cover tightly with foil, transport in an insulated bag, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 20 minutes at your destination. The tots will crisp back up.
• •Serve with a simple green salad dressed in tangy vinaigrette. The acidity cuts through the richness and provides necessary contrast.

Advance Preparation

• •The beef and vegetable filling can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time when starting with a cold filling.
• •The fully assembled but unbaked hotdish can be covered tightly and refrigerated overnight. Bake directly from the refrigerator, adding 15 minutes to the cooking time.
• •Leftovers reheat beautifully. Cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes, then remove foil for the final 10 minutes to re-crisp the tots.
• •The hotdish freezes well for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 470g)