Dinner is served in an all-in-one dinner pie; Cheesy Tater Tot Dinner Pie. Beef and/or ground turkey, mixed veggies, cheesy sauce, topped with those favorite Tots! A true comfort food dinner that can easily be altered for your tastebuds!
Did you know that there’s a National Tater Tot Day? Yep, it’s February 2nd. Like Napolean Dynamite, TOTS! Not gonna share with Randy or anyone!
This is also one of those dinners, provided you have the staple ingredients, dinner can be on the table in just a little over 1 hour! Make ahead? Yes. Just keep the tots frozen until it’s time to go into the oven.
This recipe does away with canned cream of whatever soup, a staple in my home growing up. However, controlling what goes into our food is rather important these days. The sauce is a simple bechamel sauce (milk, flour, butter) and simply adding grated cheddar (Tillamook Cheddar is superb). The cheese melts into the sauce; 5 minutes from start to finish. It would almost take that long to go to cupboard, open up can of soup, scoop it out, thin with milk, heat up to melt cheese, well, you get it.
First off, brown the meat of choice with the chopped onions. Add in 12 oz. of frozen veggies and a little water and simmer until green beans are fork tender. Stir in the cheese sauce.
Place the entire contents into a deep dish pie plate or baking dish. Top with another 1/2 cup of shredded cheese, and frozen tots and bake @ 375 for 45 minutes.
When it emerges from the oven it will be bubbling and sizzling around the edges. But, please, let it cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving. No tongue scorching allowed; it’s the worst way to start off any meal!
Sprinkle on a little more season salt to taste and enjoy this Cheesy Tater Tot Dinner Pie, even if it’s not National Tater Tot Day!
Cheesy Tater Tot Dinner Pie
Ingredients
Meat & Veggie Filling & Tot Topping
- One 2 lb. bag frozen Tater Tots
- 1.25 lb. ground beef, turkey, or 50/50 beef & pork or turkey
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 12 oz. frozen veggies (or 2 cups of fresh veggies of choice, i.e.,carrots, green beans, peas, etc.)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup shredded Tillamook cheddar, gruyere, or gouda cheese (for assembling, not for sauce)
Bechamel Cheese Sauce**
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten free blend)
- 1-1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon season salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or moreto taste)1
- 1-1/2 cup shredded Tillamook cheddar cheese
Instructions
Meat & Veggie Filling
- Preheat Oven to 375 F.
- In a skillet, brown the meat of choice with thechopped onions until meat is no longer pink.
- Add the frozen mixed veggies and 1/2 cup water to the browned meat & onions, bring to a simmer. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes until green beans are just barely fork tender and the water has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside and prepare the cheese sauce.
Bechamel Cheese Sauce
- In a sauce pan, over medium high heat, melt the butter and add in the flour. Whisk for about 1 minute while it sizzles.
- Whisk in the the milk, cooking and whisking constantly until the mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat, add in seasonings and cheese; stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
Assembly & Baking
- Stir the cheese sauce into the beef-vegetable mixture. Place contents into a 10-inch deep dish pie plate or baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese of choice. Place frozen tots on top.
- Bake uncovered at 375 F. for 45 minutes.
