Tater Tot casserole

The original title of this recipe is "Healthier Tater Tot Casserole" from the Houston Chronicle.  I made this last week with minor changes - left out mushrooms this go-round.  
The combo of veggies is labor-intensive to prep, but they make it sooo good!

Hot-from-the-oven comfort food!

Tater Tot Casserole

1 med. onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 med. carrots, peeled and diced
3/4 c. sliced mushrooms
1 1/2 pound ground turkey
S, P, 1 T paprika
1 2lb. bag frozen tater tots
2 cans cream of mushroom soup (low sodium or healthy version)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 and get a deep 13x9 dish ready.  Saute the onion in the olive oil in a large skillet about 5 minutes.  Add the veggies and the turkey.  Cook, stirring on medium heat about 5 minutes more until the turkey is broken up and getting cooked; season with salt, pepper, and paprika.

Lower the heat, cover it, and get the tots ready.

Mix the two cans of soup with a little water or milk, maybe a quarter of a can.  This will make it easier to get the tots all coated and spread out on top of the meat mixture.

You gotta toss the tots in the soup quickly before they all clump up in a frozen glob!

Pour the hot meat mixture in the casserole dish,

and top with the tots.  A little cheese over the top never hurt anyone.  

Bake for about 50 minutes. 

The cheese doesn't overcook like you think it might - but if you wanted to, you could wait the last 10 minutes to put it on the top. Yes, I know my pictures aren't great - you just have to trust me on this!

It was saucey on the bottom, but if you let it sit to cool a bit, it gets a little thicker.  We couldn't wait that long to dig in and we don't mind that a bit.  The leftovers disappeared the next day...try it and see what you think! 

Shared with: