Tater Tot Hotdish

Name: Tater Tot Hotdish
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds ground venison; 1 yellow onion; 2 ribs celery; 1 ounce dried mushrooms; 3 cloves garlic; salt and black pepper; 2 teaspoons marjoram or savory or thyme; 1 tablespoon dry mustard; 1 cup heavy cream; 6 ounces frozen peas; 6 ounces shredded cheese; 32 ounces tater tots; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

User Reviews

4.9

78 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings
8 servings
Calories
595 kcal
Course
Main Course, Lunch
Cuisine
American

Tater Tot Hotdish

Elizabeth Hodge

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An Upper Midwest classic, this recipe works with any meat, not just venison, and you can either use canned cream of mushroom soup, or make your own, which is easy.

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Ingredients

Servings

2 pounds ground venison (or other meat)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 ounce dried mushrooms (about 2 handfuls)
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons marjoram or savory or thyme, divided
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces frozen peas, or other frozen vegetables
6 ounces shredded cheese
32 ounces tater tots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

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Instructions

Brown the ground venison in a large pan; use a little oil if the grind has no extra fat. After it has mostly browned, add the celery and chopped onions and keep cooking until the meat is nicely browned and the onions are soft, about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the dried mushrooms. Turn off the heat and let them soak.
Add the chopped garlic and some salt to the pan with the meat and onions. Cook this over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring well.
Fish out the mushrooms, squeeze them to remove excess moisture and chop roughly. If the soaking water is full of debris, strain it. If not, pour about 1/3 into the pan with the meat and onions. Bring this to a boil.
Add half the marjoram and mustard to the meat mixture and boil this down until it's mostly dry.
While this is happening, preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the mushrooms, another 1/3 of the soaking water, the other half of the marjoram, a pinch of salt and black pepper, and the cream into a blender and puree. If it's too thick, add a little more soaking water. Taste it and add more salt if need be. Pour this into the pan with the meat, add the peas and stir well.
Pour all this into a casserole dish; a typical 9x13" works well. Spread it evenly. Add a layer of grated cheese over everything, as thick as you want. Then arrange tater tots to cover it all, pressing in a little. Bake for 45 minutes uncovered.
Take it out of the oven, let it cool a bit before serving, ans sprinkle with parsley, if using.

Notes

If you don't want to make your own cream of mushroom soup, simply use 1 or 2 cans of the stuff. I don't love it, but many do.

Nutrition Information

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Calories 595kcal (30%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 35g (70%) Fat 34g (52%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 10g Cholesterol 141mg (47%) Sodium 741mg (31%) Potassium 857mg (24%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 835IU (17%) Vitamin C 19mg (21%) Calcium 170mg (17%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 595 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	595kcal	30%
Carbohydrates	39g	13%
Protein	35g	70%
Fat	34g	52%
Saturated Fat	15g	75%
Polyunsaturated Fat	5g	29%
Monounsaturated Fat	10g	50%
Cholesterol	141mg	47%
Sodium	741mg	31%
Potassium	857mg	18%
Fiber	5g	20%
Sugar	3g	6%
Vitamin A	835IU	17%
Vitamin C	19mg	21%
Calcium	170mg	17%
Iron	5mg	28%