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Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole is a hearty ground beef casserole and a delicious twist to classic Shepherd’s Pie. Ground beef and frozen vegetables simmer in a richly seasoned beef broth base, topped with crispy golden brown tater tots, and then finished off with shredded cheddar cheese.
For more dinnertime wins with tater tots be sure and try my BBQ Beef Tater Tot Casserole and Chicken Pot Pie Tater Tot Casserole.
Recipe For Shepherd’s Pie With Tater Tots
Your family is going to love this twist to classic Shepherd’s Pie! Traditionally, a Shepherd’s Pie uses creamy mashed potatoes as the topping – instead we’re using crispy and golden brown tater tots to mimmic that potato topping but with the fun taste and texture of tater tots.
And who doesn’t love tater tots?! I know all my kids do so this is always a dinnertime win at my house, even with all the frozen veggies in it.
Simple to make with one skillet pan, ground beef, frozen tater tots, dried seasonings, beef broth, and some frozen veggies. Your family is gong to love this one!
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef : I use 93/7 ground beef but any percentage fat of ground beef will work. You could even substitute with ground lamb, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- Onion : Make sure the onion is finely diced so it’s similar in size to the other veggies. I use a yellow onion as it’s the most mild onion; but a white onion or sweet onion can also be used.
- Garlic Cloves : Use fresh garlic cloves or the equivalent to 2 garlic cloves in minced garlic from a jar or garlic paste.
- Frozen Mixed Peas & Carrots : This is a mixed bag of peas and carrots (mixed) that you can find in the frozen section near the other frozen vegetables.
- Beef Broth : I use reduced-sodium beef broth but regular beef broth can also be used.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Dried Thyme
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- All-Purpose Flour : This helps to thicken the broth base of the shepherd’s pie mixture.
- Frozen Tater Tots
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese : For the best taste and smooth melt, I always recommend buying a block of cheese and using a box grater to shred it yourself.
How To Make Easy Shepherd’s Pie With Tater Tots
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until it’s no longer pink. About 6-8 minutes.
Add the finely diced onion and garlic cloves into the skillet and continue cooking, while stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. About 5 minutes. You may need to turn down the heat to medium during this cook time to avoid burning the onion.
Drain any excess fat or liquid from the pan if needed.
Stir in the frozen peas and carrots, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer (a light boil).
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over top of everything and stir to combine. Cook, while stirring, for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and to thicken the mixture.
Transfer the shepherd’s pie mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the ground beef mixture, covering it completely with the tater tots.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the tater tots.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown, crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
How To Store Leftovers
Refrigerator : Once leftovers have cooled to room temperature, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave until heated through.
Freezer : You can freeze the assembled casserole without baking it first. Or you can divide the casserole recipe between two 8×8-inch baking pans and serve one for dinner and save one for later. Wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap and then wrap again in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight and then bake as directed. Please note that tater tots can become mushy once frozen and then thawed, so the texture may be different when freezing this casserole.
Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole Recipe FAQ’s
Can I Use A Different Cheese?
Yes! Any variety of cheese that you prefer can be used, or you can even mix and match and use some of each. Try shredded Pepper Jack cheese for some spice, shredded mozzarella cheese, or a Cheddar blend shredded cheese.
Can I Use Fresh Vegetables Instead of Frozen?
Yes you can, although you will have to cut the fresh carrots into small pieces (similar in size to the peas) and then sauté them until softened. Once softened, you can then add them into the skillet pan mixture with the ground beef and other things.
Can I Use A Different Ground Meat?
Yes, you can use ground lamb (which is traditional more of a Shepherd’s Pie protein choice), ground turkey or even ground chicken if wanted.
How Can I Make This Gluten-Free?
Use a gluten-free flour or cornstarch to thicken the sauce, and ensure that the Worcestershire sauce and beef broth you are using are also certified gluten-free products.
Can I Prepare The Casserole In Advance?
Yes, you can assemble the casserole up until the point of baking it, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, add a few extra minutes (about 5-10 minutes) to the bake time to ensure that it is heated through.
More Casserole Recipes To Try
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
- Dump & Bake Meatball Casserole
- Spaghetti Casserole
- Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole
- Pepperoni Pizza Biscuit Casserole
- Cheesy Doritos Chicken Casserole
- Dump and Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
- Cheesy Potato Bacon Casserole
Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or pressed, chopped garlic from a jar, or garlic paste)
- 2 cups frozen mixed peas and carrots
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large skillet pan, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until it's no longer pink. About 6-8 minutes.1 lb ground beef
- Add the finely diced onion and garlic cloves into the skillet and continue cooking, while stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. About 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat/grease from the pan if needed. * You may need to turn down the heat to medium during this cook time to avoid burning the onion.1 yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the frozen peas and carrots, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer (a light boil).2 cups frozen mixed peas and carrots, 1 cup beef broth, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over top of everything and stir to combine. Cook, while stirring, for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and to thicken the mixture.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Transfer the shepherd's pie mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the ground beef mixture, covering it completely with the tater tots.1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the tater tots.1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown, crispy, and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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