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Vegetarian Tater Tot Casserole

in Entrees, Other

One of my family’s staple meals growing up was tater tot casserole.  It was a dish that my brother frequently made, and something that all of my family members really enjoyed.  A few weeks ago my dad mentioned something about tater tot casserole and that we had not eaten it in ages.  Well, it really got a craving for the delicious dish going for me.  So, of course, I had to make it!  Most tater tot casseroles generally contain ground beef.  As a vegetarian, however, I obviously could not eat the “traditional” tater tot casserole.  So, I created my own vegetarian version!  And let me tell you…it did not disappoint!  If you want a yummy, yet ridiculously easy, recipe to try then this is definitely one for you :).

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Vegetarian Tater Tot Casserole

Servings: 4-5

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Ingredients

EVOO cooking spray
water, for cooking
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 16 oz package of frozen mixed vegetables
1 10.5 oz can of low-fat cream of mushroom condensed soup (I used 98% fat-free)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup of part-skim shredded cheddar cheese
frozen tater tots (I used about half of a 1 pound package)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a casserole dish with EVOO cooking spray.

2. Line a medium skillet with a thin layer of water.  Heat over medium-high heat until the water is very hot.  Add in onions and garlic, lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 8 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften.  Add additional water, as needed.

3. Add the frozen mixed vegetables and cook an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the soup and spices.   Pour the vegetable and soup mixture into the casserole dish.  Sprinkle the vegetables with cheese.

5. Place tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

6. Remove the foil and cook an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the tater tots are crispy.

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7. Let the casserole sit for about 5 minutes to firm up a bit.

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I ate my Vegetarian Tater Tot Casserole with a side of fresh cantaloupe.

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It was good!  And I can honestly say that I did not miss the meat one bit! 🙂

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{ 26 comments… add one }
  • Jorie December 21, 2012, 1:09 am
    YUM! As a vegetarian and a lover of tater tots, this post speaks directly to my heart. Thanks for sharing!
  • Allison @ Life's a Bowl December 21, 2012, 10:41 am
    I used to love tater tots and chicken fingers from the school cafeteria :P I haven't had them since but saw that TJ's has some so I'm tempted to buy a bag...
    • Hannah @ cleaneatingveggiegirl December 21, 2012, 11:19 am
      You should definitely buy some! I had not had tater tots in years and I am so glad that I finally did. I have been missing out!!
  • Brittany December 21, 2012, 1:50 pm
    OMG this looks so good. I love that those tater tots are called "potato puffs" bahaha.
  • jessielovestorun December 21, 2012, 11:40 pm
    Great recipe, Hannah!
  • Sara @ Nourish and Flourish December 22, 2012, 9:24 pm
    Ahh, I used to get so excited when tater tots were on the school lunch menu! They were always served with corn dogs, so to this day, I associate the two together. I haven't had regular tater tots in ages, but I bought sweet potato tots about a month ago (Alexia brand), and loved them! This looks like a delicious adaptation to the original beef-containing recipe!
    • Hannah @ cleaneatingveggiegirl December 23, 2012, 11:20 am
      I have been wanting to try sweet potato tots! I actually originally planned to buy them for this recipe, but I was not able to find them in my area so I "settled" for regular tater tots. Trust me, they did not disappoint!
  • Jan @ Sprouts n Squats August 26, 2013, 7:32 am
    Just found this from your latest blog post it looks so so good!!
  • Lori March 13, 2014, 5:38 pm
    Just found your blog today, as I went searching for a Vegetarian Tater Tot Casserole. We use to eat meat and Tater Tot was one of my kids favorite meals. They requested it this morning for supper, so I turned to Pinterest to find a meat-free version...and came across yours! I noticed something familiar in the pictures...Hy-Vee food, which got me to looking further into your blog and discovered we live in the same city! Happy to find your blog...and since we share similar eating habits...clean, plant-based, I will be checking back frequently.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl March 15, 2014, 10:47 am
      That is fantastic, Lori! I am glad you stopped by! Don't be a stranger :) And how cool that you are in Omaha!
  • Grape May 1, 2014, 6:17 pm
    Just made this and my fam loved it! We ate the whole pan and it was still steamy from the oven when we finished!!!!! 10/10
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 1, 2014, 9:46 pm
      I am so glad that you and your family enjoyed it! It is definitely one of my very favorites :)
  • jenn March 3, 2015, 5:32 pm
    Made this last night but used fresh veggies--celery, green beans, and red pepper. Also added turmeric. Sorry just couldn't leave it alone. Thanks for the great "starter recipe". We loved it but wanted more leftovers:)
    • ClnEatingVegGrl March 3, 2015, 5:47 pm
      That is always the problem! There are never enough leftovers! ;) Next time you will have to make a double batch. I love your addition of fresh veggies. I'll have to try that!
  • Heather March 15, 2016, 7:05 pm
    Next time I will precook the vegetables because after following the directions to a t, I bit into them and found them still hard. Throwing back in the oven, hopefully it will be done sooner than later!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl March 15, 2016, 7:40 pm
      Bummer! I have never had issues with that in all of the times I have made it. I guess what they say about oven temperatures varying sure is true!
  • Bobert M. May 16, 2016, 4:11 pm
    As I am a Minnesota native, I absolutely love tater tot 'hot dish'. I tried this recipe for a neighborhood potluck and it was a huge hit! I am proud to call this my favorite vegetarian hot dish recipe.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 16, 2016, 4:12 pm
      That is so awesome to hear! Growing up, tator tot casserole was always a favorite of mine. I am glad you are enjoying it!
  • Lani June 5, 2016, 10:50 pm
    I want to do this in the slow cooker. Do you think it would work?
    • ClnEatingVegGrl June 6, 2016, 8:17 am
      Hmm, I definitely think it could work, I just have no idea how long you'd actually need it to cook. It sounds like you'd have to do some experimentation with it. Let me know if you try it out!
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