Tater tot hotdish
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0

History

Tater tot hotdish is the Minnesota community-dinner, church-supper and family-Sunday casserole, with origins in the post-war Lutheran kitchens of the 1950s when Ore-Ida invented tater tots and Campbell's cream-of-mushroom soup became universal. The dish embodies the Minnesota 'hotdish' tradition: layered, cream-bound, baked. Hen House Eatery, the Blue Door Pub and the State Fair plate elevated versions, while every church basement in the city serves the original at potlucks.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 750g 80% lean ground beef
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For the cream sauce: 60g butter
  • 60g flour
  • 500ml whole milk
  • 250g sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
  • salt and pepper (or substitute 2 tins (300g each) condensed cream of mushroom soup for the canonical Minnesota shortcut)
  • 400g frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, green beans, carrots)
  • 250ml whole milk
  • 150g sharp cheddar, grated
  • 1.5kg frozen tater tot potato nuggets
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • Fresh chopped parsley to garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Brown the ground beef in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a spoon, until well browned (around 8 minutes).
  2. Add the diced onion to the beef. Cook 6 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  3. Stir in the Worcestershire, thyme, paprika and 1 tablespoon flour. Cook 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. For the cream sauce: melt butter in a separate saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer to thicken.
  5. Add sliced mushrooms, mustard and Worcestershire. Simmer 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Combine the beef mixture, the cream sauce (or cream-of-mushroom soup) and the frozen vegetables in a large bowl. Stir in 250ml milk.
  7. Tip into a 23cm by 33cm baking dish. Sprinkle the grated cheddar evenly over the top.
  8. Arrange the frozen tater tots tightly in rows across the surface, completely covering the filling.
  9. Brush the tots with melted butter.
  10. Bake at 200C for 45 to 55 minutes until the tots are deep golden and crisp and the filling bubbles around the edges.
  11. Rest 5 minutes, scatter parsley, scoop generous portions.

Tip from the editors. The cream-of-mushroom shortcut is canonical; from-scratch sauce is a restaurant refinement. Brand-name Ore-Ida tots are the make-or-break ingredient.

Where to eat tater tot hotdish

Tater tot hotdish in Minneapolis

Hen House Eatery ★ 4.4

$$ $10-22BrunchAll-day breakfastNorth Loop

Hen House Eatery in Minneapolis runs downtown's defining all-day breakfast counter on 8th Street, with scratch biscuits and a 30-cocktail Bloody Mary list.

OrderBabe's Eggs Benedict with carnitas on jalapeno cheddar cornbread.

TipArrive before 9am on weekends or join the waitlist on the loudspeaker; the bakery counter sells out the maple bacon cinnamon roll by 11.

Directions

Blue Door Pub ★ 4.1

$$ AmericanLongfellow Powderhorn

Blue Door Pub on 42nd Avenue has run a stuffed-burger pub in South Minneapolis since 2008. Located in Longfellow Powderhorn. Kitchen leans american pub.

OrderThe Blucy with blue cheese and bacon, tater tots on the side.

TipWeekends pull a wait; sit at the bar for faster service. Six other Twin Cities locations.

Directions Book

Cafe Latte ★ 4.3

$$ $8-18BrunchBakery cafeteriaSaint Paul

Cafe Latte in Saint Paul runs the Grand Avenue cafeteria-and-bakery hybrid since 1985, with scratch soups, salads, the turtle cake and a wine bar upstairs.

OrderThe turtle cake plus the daily soup-and-salad combo from the line.

TipThe wine bar upstairs opens late afternoon and seats walk-ins; bakery counter is the pre-noon pick for a turtle cake or a scone.

Directions

Matt's Bar ★ 4.7

$ BurgersLongfellow Powderhorn

Matt's Bar on Cedar Avenue has run a $9 Jucy Lucy in South Minneapolis since 1954. The original cheese-stuffed burger, fries and a beer for under fifteen.

TryJucy Lucy

Directions

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