​

Jody’s Healthy Tater Tot Casserole

This recipe is SO good.  I took an old family favorite from my mom and made it healthier.  My family loves it.  Feel free to modify it for your family.  

​

1 lb. ground beef & 1 lb. ground chicken, mixed together, cooked, and drained

(chicken picks up the flavor of the beef and we like the texture better than ground turkey)

3 bags of Healthy Cream Soup mix mixed into 3 3/4 cups water and cooked till thickened.  Recipe is on my website, also.  

2 cups chopped frozen green beans

2 cups sliced or shredded carrots, steamed slightly

2 cups frozen corn 

2 cups frozen peas 

(OR 2 - 16 oz bags frozen mixed vegetables)

Finely chop or shred more veggies - clean out the refrigerator - use 2 cups shredded zucchini, 2 cups chopped cauliflower, 10-12 oz. broccoli.  I steam chopped cauliflower.  Steam the broccoli then chop it into smaller pieces.  If using frozen shredded zucchini, thaw slightly and dump in.

In a 4 qt.bowl, stir together the meat, frozen vegetables, cream soup, steamed vegetables, add dried onion flakes or chopped fresh onion, chopped celery, and chopped mushrooms and 1-2 cups cheddar cheese.  Pour into a greased 9" x 13" plus 9" x 9" glass pans.  Top with 2 lb. tater tots.  You can top with more cheese.  You can refrigerate until ready to bake at 350 for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours OR freeze ahead in a bowl that fits inside your crock pot.  When frozen drop it out of the bowl into the crock pot, cover with tater tots and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Leftovers freeze really well for future meals.

2023 Update - With all the veggies it fills (2) 9" x 13" pans.  I ran out of tater tots and pulled my skinny mashed potatoes out of the freezer, thawed, and crumbled on top instead of the tots.  WE LOVED IT!!!

Mom's ingredients:  1 1/2 lb. hamburger, cooked

2 - 10 oz bags frozen mixed vegetables

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of onion soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1 large bag of tater tots

Mix all ingredients except tots.  Pour into greased casserole, season with salt and onion flakes.  Top with tater tots.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

​