Healthy Tater Tot Casserole with Beef and Lentils (2024)

This Healthy Tater Tot Casserole is an upgraded comfort food recipe made with simple, real-food ingredients to keep the whole family nourished and satisfied. We’ve incorporated canned lentils and frozen veggies for more nutrition in the most convenient ways. With minimal prep time and a total time of about an hour, it’s a hearty casserole dish that can easily be stored for later and reheated when you need a quick meal.

This post was created in partnership with theNorthern Pulse Growers Association.

What Is Tater Tot Casserole Made Of?

Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy casserole recipe today:

• Avocado oil – may sub olive oil
• Yellow onion – you’ll need one yellow onion; may sub white onion
• Ground beef – look for 90-93% lean ground beef; may substitute ground bison, ground turkey, or ground chicken
• Diced mushrooms – you’ll need 8 ounces of mushrooms. White button, cremini, or baby bella mushrooms all work well in this tater tot casserole recipe
• All-purpose flour – may sub all-purpose gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version
• Chicken broth – either store-bought chicken broth or homemade bone broth will work
• Seasonings – you’ll need salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper
• Lentils – feel free to use brown or red lentils; for quick assembly, use canned lentils
• Frozen mixed vegetables – use a 12-ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables

• Cauliflower rice – use store-bought cauliflower rice, or make homemade cauliflower rice
• Cheddar cheese – we recommend buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself for the best melty results. Sharp cheddar cheese is another great option
• Frozen tater tots (crispy crowns) – you’ll need one 28-ounce package of tater tots. You can use shredded hash browns, though we find that tots work best for crispy tater tots in this hotdish

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make a Tater Tot Casserole

1. Preheat your oven, and grease a baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then, add part of the oil and onions, and sauté until the onions start to become fragrant. Add the ground beef, and break it into pieces as it cooks.
3. Drain the mixture, and transfer it to the prepared baking dish.
4. Add the remaining oil and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft. Add the flour, stirring to coat the mushrooms. Then, add the broth one cup at a time, stirring constantly. Simmer until the mixture thickens to a gravy-like texture.
5. Pour the mushroom mixture into the baking dish over the beef mixture. Add the cooked lentils, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen cauliflower rice, and part of the shredded cheese. Stir to combine, and spread the mixture evenly across the baking dish.
6. Layer the tater tots on top, pressing down lightly. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
7. Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the tater tots are golden brown on top.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

How to Store

Store leftover tater tot casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Or, freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months.

To freeze before baking: To keep the tater tots crisp, we recommend assembling the casserole and freezing it before baking. To eat, allow the casserole to thaw in the fridge overnight, and bake in the oven as directed in the recipe card.

The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.

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