This Midwestern tater tot casserole recipe is the real deal with loads of corned beef, creamy gravy, smoked Swiss cheese, then topped with tater tots and baked golden. Perfect for leftovers!
Corned Beef Tater Tot Hotdish Recipe (Casserole)
Hotdish recipes are all the rage right now. I'm seeing them everywhere. One even popped up in my latest issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. No complaints here. They're freaking DELISH!
No apologies for liking them.
What exactly is a hotdish? And WHY is it only one word? A "hotdish" is basically a casserole. I've seen people say, "well, a hotdish uses more red meats, where a casserole typically uses lighter meats, like tuna and such..." POSH. It's a casserole, people!
It's mostly a Minnesota thing, where it originated, though you'll find it all over the Midwest of America. I grew up Midwest and we just called it a casserole, but names are unimportant, as this is a recipe that you totally NEED in your life.
NEED!
And no, I still don't know why "hotdish" is only one word.
What is a Hotdish?
A hotdish is basically a casserole made with a starch (usually potatoes), a meat, and a gravy of some sort, usually in the form of canned soup. They're easy to make and rather hearty, which is probably why people love them so much.
This version skips the canned stuff and works with only fresh ingredients. I am using the leftover corned beef I had from my Pressure Cooker Corned Beef Recipe. I LOVE having leftovers, mostly for awesome sandwiches or hash, but it totally ROCKS in this recipe. Seriously!
Let's talk about how we make our Corned Beef Tater Tot Hotdish.
Corned Beef Tater Tot Hotdish Ingredients
- Butter. Divided.
- Onion. Small, chopped.
- Jalapeno Peppers. Chopped.
- Celery Stalk. Chopped.
- Yellow Potatoes. Cubed.
- Garlic Cloves. Chopped.
- Flour.
- Chicken Broth.
- Paprika.
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
- Corned Beef. Cooked and chopped.
- Crema or Sour Cream. Or use heavy cream for a bit more decadence.
- Smoked Swiss Cheese. Shredded.
- Tater Tots.
- Thousand Island Dressing. Homemade.
How to Make Corned Beef Tater Tot Hotdish - The Recipe Method
First! You'll cook down your onions, peppers, celery, potato, and garlic in a hot pan with a bit of butter. Like so...
Next, add a couple tablespoons of butter and melt it down. Stir in a couple tablespoons of flour and stir it up until it forms a roux. Cook the roux a few minutes, stirring, to brown it slightly.
Pour in chicken stock and your seasonings and stir, cooking, until it thickens up and forms your gravy.
SO. GOOD.
Like so...
Next, stir in the cooked corned beef and crema or sour cream. Heavy cream is more traditional, or you can use milk, but this dish is already quite thick and decadent, so I like to go just a tad lighter on it.
I always prefer Mexican crema, though sour cream will work just fine.
Like so...
Mmm. Creamy.
Top that baby with cheese!
YES!
I used a smoked Swiss cheese that I found at the store specifically for this recipe, as I wanted a smoky element, but a nice white cheddar would be great here.
Like so...
Next, layer on your tater tots. You'll want to cover the entire top.
Like so...
I'm only half way done there. OBVS.
Next, bake the whole thing at 425 degrees F for about 20 minutes or so, until the tater tots are nice and golden brown. It might take a bit longer, so keep an eye on it toward the end of the cooking time.
Check. This. Out.
Can we just dig into this, please? CRAVE.
Don't forget to take a photo for Instagram. Tag me: #ChiliPepperMadness
Haha!
DROOL.
It really is delicious, my friends, totally up our Midwestern alley, if not rather decadent, I must admit. It's a special occasion, though. We have corned beef on hand! We need this!
Dig in! Let me know if you make it and how you like it. Send pics! I hope you enjoy it.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- This dish is mostly a Minnesota thing, where it originated, though you'll find it all over the Midwest of America.
- A "hotdish" here basically means a casserole made with a starch (usually potatoes), a meat, and a gravy of some sort, usually in the form of canned soup.
- I used a smoked Swiss cheese, as I wanted a smoky element, but a nice white cheddar would be great here, too.
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Tater Tot Hotdish in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep it for up to 3-4 days. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate the dish promptly and reheat properly.
Try Some of My Other Popular Similar Recipes
- Spicy Pork-Hatch Chile Casserole
- Creamy Cajun Chicken and Corn Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole Verde
- Pork Chili
- Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- King Ranch Casserole
- Cajun Tater Tot Casserole
Or Try These Recipes for Preparing Your Corned Beef
- Slow Cooker Corned Beef - How To
- Pressure Cooker Corned Beef - Tender Corned Beef in a Hurry!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Corned Beef Tater Tot Hotdish (Casserole) Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 2 small yellow potatoes cubed
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces cooked chopped corned beef or more as desired
- 1/2 cup crema or sour cream or use heavy cream for a bit more decadence
- 1 cup shredded smoked Swiss cheese
- ½ bag of tater tots 16 ounces total
- FOR SERVING: Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Heat a 10-inch cast iron pan to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and let it melt.
- Add the onion, peppers, celery and cubed potatoes. Cook down for about 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
- Add the remaining butter and let it melt through. Add the flour and stir to incorporate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and keep stirring until the flour butter mixture (roux) browns a bit, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, paprika and salt and pepper. Stir continuously until it thickens up, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the corned beef and sour cream (or heavy cream), then top the whole thing with shredded cheese.
- Top with tater tots and bake for 25 minutes, or until the tots are crispy brown.
- Serve it up! Drizzle with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
b says
Great hot dish. Made it and served with the Thousand Island.
It really made the dish. Loved the spice of it. The dish is easy
and filling.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it! Perfect for this time of year.
chris david says
Preach it...! I appreciate you chiming in from the recipients point of view.
Great insights 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Chris! Yeah, so good!!
Jeff from Greenfield Wis says
And this recipe is GOLDEN! Made it already (Midwest is is what Midwest does huh?)
And really so budget friendly
Cheers to you - Love your site