Today I’m so excited to share with you a dairy free cheesy tater tot casserole recipe. This hearty casserole is also vegan, but I’ll include a list of ways you can include meat if you’re a meat-eating household.
When my kids were little, this easy casserole recipe was one that I often made for them on busy weeknights since the recipe mostly calls for easy-to-use ingredients, and there’s very little stovetop cooking involved. Take that nugget of info and be inspired! You can still serve fun and generally balanced meals, even when you’re making something easy.
Whilst I don’t have the luxury of cheap ingredients (that’s the nature of managing food allergies) what I do have is the luxury of using convenience products (which is what I want to highlight for you busy folks today) and frozen vegetables to make a meal that’s not only fit for a house of teenage boys and their friends, but the whole family.
Watch the Episode
You can watch me make this easy tater tot casserole recipe on Dang! That’s Delicious. Be sure to check out my Youtube channel for more episodes.
Tools You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy weeknight dinner
- Pot
- Colander
- Large Baking Pan + Parchment Paper
- Large Skillet + Cooking Spoon
- Mallet (or more parchment paper)
- Baking Dish/Casserole Dish
Ingredients for Your Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
Don’t let these simple ingredients fool you! You’re about to make something super delicious that I just know your friends and family will love. I’ve broken the casserole ingredients into helpful sections to match the instructions.
Beans Part 1
- 2 30-ounce Cans of Organic Cannellini Beans, drained (60 ounces/1.4KG total)
- 800mL Water (just about 30 ounces)
- 3 tsp Pink Salt (you can use sea salt as well)
NOTE: If you’re not a huge bean fan (or new to eating beans), you can use half this amount (1 can) with half the water and half the salt. Your results will still be a delicious tater tot casserole. Large amounts of beans can cause GI distress in some people, and we want to avoid that. This is supposed to be some of the best comfort food around, not something that leaves you with painful regrets.
Tater Tots
- 2 1-pound bags Organic Tater Tots (32 ounces/900g total)
Beans Part 2
- Half of Your Drained Beans
- 225mL Milk of Choice (8 ounces)
NOTE: If you opted for half the beans, only use half the milk (112mL/4 ounces).
Beans Part 3
- 60g Butter of Choice (1/2 Standard US Stick/2 ounces)
- Half of Your Drained Beans
- Pinch Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Organic Dried Thyme (sprigs or powder)
- 1/2 tsp Organic Dried Tarragon
- 1/4 tsp Organic Black Pepper
- 5 ounces Shredded Cheese of Choice, I used dairy free Parmesan (a powdered style cheese works as well)
You’ll Also Need
- 450g Organic Frozen Peas (1 pound/16 ounces)
- A Little Extra Cheese for Sprinkling on Top
How to Incorporate Meat
The easiest way to incorporate meat into your cheesy tater tot casserole is to brown ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground bison, or ground pork in your large skillet. Season with salt (or smoked salt which is *chef’s kiss*), onion granules, garlic granules, and a little smoked paprika. You could use other seasonings, but that’s a nice basic seasoning combination. Alternative to that, you could use a basic all purpose seasoning.
Once the meat has finished cooking, drain it, then move on to the part in the instructions where I add cheese and beans to the pan. You can either add less beans to your casserole, or eliminate them all together if you want your casserole to be more meat forward.
Huge Tip: Make sure you drain excess fat (sometimes called excess grease) from your meat before adding the cheese and mixing things together. If you leave all the extra liquid fat from cooking, will have an impact on the final taste and mouthfeel of your baked casserole. If there’s loads of extra fat, it will register as greasy and unpleasant to some.
Directions for Your Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
I’ve broken the instructions into sections for your ease.
Bean Directions Part 1
Place your beans, salt, and water in a pot. Stir everything together and bring it to a boil. Boil the beans for 20 — 25 minutes. The goal is to soften the beans. Once your beans have started, move on to your tots.
Set a timer for the beans. When it goes off, drain your beans in a colander, then return them to your pot.
Tater Tot Directions
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, then place your tater tots on the tray. Heat them in your oven based on the package instructions (it’s usually 400f or 425f). Use the cook time on the package, and make sure you stick to the short end of the timeframe. If the package says 20 – 25, go for 20 minutes. That’s because your tots will have an extended time in the oven.
The goal of this step is to fully thaw your tots and to make sure they’re golden brown. Be sure to sample one and make sure you have crispy tater tots before you move on to smashing. It’s OK if your tots cool completely whilst you get everything else ready. Ideally though, you’ll be working on your filling whilst the tots are in the oven.
Bean Directions Part 2 (Blender)
With your beans drained, transfer half of them to your blender. Add the milk, then blend on high to form a smooth paste. Set aside until it’s time to assemble.
Bean Directions Part 3 (Stove Top)
Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add your butter of choice. Allow it to melt, then add the remaining half of your beans. Mix them with the butter, then add the salt, thyme, tarragon, black pepper, and Parmesan. Mix everything together and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.
Assembly
First, preheat your oven to 350f/175c. Now it’s time for the fun part: crushing your tater tots. If you have a kiddo, have them help because it really is a fun job. You can crush your tots with a mallet, or cover your tray of tots with a large sheet of parchment paper.
Press down on the tots and you’ll keep your hands clean (like what I showed in the video). Once your tots have been nicely smashed, transfer them to a large baking dish. Move the tots around to form a single layer in your baking dish. You may need to smush them together a little, and that’s OK. If you’re working with a small baking dish and need to have two layers stacked, it won’t be the end of the world.
Now, in the pan where you cooked your beans, add the blended beans from your blender, and your frozen peas. Mix them up together, then transfer them to the baking dish. Use the back of your cooking spoon to spread this mix on top of the tots. You want to go edge to edge on all sides of your baking dish so it’s one solid layer on top of the tots.
Sprinkle a little more cheese on top, then pop your casserole in the oven. Your bake time is 25 – 30 minutes at 350f/175c. Once your timer goes off, you can serve your finished casserole
Cheese Tip: I asked my kids why they thought this was the best tater tot casserole recipe (I’ve made quite a few variations over the years) and they said it’s the cheese. Apparently when I use plenty of cheese in a casserole, it’s totally the best. So, take that and run with it. If you can be generous with the amount of cheese you use, do so.
How to Store Your Casserole
First, a huge tip: if you have a large baking dish or casserole dish with a lid, use that as your dish for this delicious recipe. When the meal is over, all you’ll have to do is pop the lid on top and put the whole dish in your fridge. Talk about an easy clean up.
For those who don’t have a baking dish with a lid, or perhaps your refrigerator doesn’t have a lot of space, you’re going to want to store your leftovers in an airtight container. This recipe should not be stored in your freezer, and it will keep in the fridge for five days.
Unless you love the taste of cold tater tots (many don’t), reheat a portion of your casserole in the oven or in a toaster oven before enjoying the next day and throughout the week.
More Delicious Casserole Recipes
If you’re a fan of making casserole dishes, here are a few more casseroles I think you’ll enjoy.
- Meaty Egg Free Breakfast Casserole
- Eggplant Casserole (has a BBQ flavour profile)
- Easy Dutch Oven Mushroom & Potato Casserole (many say this is the perfect comfort food)
- Gluten Free + Egg Free Breakfast Casserole
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Ways to Change Up Your Cheesy Casserole
There are many different ways to change up my cheesy casserole recipe. Here are just a few delicious ideas for you to try.
Make a Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
To make a hamburger casserole, cook a pound of ground beef with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder (or chopped onion for even better flavor), and smoked paprika. When the beef is just about done cooking, add shredded sharp cheddar cheese or shredded monterey jack cheese (or both) and mix that in. Use this ground beef mixture in place of my parmesan bean mixture. Honestly, this is such a kid-friendly recipe and I know my own kids would love a seat at your table if you served this up.
If you’d like something more like a cheeseburger casserole, use ground beef or ground pork with a delicious seasoning salt, then shred up your favorite cheeseburger cheese and mix that in.
Make a Taco Inspired Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole
To make this, I’d first brown ground beef or ground pork along with a diced onion. I’d season the meat with this homemade taco seasoning my kids love (you can use a packet or seasoning you love). To this I’d also add diced bell pepper and a few chopped green chiles. Since I have kid with a milk allergy, I’d need to use a dairy free cheddar cheese, but if you’re able to have milk, use a fresh Mexican cheese instead.
Mix that all up in your large skillet and spread it on top of the tots in place of my cheesy bean mix.
Make a Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
You can convert this delicious dinner into a fantastic breakfast by swapping out my bean and cheese mix for something with breakfast leaning ingredients. Personally, I’d use chopped breakfast sausage, diced onion, frozen carrots, sage, maple sugar, black pepper, and a touch of nutmeg. I’d even give it a little kick with a few spicy red peppers. A simple cheddar cheese would pair well with this combo, and you’d mix it all up, then spread it on top of the tots in place of my cheesy bean mix.
Add a Creamy Soup
You can add a can of cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, cream of onion soup, or cream of celery soup to your cheesy tater tot casserole. You’d use your creamy soup paired with a browned ground meat of your choosing in place of my bean and Parmesan mix.
Since cream soups are already pretty creamy, I don’t suggest adding lots of cheese to the mix. A little bit of Parmesan would suffice, especially if you add it on top of your casserole (rather than mix it in to the cream soup and meat mix). I’ll also add: creamy soups and condensed soups are usually high in sodium. Keep this in mind as you’re salting the dish, and the type of cheese you add. Parmesan is naturally salty, and you may fare better with a mozzarella cheese or simple white cheddar cheese.
Sharing More Easy Dinner Recipes
If you’re a fan of easy dinners, I’ve got you covered.
- Mid West Hot Dish (features a dairy free & gluten free homemade cream of mushroom soup)
- Gluten & Dairy Free Garlic Mushroom Smash Burgers (a longtime family favorite)
- Beef and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner (SUCH an easy meal to make)
- Easy Gluten Free, Soy Free, Sesame Free Pork Stir Fry Recipe
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Answering Your Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole Questions
Should I use cooking spray on the bottom of the baking dish?
No, you don’t need to use a cooking spray for your baking dish. I did opt to cook my tater tots on parchment paper on the baking pan (first step), but that’s optional.
Will this tater tot casserole taste good cold the next day?
No, your leftover tater tot casserole will not taste good cold the next day. I mean, to a few people reading I’m sure it will taste good cold in their lunch. However, most people would rather reheat it the next day to really have that ooey gooey cheese factor and crisp tater tot perfection.
Is there a good way to serve this recipe to a picky eaters?
I’d personally go with the deconstruction method if you’re serving picky eaters. This is a great recipe to deconstruct since the tots are heated before assembly, and your meat/bean mix is heated on the stovetop before assembly. You’ll want to set aside some tots and some meat mix for them. When you mix in the frozen vegetables, set some aside, and heat them in the oven on a small tray.
When you serve this to selective/picky eaters, you can use a divided plate for the four components (don’t forget to give them a little shredded cheese), or you can use a regular plate and make sure there’s space between the ingredients.
You can take this a step further by making yourself a small deconstructed plate and sitting with them. Hold a casual conversation, but deliberately mix components together, take a bite, and make an mmmmm kind of noise. Make a simple offer “would you like to try some of mine put together?” and see if your kiddo goes for it. If not, no worries and no pressure.If so, you can make a comment like “I love cheesy tater tots. What did you think?”
Remember, the goal is to offer exposers and a well rounded range of ingredients, and it’s your child’s job to choose if they’d like to eat it. Just be sure there’s always something on the menu they would be willing to eat. These three articles may be super helpful for you as you continue to serve selective/picky eaters.
- How to Make Food & Cooking Fun
- Creating New Food Exposures
- How to Create Texture with Limited Ingredients
Could I use canned green beans instead of the frozen peas in my tater tot casserole?
You could, and you’d essentially have a cheesy tot green bean casserole. If you plan on using canned green beans, first, drain off all of the liquid. Once you’ve done that, you can add the canned green beans to the pan when you add the cheese. Mix everything together and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Will I be able to find gluten free tater tots at the grocery store?
Depending on where you live, yes. Not every grocery store has a robust gluten free offering, so make sure you call the grocery store before you head out. Don’t want to waste time. Also, make sure the tater tots you purchase are truly gluten free and not made on shared equipment with wheat if that’s something you can’t tolerate.
Can I speed up the bake time by setting the oven to a higher temperature?
Yes and no. The goal of the baking step is to allow the flavours to meld together, and to make sure your frozen vegetables are heated all the way through. If you bake your casserole at a higher temperature, you run the risk of burning it before it’s had time to heat and meld nicely all the way in the center.
Should I cover my casserole with aluminum foil before baking it?
No, you don’t need to cover your casserole with aluminum foil before baking. Just pop it in the oven and you’re good to go.
What other frozen veggies would work well with this casserole?
As is, frozen carrots, frozen lima beans, and frozen corn could all work really nicely. Unless you love them, veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts wouldn’t be my top choices.
Would this casserole work well with mushrooms?
I think small diced sautéed mushrooms would make a fantastic addition to this casserole. You could use any mushroom variety. Be sure to cook the mushrooms down past the point of releasing their water to make sure you aren’t adding a lot of liquid to your casserole.
Can I reheat this casserole in the microwave?
Whilst you technically can, I don’t suggest it. Tater tots reheat best when you use an oven, toaster oven, or air fryer. Those are the best methods for having crispy tater tots, which is my hope and dream for your leftovers.
Would onions and bacon taste good in this casserole?
Oh. My. Goodness. YES!!! Bacon and onions cooked up just right would make a lovely addition to this casserole. Make sure both the onions and bacon are cooked well and have released their liquids/fats, before adding it to your casserole. I’d suggest diced onions and a small/medium diced bacon. Alternatively, you could use bacon bits instead. Either way, you should totally make this because I’m sure it will be one of your family’s new favorites.
Would Swiss cheese be a good cheese option?
So long as you love the taste of Swiss cheese, yes, it would be a good option. Due to my food allergies, I’ve never eaten Swiss cheese. However, from what I understand about it, it would pair nicely with the flavour combination of this casserole.
