Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole has everything you like in a shepherd’s pie, ground beef and vegetables in a savory beef gravy, but it’s topped with crispy tater tots and shredded cheddar instead of mashed potatoes. The filling cooks in one skillet, the frozen tots go on straight from the bag, and it bakes in a 9×13 dish at 350°F. It serves 6.
How to make it: Soften onion and garlic in oil, brown the beef to 160°F, then stir in tomato paste, flour and beef broth for a gravy. Add frozen mixed vegetables, Worcestershire and thyme. Spread it in a 9×13 dish, cover with a single layer of frozen tater tots and sprinkle with cheddar. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes, until the tots are golden and the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- No potatoes to peel or mash: a bag of frozen tots does the job.
- A real gravy: beef broth, tomato paste and flour make a savory sauce under the tots.
- Vegetables built in: peas, carrots and corn cook right in the filling.
- One skillet, one dish: the filling is made in a single pan and baked in a 9×13.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: 1 pound. For a meatier casserole, use 2 pounds.
Onion and garlic: 1 onion, finely diced, and 3 cloves of garlic. Jarred chopped garlic or garlic paste works too.
Tomato paste and flour: 2 tablespoons each. Cooking them a minute with the beef takes away the raw flour taste and starts the gravy.
Beef broth: 2 cups. Low-sodium broth works.
Frozen mixed vegetables: 2 cups, such as peas, carrots and corn. Frozen peas and carrots alone also work.
Worcestershire and thyme: 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon dried thyme season the gravy.
Tater tots: one 2-pound bag, frozen. There’s no need to thaw them.
Cheddar: 1 1/2 cups, shredded, sprinkled over the tots.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth (low-sodium works)
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots and corn)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 pounds frozen tater tots (one bag, no need to thaw)
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Soften the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Brown the beef. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until it is no longer pink and a food thermometer reads 160°F.
4. Make the gravy. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the beef broth gradually, stirring, until everything is well combined.
5. Add the vegetables. Add the frozen mixed vegetables, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and take the skillet off the heat.
6. Layer the casserole. Transfer the beef mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the top, then sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the tots.
7. Bake uncovered. Bake uncovered on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, until the tater tots are cooked through and golden and the center reaches 165°F.
8. Garnish and serve. Garnish with the parsley, if using, and serve.
What’s the Difference From Regular Shepherd’s Pie?
The filling stays the same: ground beef and vegetables in a beef broth gravy. The topping is what changes. Instead of a layer of mashed potatoes, frozen tater tots go on top with shredded cheddar, and they bake up golden and crispy.
So yes, you can top shepherd’s pie with tater tots. It saves you peeling, boiling and mashing potatoes, and the tots go on frozen, straight from the bag.
Tips for the Best Casserole
- Keep the onion from burning. If it starts to scorch, turn the heat down to medium.
- Drain if needed. If the beef gives off a lot of fat, spoon off the excess before you add the tomato paste and flour.
- Cook the flour. A minute with the tomato paste takes away the raw flour taste.
- One layer of tots. Lay them in a single layer that covers the filling completely.
- Bake on the middle rack. The tots brown evenly there.
- Check the center. Golden tots and a bubbling filling are good signs, but a food thermometer in the center should read 165°F.
- Let it sit. Give it 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven before serving so the gravy settles.
Variations
- More beef: use 2 pounds of ground beef for a heartier filling.
- Butter gravy: make the gravy with 3 tablespoons each of butter and flour, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and 2 cups of beef broth.
- Fresh vegetables: use chopped carrots and celery with frozen peas in place of the frozen mix.
- Extra cheese: use 2 cups of cheddar, or tuck some under the tots on top of the beef.
- Seasoning packet: use a packet of shepherd’s pie seasoning mix with the water listed on the package in place of the broth and flour.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 90°F) in shallow covered containers. They keep 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers for 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave, never on the counter.
Reheating: Reheat covered in the oven or microwave until it reaches 165°F. From frozen, it takes about 1 1/2 times as long. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
This is a full meal in one dish, so a simple green salad or steamed green beans is plenty on the side.
For more beef and potato dinners, try ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes, hobo casserole or easy 5-ingredient hamburger and potato casserole. More tater tot dishes: easy cowboy casserole, chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole and, for breakfast, a breakfast casserole with tater tots and sausage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between shepherd’s pie and this tater tot casserole?
The filling is the same beef, vegetables and gravy. The casserole swaps the mashed potato topping for tater tots and cheddar.
Can you top shepherd’s pie with tater tots?
Yes. Lay frozen tots in a single layer over the filling, sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden.
Do I need to thaw the tater tots?
No. They go on frozen, straight from the bag.
How do I know it’s done?
The tots are golden and cooked through, and the center of the casserole reads 165°F on a food thermometer.
Can I use 2 pounds of beef?
Yes. It makes a meatier filling; the rest of the recipe stays the same.
Final Notes
A skillet of beef and gravy, a bag of frozen tots and some cheddar give you shepherd’s pie without the mashing. If you make it with 2 pounds of beef, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Shepherd's Pie Tater Tot Casserole
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth low or no sodium broth works
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables such as peas, carrots and corn
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 pounds frozen tater tots one bag; no need to thaw
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish; optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling it, until it is no longer pink and a food thermometer reads 160°F.
- Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the beef broth gradually, stirring, until everything is well combined.
- Add the frozen mixed vegetables, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and take the skillet off the heat.
- Transfer the beef mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer over the top, then sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the tots.
- Bake uncovered on the middle rack for about 30 minutes, until the tater tots are cooked through and golden and the center reaches 165°F.
- Garnish with the parsley, if using, and serve.
