This ground turkey tater tot casserole is an easy and fun dinner that’s perfect for any night of the week. This is a hearty and affordable meal that’s made with a flavorful turkey and vegetable filling, cheddar cheese and topped with crispy tater tots.
This tater tot casserole is made with a less conventional ground turkey instead of beef. Maybe you’re trying to cut down on red meat or save a few bucks, either way, ground turkey recipes are a delicious and simple swap to make. Use it in just about any recipe that calls for ground beef as a lean, affordable substitute.
For more recipes like turkey and tater tot casserole, try these turkey Salisbury steaks, turkey white bean chili, and spaghetti with turkey meatballs. They are all easy, affordable and will please the whole family.
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Ingredients
- Oil – Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil).
- Ground Turkey – Use lean ground turkey. We use 85/15 which is 85 percent lean and 15 percent fat. If you want to go a little leaner 93/7 will also work. For best results do not use turkey breast, we need a little fat for flavor and moisture.
- Vegetables – The ground turkey is cooked with onions (use yellow or white) and garlic. For the mixed veggies we used a combination of carrots, peas, corn, and green beans that is commonly available in the freezer section of the supermarket.
- Seasoning – Dried oregano, salt (we use kosher salt) and black pepper keep it simple. A little Worcestershire sauce adds extra zip to the casserole. Worcestershire sauce has a strong flavor that works well with meat. Find it in the condiment section of most grocery stores or online.
- Pantry – From the pantry we need condensed cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and cooking spray.
- Cheese – We like cheddar cheese (medium cheddar) for this tasty tater tot casserole, however other types like white cheddar and Monterey jack will work too. Use a cheese that melts well.
- Frozen Tater Tots – These are the crowning ingredient of this easy casserole so use your favorite brand. There are usually at least a couple to choose from in the frozen section of the supermarket.
You will also need:
- Cooking spray
- Casserole baking dish approximately 2 quart capacity, 10 x 8 inch
Recipe tips
- It is best to use a shredder and hand shred the cheese. Pre-shredded packaged cheese contains cellulose and sometimes potato starch is added in to prevent caking. The cheese will melt better when you shred it yourself.
- Use a fork to gently press and fold the ground turkey to destroy the pattern and avoid stringy pieces that are impossible to break-up once they hit a hot skillet. Don’t overwork it, combine it just enough to get rid of the strings.
- If you are sensitive to salt, use reduced or low sodium ingredients like reduced sodium chicken broth, low sodium cream of chicken soup, and reduce the amount of salt used to season the ground turkey. You can taste and adjust at the end if needed.
- Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet just in case it bubbles over it does not make a mess in your oven.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Stir to combine and arrange it in a single layer.
- Cook the seasoned ground turkey for 3-5 minutes until browned and any liquid rendered cooks out. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wood spoon or spatula.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, cook for 2-3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Next, add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce, stir well to combine and cook for 1 minute stirring frequently.
- Add the canned cream of chicken soup and the chicken broth. Stir well to incorporate with the ground turkey.
- Finally, stir in the mixed vegetables. Lower the heat to medium-low to low, cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavors combine. Keep the sauce at a simmer, lower or raise the heat as needed and stir occasionally.
Taste the ground turkey filling and add salt if needed. As a reference we added a pinch to ours.
Let the mixture cool. Stir it occasionally to let the steam escape, it will cool faster. It will thicken as it cools and will support the tater tots when it is time to bake.
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Lightly spray a casserole dish (approximately 10 x 8 inch / 2 quart) with cooking spray.
Build the tater tot casserole
- Add half of the turkey mixture to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the shredded cheese.
- Add the remaining mixture.
- Top with 1 cup shredded cheese sprinkling it evenly over the top (do not stir).
- Arrange the tater tots on top without overlapping and without pressing them down. Place them on top gently.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the tots are crispy and golden on top and the filling is bubbly. Let it rest for approximately 15 minutes before serving.
Make ahead and storing
To make this casserole ahead of time, make the ground turkey filling as instructed and allow it to cool a bit, then refrigerate until cooled through. Build the casserole but without the tater tots on top.
Cover the casserole with a lid or with a couple of layers of plastic wrap, ensure a tight seal. Refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before baking (provided that it is cool in your kitchen). Some casserole dishes do not do well with extreme changes in temperature. Try to get the chill out of the dish before baking.
Arrange the tater tots on top and bake as directed.
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You may also like these casserole recipes:
- Frito Pie Casserole
- Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
- Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- Ham and Cheese Casserole
- Chili Cornbread Casserole
- Brussels Sprouts Casserole
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Ground Turkey Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Oil use a neutral oil with a high smoke point (we use canola oil)
- 1 Pound Ground Turkey Use lean ground turkey, but not turkey breast, we use 85/15
- 1 Small Onion finely diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 (10½ ounce) can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
- 1 cup Chicken Broth
- 6 ounces Frozen Mixed Vegetables defrosted (cooked to about half the recommended time on the package)
- 1½ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese divided
- 14-16 ounces Frozen Tater Tots
Instructions
- You will also need: Cooking Spray and Casserole baking dish approximately 2 quart and 10 x 8 inch
- Heat the oil in a large, deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Stir to combine and arrange it in a single layer.
- Cook the seasoned ground turkey for 3-5 minutes until browned and any liquid rendered cooks out. Stir occasionally and break up any large pieces with a wood spoon or spatula.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions to the ground meat, cook for 2-3 minutes, stir frequently.
- Next, add the garlic and Worcestershire sauce, stir well to combine and cook for 1 minute stirring frequently.
- Add the canned cream of chicken soup and the chicken broth. Stir well to incorporate with the ground turkey then stir in the mixed vegetables.
- Lower the heat to medium-low to low, cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes to let the flavors combine. Keep the sauce at a simmer, lower or raise the heat as needed and stir occasionally.
- Taste the ground turkey filling and add salt if needed. As a reference we added a pinch to ours.
- Let the mixture cool. Stir it occasionally to let the steam escape, it will cool faster.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F
- Lightly spray a casserole dish (approximately 10 x 8 inch / 2 quart) with cooking spray.
- Add half of the turkey mixture to the casserole dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the shredded cheese.
- Add the remaining mixture and top with 1 cup shredded cheese sprinkling it evenly over the top (do not stir).
- Arrange the tater tots on top without overlapping and without pressing down. Place them on top gently.
- If desired, place the casserole dish on a large baking sheet just in case it bubbles over it won’t make a mess in your oven.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the tots are crispy and golden on top and the filling is bubbly.
- Let the Tater tot turkey casserole rest for 15-20 minutes so it gets a chance to set before serving.
Notes
- If you are sensitive to salt, use reduced or low sodium ingredients and reduce the amount of salt used to season the ground turkey. You can taste and adjust at the end if needed.
- Let the mixture cool. Stir it occasionally to let the steam escape, it will cool faster. It will thicken as it cools and will support the tater tots when it is time to bake.
Tina
Can you prepare this the night before cooking?
Elizabeth
Hi Tina,
Yes, there are make ahead instructions in the post. Thanks for stopping by.