This feel-good twist on Tater Tot Casserole is full of ground turkey, delicious homemade sauce, and easy frozen veggies! This recipe comes together quickly and is a hearty, comforting dinner recipe.

A white dish filled with tater tot casserole sits on a cooling rack; a serving is scooped into a bowl nearby. The casserole contains vegetables and meat, topped with golden tater tots, with parsley and pepper on the table.

I’m just going to put it out there, TNNers: this Maine girl did not grow up with tater tot casserole (or “hotdish” for my Midwest friends). But a while back, I casually mentioned grabbing a bag of frozen tots for my kiddo, and suddenly my DMs were flooded with requests for a veggie-loaded version. So I got to work—researching, testing, hoping I was doing your beloved hotdish justice.

What ultimately came out of the oven was something cozy, comforting, and wildly satisfying. Think shepherd’s pie meets pot pie, with a golden, crispy layer of tater tots on top (OMG I get why you love this dish) and a rich, veggie-packed filling made with ground turkey, frozen mixed vegetables (yep, even cauliflower rice!), and a creamy, flavorful gravy situation underneath.

And now let’s talk about something I didn’t expect to be controversial: the cheese. On top of the tots? Under them? Or skip it altogether? I learned quickly that people have feelings about this.

In this version, I like to tuck the cheese under the tots so they can get all golden and crisp on top. But honestly? You do you. Put it on top, underneath, both—or leave it out completely if that works better for your crew. This dinner has become a regular in my house, and I have a hunch it’s about to be a favorite in yours too.

Okay, let’s make this together. Just you and me…

A hand stirs chopped onions in a stainless steel skillet on a stove with a wooden spatula; a plate of tater tots is in the background.
Start by sautéing some diced onions up.
Ground meat and chopped onions are being browned in a skillet on a stove, stirred with a wooden spoon. In the background, a plate of tater tots and a measuring cup are visible.
Okay, now add that ground turkey.
A hand pours milk from a glass measuring cup into a skillet filled with cooked ground meat, mixed vegetables, and cauliflower rice on a stove. A bowl of tater tots sits in the background.
Once the meat is cooked, add in the frozen veggies, the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and milk.
A hand stirs a skillet filled with creamy ground meat, peas, corn, carrots, and green beans on a stovetop. In the background, a bowl of tater tots sits on the counter.
Now stir in a broth-cornstarch slurry. This will help the sauce to thicken up to a lovely gravy situation.
A person holds a white baking dish filled with an uncooked casserole mixture of ground meat, peas, carrots, and corn. Bowls with shredded cheese and tater tots are nearby on a light countertop.
Once everything has had a chance to simmer together and thicken up, spread the mixture out in a greased casserole dish.
A person arranges tater tots in rows on top of a casserole filling with cheese, vegetables, and meat inside a white baking dish on a light countertop.
Sprinkle on the grated cheese and add the tater tots.
A baking dish filled with golden-brown tater tots arranged neatly in rows, with a wooden spoon scooping some out. Forks and a checkered cloth are nearby.
Bake until those tots and crispy and golden! About 20-25 minutes
A wooden spoon lifts a serving of tater tot casserole topped with golden tater tots from a white baking dish, revealing a creamy filling with chicken, peas, carrots, and corn. Fresh parsley is sprinkled on top.
Let it cool for about 5 minutes and then dish it up and enjoy!
4.99 from 60 votes

Ground Turkey Tater Tot Casserole (with veggies)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 36 minutes
Total Time: 51 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Main Course
Author: Taesha Butler
This feel-good twist on Tater Tot Casserole is full of ground turkey, delicious homemade sauce, and easy frozen veggies! This recipe comes together easily and is a hearty, comforting dinner recipe.
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey, I used 93%
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, sub with coconut aminos for gluten-free
  • 12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
  • 1 cup milk , any kind or additional broth
  • ½ cup chicken broth , or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, or arrowroot powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper.
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 24-38 ounces frozen tater tots, sometimes called potato puffs. Make sure they are certified gluten-free if GF is needed.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉. Lightly grease a large casserole dish (about 9-by-12 inch pan) with oil.
  • Heat oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion then sprinkle with ½ tsp of salt. Saute until onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add ground turkey and break up into crumbles while browning. Once turkey is cooked (about 7 minutes), stir in garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, frozen vegetables, cauliflower rice, and milk.
  • In a small bowl or large measuring cup, mix cornstarch with broth, making sure no clumps remain at the bottom. Add the cornstarch-broth mixture into the pot and bring up to a simmer.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally. Season with another ¼ tsp of salt and a ¼ tsp ground pepper. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired.
  • Spread the turkey and vegetable mixture in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese then lay the tater tots in rows on the top.
  • Bake until tater tots are crispy and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes then serve.
Calories: 461kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 25g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 1094mg, Potassium: 763mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 3023IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 185mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.