Description
This Tater Tot Shepherd’s Pie is a delightful twist on the traditional British classic, featuring a savory ground beef and vegetable filling topped with crispy, golden tater tots. Easy to prepare and hearty, this comforting casserole is perfect for family dinners and will quickly become a favorite meal everyone requests.
Ingredients
Vegetables and Meat
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 6 mushrooms, diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ cup frozen peas
Seasonings and Sauces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients
- Olive oil, for cooking
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1.5 cups beef broth
- 16 oz frozen tater tots (can add more if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the assembled shepherd’s pie.
- Sauté Vegetables: Drizzle olive oil into an oven-safe skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and garlic to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then cook the vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Brown the Beef: Add the ground beef to the skillet with the vegetables. Cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces with a spoon or meat chopper until it is just browned.
- Add Seasonings and Thicken: Stir in the Italian seasoning, tomato paste, and flour. Cook for about 1 minute over medium heat to incorporate and slightly cook the flour.
- Deglaze and Simmer: Gradually add the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, stirring constantly to dissolve the tomato paste and flour into a thickened sauce. Cook for another 1-2 minutes to slightly reduce the mixture.
- Add Peas and Season: Stir in the frozen peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Top with Tater Tots: Evenly arrange the frozen tater tots over the beef and vegetable mixture in the skillet.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the tater tots are crispy and golden brown.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve hot. Enjoy your comforting Tater Tot Shepherd’s Pie!
Notes
- Vegetable substitutions: You can substitute other veggies like peas and corn or bell peppers based on preference.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, cook in a regular skillet and transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie dish or casserole dish before baking.
- For a vegetarian version, replace ground beef with plant-based ground meat or lentils.
- Adding a little extra tater tots will give a thicker and crunchier topping.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, British
