Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef and Lentils

tater tot casserole with lentils and ground beef served on white dish

Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef and Lentils

A hearty and wholesome twist on classic tater tot casserole, stretching the ground beef with protein-rich lentils to make this more budget friendly. A creamy mixed vegetable and beef/lentil filling with a cheesy, golden tater-tot topping. Perfect for family dinners or freezer meal prep.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Course casserole, dinner, main dish

Cuisine American, comfort food

Servings servings

Calories 316 kcal

Equipment

9x9 casserole dish or similar size
medium pot, pan, cooking utensils

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cup green lentils
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mixed vegetables frozen (corn, carrots, green beans, peas)
1/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
32 oz bag frozen tater tots will not use whole bag. 25-35 tots
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, and simmer the lentils until starting to soften- about 15-20 minutes (they will soften more when baked, too).
1/2 cup green lentils
While lentils are boiling, In a greased skillet, brown your ground beef. Add garlic and minced onion to the ground beef to help with flavor.
1/2 lb ground beef, 1 tbsp minced onion, 1 tbsp minced garlic
Strain the lentils and add to the browned beef. Then add the condensed soup, vegetables, Worcestershire and milk. Combine well and pour into 9x9 pan.
1 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup, 1 cup mixed vegetables frozen, 1/4 cup milk, 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
Top with shredded cheddar and then line up your tater tots.
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 32 oz bag frozen tater tots
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes covered. Then, remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until casserole is bubbling and tater tots are golden. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Variations:

add more or less mixed vegetable (up to 2 cups of mixed veg)

try a different condensed soup (cream of chicken works well)

you may omit the lentils and use a full 1 lb of ground beef if preferred

must boil lentils before baking. Would need much more liquid in casserole to add dry.

Nutrition information is an estimate only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 316kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 20gFat: 22gSodium: 570mgFiber: 3.8gSugar: 2.1g

Keyword budget casserole, budget meal, tater tot casserole with cream of mushroom soup, tater tot casserole with ground beef, tater tot hot dish

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