Tater Tot Casserole (small batch)

 

I am sharing a delicious and simple casserole with you today.  Tater Tot Casserole. Another name for it might be Cheesy Hot Dog Tater Tot Casserole.  No matter what you choose to call it, there is one thing that is certain and that is this is one really simple and easy to make, delicious casserole!

If you enjoy chili dogs, you are going to enjoy this casserole. There is a delicious base of chili and sliced hotdogs, with a few other ingredients to give even more flavor and texture to the base.  Yummy yummy.

  

This gets topped with a generous amount of cheese and then the cheese is topped with the tater tots. Into the oven it goes until everything is bubbling away and those tater tots are turning golden brown.  A final smattering of cheese is dusted over top and allowed to melt. I did pop my casserole underneath the broiler/grill to give it a nice finish, but that is totally unnecessary.

This makes for a perfect mid-week supper. One of those nights when everyone is ravenous, but you have had a super busy day and are too tired to cook anything complicated!  All you need is a salad on the side and dinner is served.  Quick, easy, delicious and family friendly!

Did I mention it is sized for the smaller family?  Yes, it feeds 3 people generously.  You can double it quite easily to feed more if you wish.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TATER TOT CASSEROLE (SMALL BATCH)

Just a few simple store cupboard ingredients. There is nothing complicated about this dish. It's a doddle.

• 4 regular hot dogs (or two jumbo hotdogs) sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 can (15oz/425g) prepared chili (with or without beans)
• 1/3 cup (85g) tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 1/4 cup (150g) grated cheese, divided
• 14 ounces (396g) frozen tater tots (roughly half a 28-oz bag)

 

On this occasion I used the Juicy Jumbo all beef hot dogs from Schneiders.  They are twice the size of regular hot dogs, so I only used two of them and that was plenty.

I used Stagg brand chili with beans that I had in my larder/store-cupboard.  It's my favorite when it comes to canned chili and is available in the U.K.

Regular Heinz Ketchup (it's my favorite) and the regular Worcestershire sauce. I opted not to use any red pepper flakes.

My onion was about the size of a golf ball. My next-door neighbor gave me a small bag of onions that someone had given her and they are all small. 

I used a Mexican blend of cheese that I had in the refrigerator. Any grated cheese or cheese blend will work well so long as it is loaded with flavor.  You don't want anything too mild, or it will disappear in the flavors of everything else.

Tater Tots are frozen potato nuggets. If you cannot get them, feel free to use frozen oven chips.

 

HOW TO MAKE TATER TOT CASSEROLE

This is not all that difficult to make. A can opener, a knife, a bowl and a casserole dish. That's all you need. Oh, and an oven to bake it in.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 7 by 11 inch or 8-inch square baking dish.

Slice your hotdogs into a bowl. Combine with the can of chili, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, onion and red pepper flakes if using. Mix well together.

 

Spread into the buttered baking dish, smoothing the mixture out evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup (120g) of the cheese, sprinkling it evenly over top.

Top with the frozen tater tots, placing them evenly spaced over top of the cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over top.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. (If you wish you can turn the broiler/grill on for a few minutes.)

 

This was really delicious, but then I have always been a fan of anything with chili-dog flavors. Not only was it really tasty but it was quick and easy to throw together as well. I am not sure how healthy it is, but once in a while you just have to do what you have to do.

I enjoyed it with a tossed salad on the side and was really pleased with my dinner. Rich and tasty, not too spicy, cheesy and hearty. It went down a real treat!  I hope you will give it a go!

 

Does your family enjoy tater tots and casseroles as much as I do?  If so, I got you covered with some of the most delicious tater tot creations out there!

 

CHEESY TATER TOT MEATLOAF CASSEROLE - What you get here is a tasty casserole with a layer of glazed meatloaf on the bottom, topped with crispy tater tots and plenty of cheese. Sized for 2 - 3 people, this is delicious! All you need is a vegetable on the side. 

CRACKED OUT CHICKEN TATER TOT CASSEROLE - A lick your plate clean casserole with a creamy, cheesy, oniony, chicken and green bean base, topped with crispy tater tots and more cheese.  Baked until bubbling and golden brown. Delicious! Another small batch casserole.

Yield: 3 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Tater Tot Casserole (small batch)

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

This simple dish goes together very quickly with a few store cupboard ingredients. A delicious favorite and hearty family meal, sized down for the smaller family.

Ingredients

• 4 regular hot dogs (or two jumbo hotdogs) sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 can (15oz/425g) prepared chili (with or without beans)
• 1/3 cup (85g) tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 1/4 cup (150g) grated cheese, divided
• 14 ounces (396g) frozen tater tots (roughly half a 28-oz bag)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 7 by 11 inch or 8-inch square baking dish.
2. Slice your hotdogs into a bowl. Combine with the can of chili, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, onion and red pepper flakes if using. Mix well together.
3. Spread into the buttered baking dish, smoothing the mixture out evenly. Sprinkle with 1 cup (120g) of the cheese, sprinkling it evenly over top.
4. Top with the frozen tater tots, placing them evenly spaced over top of the cheese.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over top.
7. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. (If you wish you can turn the broiler/grill on for a few minutes.)

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