Hearty and comforting, this Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole has savory beef, vegetables, and gravy topped with cheese and tater tots that are baked to golden brown. This is a fun twist on a classic!
Want some other versions of shepherd’s pie? Try this Meatball Cottage Pie or this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes.
Is there anything more nostalgic than a tater tot casserole?
This recipe takes the classic shepherd’s pie and combines it with a tater tot casserole, creating a comforting dinner that both the kids and the adults love.
You have that creamy, beefy filling that we all love from a shepherd’s pie. (And yes, I know this is technically a cottage pie because it’s beef, but I’ve always called it shepherd’s pie so we’re sticking with it!) But instead of the creamy mashed potato topping, you get tater tots. They get nice and golden and crispy and the combination is perfect.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef: I like to use a leaner ground beef, just because I don’t like having to drain a lot of fat. If you do use a fattier mix, just make sure you drain the fat before adding the vegetables.
- Vegetables: You will need a mix of onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and peas. I just use frozen peas. No need to thaw them first, I just add them in frozen and they thaw very fast.
- Tomato Paste: This gives the sauce some depth. I just use the paste in a tube, but you can use the paste in a can, as well. It freezes well, so don’t discard what you don’t use!
- Worcestershire Sauce: This also just adds flavor and depth to the filling.
- Butter: You need just a little bit of butter to make a roux, which will thicken up the sauce just a bit.
- Flour: This mixes with the butter to form your roux.
- Broth: I use beef broth, but you can use beef stock for even more flavor.
- Cheese: I usually like to use at least a medium cheddar for more flavor. Sharp is great, as well.
- Tater Tots: The recipe calls for a 2 pound bag of tater tots. Depending on the shape of your baking dish, you may not use all of the tots. I try to add as many as I can while keeping them in a single layer. If you have any left, you can bake them up on a sheet pan.
How to Make Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole
STEP 1: In a dutch oven or a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Break it up as it cooks, and then drain any fat, if needed.
STEP 2: Add in your carrots, onion, and celery. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook this all together until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic in the last minute.
STEP 3: Push the beef mixture to the sides of the pot, and add the tomato paste to the center. You want to let it warm up and cook for a minute or two so that you cook out the raw flavor, as well as loosening it up so that it will mix into the meat. Once it’s hot, mix it into the meat mixture.
STEP 4: Push the beef to the sides again, and add the butter to the center. Once melted, add the flour and stir these both into the meat mixture, followed by the Worcestershire sauce.
STEP 5: Add the beef broth. Let this all simmer together until it starts to thicken up a bit.
STEP 6: Add the peas. Stir for a minute or two.
STEP 7: Pour the beef mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread it out until it is even.
STEP 8: Top it evenly with the shredded cheese.
STEP 9: Take your tater tots and place them in a single layer over the cheese. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the tater tots are golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Tips and Tricks
This recipe can easily be cut in half if you don’t have as many people to feed. But it also makes pretty good leftovers, as well. The tater tots won’t stay as crisp, but it’s still delicious!
Make sure to add the cheese below the tater tots so that the tater tots can get golden and crispy.
This doesn’t have a lot of spices, so you want to make sure you taste as you go and season well with salt and pepper. Feel free to add in other spices of your liking, but I don’t think it needs them!
More Comfort Food Favorites
Chicken and Dumplings
Chili Mac
Chicken a la King
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Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 lb frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through.2 pounds ground beef
- Add the carrots, onion, and celery to the beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.1 cup chopped carrots, 1 medium onion, 2 ribs celery, Salt and pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- Move the beef to the sides of the pan and add the tomato paste to the center. Let it cook, breaking it up a bit, until warmed through, then stir into the beef.2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Move the beef the side of the pan again, and melt the butter in the center. Add the flour and mix to combine. Add the Worcestershire sauce.3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Slowly pour in the beef broth, stirring and combining the butter/flour mixture with the beef and vegetables and the beef broth. Let the mixture cook until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.2 cups beef broth
- Stir in the frozen peas.1 cup frozen peas
- Pour the beef mixture into a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top.2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Arrange the tater tots into a single layer over the top.2 lb frozen tater tots
- Bake until the tots are crispy and the beef mixture is bubbling, about 35 minutes.
- Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Katie says
The nature of a shepherd’s pie is that it is made of lamb, not beef.
Hence the name “shepherd” which is truncated form of sheep herder.
Try the lamb version, it is superb.. The best I have made is without leftover roast lamb or roast mutton, with gravy. Yummmmmmm.
barbara says
I have made this reciopes with mashed potatoes and wanted to try with tots but I wanted to tell ppl to try this with venison. We love it
Tammy says
I made this a few weeks ago and it was really good!
A nice alternative to your standard shepherd’s pie and was eaten by the whole family
Tammy says
I like this version of shepherds pie, I never liked making that because of the mashed potatoes adding so much time, but tater tots rids that reason! If your daughter likes tater tots come visit my blog and look under tater tot casserole, this is a recipe everyone likes! How is your daughter taking to the baby?
bellini valli says
I have loved tater tots sicne i was a kid. Now I feel the need to head to the store!
Joanne says
Dude when you give you birth you TOTALLY get a few days off! Don't sweat it! One thing I miss that I haven't eaten in FOREVER is tater tots. This shepherd's pie sounds awesome!
Helzie Baking says
Lovely recipe! must try the new twist to the sheperd's pie sometime!
I love your blog, and congratulations on the little one =] x