Turkey Tater Tot Casserole
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We all love our Gram Gram and this one is in honor of my husband’s Grandma. I had tough shoes to fill as it was but trying to make this healthier was a feat. BUT, I prevailed and it passed his rigorous test of Grandma quality tater tot casseroles.
The swap is simple: lean ground turkey in for beef, a couple smart seasoning moves so it doesn’t taste like a diet version of itself and the same crispy cheesy tater tot top everyone’s actually here for. 27 grams of protein a serving and it still tastes like Sunday at grandma’s house.
I’m no stranger to a good casserole around here. Teriyaki chicken casserole, Big Mac casserole, and chicken pot pie casserole are all in heavy rotation because they’re the easiest things I make. Throw it together, toss it in the oven, eat it all week.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 27 grams of protein per serving, minimal ingredients
- One pan, one oven, minimal cleanup
- Freezes and reheats like a dream (details below)
- Kid and husband approved, no substitutions needed to make that true
- Ready in about 45 minutes start to finish
Ingredients and Substitutions:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for Turkey Tater Tot Casserole.
- Lean Ground Turkey (99/1): you lose zero flavor going this lean because the seasoning is doing the work, not the fat. Ground chicken, beef, or pork all work here too if that’s what’s in your freezer.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: the 98% fat-free version keeps this light without you noticing. Full-fat works too if you’re not worried about the extra fat grams.
- Mesquite Liquid Smoke. Don’t skip this one. It’s a small amount but it’s putting in WORK, giving the dish that smoky, slow-cooked flavor without an actual smoker. Skip it and the whole thing tastes flatter than it should.
- Cheddar Cheese: full-fat melts better and is worth it here. Pre-shredded is fine, block cheese you shred yourself melts slightly smoother if you have the extra two minutes.
- Alexia Foods Crispy Seasoned Potato Puffs: the other non-negotiable. Regular tater tots work, but the seasoning on these is doing real flavor work on top of the casserole. Worth seeking out.
Dietary Modifications
- For gluten-free, double check your cream of mushroom soup and tater tots. Most major brands are GF but always check the label since it varies.
- For dairy-free, swap the cheese for a dairy-free shredded cheese and use a dairy-free cream of mushroom substitute. The rest is naturally dairy-free.
Variations
- Sneak in veggies: peas, carrots, corn, or green beans all fold right into the turkey mixture before you top it. Doesn’t change the cook time.
- Swap the protein: ground chicken, beef, or pork all work in place of turkey with zero recipe changes.
- Swap the tots: sweet potato tots make this a little sweeter and add extra fiber if that’s your thing.
- Swap the soup: cream of chicken or cream of celery both work if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Store and Meal Prep
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The tater tots soften a bit the longer they sit, so eat this one on the earlier side of that window if crispy tots matter to you.
- To freeze, assemble the casserole completely (uncooked), cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding about 15-20 extra minutes to the bake time.
- To reheat leftovers, the oven at 350°F brings the tots back to crispy in about 15 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch but the tots will go soft.
Tips for the Best Turkey Tater Tot Casserole
- Don’t skip the liquid smoke. It’s a small amount but it’s the difference between “fine” and “what is this deliciousness.” Skip it and the whole dish reads flatter than it should.
- Break the turkey up small. Bigger chunks mean uneven cooking and awkward bites later. Keep breaking it apart with your spoon as it browns.
- Don’t crowd the tater tots. One even layer, tots not touching if you can help it. Overlapping tots means some stay soft while others crisp up, and nobody wants a soft tot.
- Full-fat cheese melts better. Reduced-fat works if you need to save calories, but it won’t get that same bubbly, stretchy melt on top.
- Weigh your dish empty first. If you want an accurate serving size, weigh the empty casserole dish before you start, then weigh the finished bake and subtract. That’s your real total weight to divide by servings.
- Cast iron goes straight from stove to oven. Use a 12-inch cast iron skillet so this goes from stovetop to oven in one pan. No cast iron? Cook the turkey mixture in any skillet, then transfer to a 9×13 baking dish before adding the cheese and tater tots.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! Ground chicken, beef, or pork all work great here. The seasoning is doing most of the flavor work, so the protein swap won’t change much.
A 12-inch cast iron skillet keeps this to one pan, stovetop to oven. No cast iron? Cook the turkey mixture in any skillet, then transfer to a 9×13 baking dish for the cheese and tater tot layer.
Yes, assemble the whole thing (uncooked) up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when you’re ready, adding a few extra minutes since it’s starting cold.
Absolutely. Assemble it uncooked, cover tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, no need to thaw, just add 15-20 extra minutes.
Use a reduced-fat cheese or cut the cheese amount in half. Reduced-fat cheese won’t melt quite as smoothly but it’ll save you calories and fat per serving.
Check out some of our other easy meals!
- Cracked Out Tater Tot Casserole
- Mississippi Chicken Casserole
- Cottage Cheese Lasagna
- Skillet Pepperoni Pizza
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Turkey Tater Tot Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 lbs. lean ground turkey 99/1
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Mesquite Liquid Smoke
- 1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz.
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded split in half
- 5 servings Alexia Foods Crispy Seasoned Potato Puffs 420 grams
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a large cast iron or pan over medium and warm 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Add garlic and chopped onion the oil and cook until fragrant.
- Add the raw ground turkey to the dish and break with a spoon into small bite sized pieces. Cook until cooked through.
- Once the turkey is cooked through add the cream of mushroom soup, salt, liquid smoke, fresh cracked pepper to taste and mix together well to combine. If using a baking dish transfer this mixture to the dish. If using a cast iron continue with the cast iron.
- Top the mixture with 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Then arrange the tater tots over the top and top with the second 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.
- Place the pan in the oven uncovered and bake for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the tater tots are crispy. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Notes
- To lower the fat, use half the cheese or omit entirely.
- Add vegetables to the turkey mixture prior to topping with cheese and tater tots.
- Use any type of ground meat.
- You can use any tater tots but Alexia Foods seasoned give the turkey a ton of flavor.
- All nutrition facts are a estimate.
Sorry if I missed this, but what is the weight for a serving?
225g is one serving of this one.
Love the flavor and makes great comfort food. I got 225 grams per serving only making 4 servings and I followed the recipe to the “T”. The calories are more per serving
I have both of your books, too.
Love your macros, pictures, and affordable recipes.
Aw, thank you so much. It’s you guys that makes it all work 🙂 I will double check these macros, thanks for letting me know.
Looking for a healthier casserole that’s still easy and one pan for weeknights, and this hit the spot perfectly! Added some bell peppers and a dash of burger seasoning since I only had plain tots. Definitely going in my weeknight rotation
Love the additions. This is one my older and more favorite recipes, too!
Excellent recipe! My turkey breast cooked perfectly and was delicious!
Makes me so happy to hear that. I had so much fun developing this recipe, I love when other people love it as much as I do!
My family LOVED this so much that they chose seconds over dessert! My store didn’t have Alexia tots, so I used regular but I will definitely be making again once I find those!
So great to hear you loved it. Yes, definitely try the seasoned tots, adds such a great extra flare.
This was so good! My husband has been wanting tater tot casserole for a long time and I was so happy to find a healthy version. It was a huge success! All your recipes have been successful in this family. Thank you!
I love to hear that!
I’m not usually a huge tater tot casserole fan, but this with the ground turkey, and the cream of mushroom soup was so delicious! Also, really easy to make an all one cast-iron skillet. Great leftovers!
I am so glad you tried it out and loved it!
I might have to start making doubles of this recipe. My family of four (with two small girls) practically devour a whole pan. And that is no small feat with toddlers. The best part is that it’s cooked all in one pan and so easy to throw together. It has quickly become a part of our rotation.
yay!
So easy to make and absolutely delicious !
Thanks Monica!
This was SO easy to make and absolutely delicious!!! I will definitely be adding this to our menu often. My husband and I are big eaters so we got closer to 4 servings. I think next time I will serve alongside a veggie or something to keep it at a 5 serving dish.
This recipe is delicious!! Made it as it’s written and personally I think it tastes better than the ground beef version I grew up on! Will definitely be adding it to our dinner rotation.
10/10!! My husband is a die hard tater tot casserole lover and this passed the test! We added green beans!
I have never made so many recipes from an online source before. Thank you Danielle for these amazing and delicious recipes!! I subbed cream of chicken and used ground beef. It literally tastes like a Big Mac in a skillet. The liquid smoke is also an essential for an extra depth of flavor. 10/10 would recommend. I love that most of these recipes are so customizable to preference in taste & dietary restrictions
Made this with ground chicken breast it was delicious and a great comfort food!
My husband loved it and can’t wait for me to make it again!
I didn’t use the liquid smoke
This looks delicious! Can this be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake?
Everyone should make this!!!! It was delicious, my husband was bummed there wasn’t another skillet. Ha. I used lean ground beef because that’s what I had and I’m excited to try it with Turkey. I’ll definitely be adding this to the lineup!!