Easy Vegan Tater Tot Casserole made dairy-free and gluten-free for a delightful side dish of your dreams! Recipe includes options for using regular cheese and dairy as well!
Have you tried the amazingness that is Tater Tot Casserole?
Game. Changer. Er.
Over the last year, I had seen many recipes for tater tot casserole floating around the internet, but because I’m a rebel and naturally ignore popular culture and any trends that go along with it, I didn’t pay them much heed.
Until I made one, and WOWEE have I been missing out!
I must concede that there is a reason why tater tot casserole is a thing.
It is indescribably delicious.
What is Tater Tot Casserole?:
Tater tots are mixed with a thick creamy sauce (often cream of mushroom soup or a combination of sour cream, milk, and condensed soup) and often ground beef, sausage, or eggs and everything is baked in the oven with a generous portion of cheese.
Sometimes a cornflake cereal topping is involved, and I didn’t even go there because I knew if I did there would be no casserole left as evidence of its existence.
Because many of my readers are dairy-free and some are vegan, I figured I would provide a vegan option of this delicious little number.
In this sense, this tater tot casserole is made using my homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup, vegan cheese (use regular cheese if you aren’t vegan), ortega chilis to add a little something special (skip them if you hate them), and we’re leaving out the ground meat.
What does tater tot casserole taste like?
Substantially creamy and gooey with that nice cheesy crust layer, the tater tots by some miracle, hold their amazing exterior crisp with their soft potato blissed out interior and everything comes together in a cohesive bite from heaven.
The texture is everything here.
Is it the healthiest thing you could put in your body?
Heavens no.
But we are deep into the holiday season, and this is one situation where as a friend, I would advise: indulge, m’dear.
I haven’t tested this recipe on my nieces and nephews yet, but I’m willing to bet kids would go berserk over this casserole.
What You Need For This Recipe:
2 batches of Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (linked below)
Frozen tater tots – I use regular potato tots, but choose whatever kind you like
Your cheese of choice – to keep it vegan, use vegan cheese.
A large (13” x 9”) casserole dish.
Optional: a can of mild (or spicy) chopped ortega chilis
Let’s dig deeper into our tater tot and cheese options, because there are endless potential combinations here.
Tater Tot Options:
There are so many options when it comes to tater tot selection! You will need 32 ounces of tater tots, but the type is up to you.
I use regular (russet potato) tater tots, which I buy in the freezer section of my grocery store.
You’ll notice there are many tater tot options using different vegetables. Cauliflower tater tots, sweet potato tater tots, and mixed vegetable (tater tots made using two or more different vegetables) are easy to find at most grocery stores.
You can also make tater tots homemade! Do note that if you make homemade tots, the texture will likely not be the same, but I imagine you’ll end up with a delicious result nonetheless.
Try making one of these recipes:
- Healthy Baked Broccoli Tots from Gimme Delicious
- Sweet Potato Tater Tots from Jessica in the Kitchen
- Healthy Cauliflower Tots from Ambitious Kitchen
What Type of Cheese To Use:
Keep this recipe dairy-free and vegan by using your favorite grated vegan “cheese.” Just be sure to pick something that melts easily for that creamy gooey effect.
You can mix this up by using vegan cheddar, mozzarella, and/or ricotta cheese. You will need 10 ounces, so pick your favorites!
If you’re like me and you do well with most cheese but not so much with fresh dairy, you can use any regular melting cheese you like. I go with Colby Jack or a mix of cheddar and mozzarella. Make it taste fancy with gruyere or gouda!
Feeling like you could go without the cheese altogether? Do it! The dairy-free condensed cream of mushroom soup is incredibly flavorful on its own. If you omit cheese, you’ll be missing the gooey cohesiveness, but the flavor will still be amazing.
How to Make Tater Tot Casserole:
Begin by preparing a double batch of Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Thaw the tater tots in the refrigerator for at least one hour (several hours is optimal).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the thawed tater tots to a large casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
Pour the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the tater tots and mix well until all the tots are coated. Stir in 1 ½ cups of grated cheese and the ortega chilis (if adding).
Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is very bubbly and the cheese is melted.
If you like your cheese crispy, put the oven on the high broil setting and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese reaches your desired level of crisp.
Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
About that Cream of Mushroom Soup:
The dairy-free condensed cream of mushroom soup is everything to this recipe. I haven’t tested it using regular cream of mushroom soup or any other sauce option.
You can make the cream of mushroom soup up to 5 days in advance, so if you like making recipes in parts, this is a great option!
Recipe Adaptations:
- If you do meat, add 1 pound of cooked ground beef.
- Add 4 to 6 strips of cooked and chopped cooked bacon.
- Stir in 1 cup of salsa or a few tablespoons of hot sauce to spice it up.
- Add 1 cup of corn if you’re into it.
- Whisk up 3 to 6 eggs and stir them in when you stir in the soup.
And that’s it! Your ticket to a dairy-free tater tot casserole that will surely please all who try it!
It’s potatoes so it goes with everything.
I hope you love this ooey gooey crispy flavor fest!
Ingredients
- 2 batches Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 32-oz bag frozen tater tots, thawed
- 1 7-oz can mild ortega chilis, optional
- 8 ounces vegan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Begin by preparing a double batch of Dairy-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
- Thaw the tater tots in the refrigerator for at least one hour (several hours is optimal).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Transfer the thawed tater tots to a large casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
- Pour the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the tater tots and mix well until all the tots are coated. Stir in 1 ½ cups of grated cheese and the ortega chilis (if adding).
- Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese on top and bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is very bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- If you like your cheese crispy, put the oven on the high broil setting and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese reaches your desired level of crisp.
- Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
