This Level 5: Minced & Moist Tater Tot Casserole has everything you’re looking for in comfort-food indulgence. This has all the traditional casserole flavors with in an easy to eat format!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Midwestern memories
Louisa has posted a few recipes that nod to our Midwestern heritage, but nothing screams Midwest like tater tot casserole!
It’s hot, it’s got a cream-of soup, it’s potato-y, could you get a more prototypical casserole?!
While a traditional tater tot casserole would obviously have tater tots as the potato layer, I decided to substitute frozen hashbrowns because I didn’t think my tiny food processor could handle a full tot.
In our house, tater tot casserole’s only vegetable is corn. However, I have eaten tater tot casserole with other vegetables, notably peas or green beans. You’re welcome to add your favorite canned vegetables as long as you mince them to the appropriate size before adding them.
I had an issue with the bottom of my potato layer fusing to the bottom of my pan in places. Hopefully this will not happen to you. If it does, remember to not scrape any of these fused pieces up for your minced & moist eater. Give them to whoever it is in your household who eats the burnt chunks off everyone’s plate.
Level 5: Minced & Moist
Level 5: Minced & Moist is appropriate for individuals who have good tongue control and can manage small bits of food, but may have decreased chewing or tongue force. Foods contain visible lumps and are covered with a moist sauce. These foods can be scooped and shaped into a ball on the plate, but no liquid can separate from the solids if the plate is tipped.
Food pieces or lumps can be no larger than 4mm for adults or 2mm for children and must fit between the tines of a fork; this is called the Fork Test. Minced & Moist recipes must pass both the Fork Test and the Spoon Tilt Test, in which the food must hold its shape on a spoon but fall off easily if tilted or lightly flicked. We recommend watching IDDSI’s Youtube video of the Spoon Tilt Test before you cook as well as during the testing of your final modified portion.
Always test your food before serving to ensure that it meets all the IDDSI testing guidelines.
Modify in different ways
Another possible modification to this recipe might be to modify the potatoes for only one portion of this recipe. You could consider using full tater tots for the majority of the pan and have one section (bound off by a tin foil wall) with pulsed potatoes.
This is definitely a minced & moist recipe everyone can enjoy, I’ve been eating it for breakfast in the mornings like an absolute maniac.
We want to hear from you!
If you have any questions or comments about this recipe, please comment below!
If you loved this recipe, check out our other Level 5: Minced & Moist recipes, or learn more about us!
Level 5: Minced & Moist Tater Tot Casserole
Equipment
- immersion blender with food processor attachment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 15-ounce can cream-style corn
- 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
- 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Table Blend
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 11/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 30-ounce package frozen hashbrowns
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13in pan and set aside.
- Use a food processor to process the whole kernel corn to 4mm or less pieces.
- Use the same processor or a blender to puree the cream-style corn, add to the bowl with minced corn.
- Combine cream of chicken soup to the corn mixture.
- Heat a saute pan or high-sided skillet over medium high.
- Add the ground beef and fry until cooked through. While cooking, break the beef into smaller pieces. Unlike traditional browning, stir frequently to avoid developing a hard “crust” on the beef.
- Remove beef from pan and pulse in food processor until pieces are 4mm or less. Return to pan.
- Heat on low and add cream of chicken soup and corn mixture to beef.
- Stir together and season with Mrs. Dash, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt to taste.
- Pulse frozen hashbrowns in food processor until pieces are 4mm or less.
- Spread a layer of pulsed hashbrowns in the 9x13 and top with beef mixture. Add another layer of hashbrowns and beef and top with remaining hashbrowns.
- Cover 9x13 with tin foil. Bake for 60 mins or until bubbling.
Here from the UK. Some ~slang terms and brands I don’t know.
Confused as another site I Briwsed tonight says corn & peas are veg you can’t have (mushy peas aside), – as too lettuce and spinach. But yiu mention corn..
You are absolutely right that vegetables with skins/hulls/seeds are not allowed on many IDDSI levels. In this recipe, we process all the corn pieces so that everything meets the Level 5: Minced & Moist criteria. If you are particularly sensitive, you could always blend the corn completely smooth and strain out any pieces.