Why Andrew Zimmern Likes An Easy, Ultra-Comforting Tater Tot Casserole

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Despite working with the finest ingredients and creating culinary masterpieces, Andrew Zimmern can also appreciate a hearty tater tot casserole. Although the dish seems disparate to some of the recipes he's known for, Zimmern loves that it requires little effort to throw together. Celebrity chefs — they're just like us!

In an interview with Allrecipes, Zimmern says he makes the dish with items that he can easily reach for. "I always have those ingredients on hand," he states. The ingredients in question? Ground beef, frozen green beans, onions, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and, of course, frozen tater tots. With the ingredients being either something that won't go bad quickly or an item that's common in most kitchens, the meal can easily be recreated at any time — this is by design. Along with its ease, Zimmern's fondness for the recipe stems from its roots as a dish for workers in the Midwest.

In his recipe for the tater tot hotdish, Zimmern uses Ore-Ida tater tots, but you can opt for any tater tot brand you like. To whip up the meal, all you need to do is brown the ground beef and onions before transferring them to a casserole dish. Add the green beans on top, followed by the cream of mushroom soup and the tater tots. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 35 minutes, then enjoy the cozy dish.

The combination of ground beef, cream of mushroom soup, and green beans is delicious, but tater tots are the required component to make tater tot casserole. The dish lends itself to constant reinvention, as it can take on varying flavors with the most minute swaps. Switching out the ground beef and cream of mushroom soup is one of the easiest ways to give the hotdish a completely different flavor.

Opt for ground turkey or chicken for a milder taste, and pair it with Campbell's spicy buffalo-style cream of chicken soup for a buffalo chicken dip-style tater tot hotdish. Finish off the meal with shredded mozzarella for a gooey topping, followed by some chopped chives. Canned French onion soup makes a delicious trio with ground beef and cheddar, while tomato bisque soup brings an umami quality to tofu and plant-based mozzarella.

Apart from changing the ground meat and canned soup, using an array of frozen veggies will help upgrade your tater tot casserole. Frozen broccoli is an ideal choice for cheddar and beef in the hotdish, but mixed vegetables with carrots, peas, green beans, and cauliflower provide the dish with a range of flavors.