If you've never heard of hotdish, let us introduce you to the retro recipe from Minnesota. Hotdish is an easy-to-make casserole that's topped with Tater Tots and baked until bubbly. Here's our Test Kitchen's recipe for Tater Tot hotdish, including tips for meal prepping the dish ahead.

What Is Minnesota Hotdish?

Sometimes called Tater Tot casserole, hotdish in Minnesota is commonly made with meat, cheese, veggies, canned soup, and Tater Tots. There are endless variations of the dish, but the classic features ground beef and cream of mushroom soup or condensed tomato soup. The term "hotdish" first appeared in a 1930's cookbook compiled by the Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid in Mankato, Minnesota.

Hotdish vs. Casserole

You may be wondering, what's the difference between hotdish and casserole? "The term casserole refers to the name of the baking dish, so by extension, anything baked in it is a casserole. Could be a breakfast, main dish, or side," says Juliana Hale, senior culinary specialist, BHG Test Kitchen. "A hotdish is a regional term for casserole." So all hotdishes are casseroles, but not all casserole recipes are hotdishes.

What You'll Need to Make Our Tater Tot Hotdish Recipe

After testing the classic Tater Tot hotdish recipe, our Test Kitchen made some modifications for the most flavorful hotdish. Here's a quick glance at what you'll need.

• Meat: Grab a pound of ground beef for this casserole recipe. You can also use ground turkey. If using turkey, we recommend adding a bit of butter as well to help the sauce come together.
• Veggies: We preferred the flavor of frozen mixed veggies as opposed to canned. The vegetable blend often contains green beans, peas, carrots, and corn.
• Sauce: Our biggest departure from the classic is the sauce. Rather than canned soup, we're making a homemade version using milk, flour, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Cheese: It wouldn't be a casserole without shredded cheese. For a little spice, try Monterey jack cheese with jalapenos, or you can also use shredded cheddar.
• Topping: Don't skimp on the Tater Tot topper. For many of our recipe tasters, it was their favorite part.

How to Make and Freeze Minnesota Hotdish

Assemble in a disposable aluminum baking pan, do not bake. Wrap pan and place in a freezer bag. Label and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.

How to Reheat Minnesota Hotdish

Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. water around the edge of the dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350°F 20 minutes or until heated through.