Name: Tater Tot Shepherd's Pie
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 T olive oil; 1 onion; 1 lb ground beef; 2/3 c beef broth; 1 1/2 T flour; 1 1/3 c frozen mixed vegetables; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 2 T tomato paste; 1 tsp thyme; 1/2 tsp oregano; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 16 oz frozen tater tots (about 1/2 of a 32 oz. bag)

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This Tater Tot Shepherd's Pie takes a classic dish and gives it a fun, kid friendly (and adult!) twist. Ground beef and vegetables topped with crispy tater tots. A perfect family friendly weeknight dinner that only takes about 15 minutes to prep!

Shepherd's pie topped with tater tots in pan with spatula scooping out serving.

This post is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting beef farmers!

Busy school days call for quick and easy meal solutions. Beef is a great option and this Tater Tot Shepherd's Pie is just the right recipe for those busy nights.

Eating right and getting the nutrition needed for the school year is tricky sometimes when things are so busy. But this recipe is a great option to fuel your family with very little effort!

And if beef is what is for dinner at your house, then make sure to try this easy beef pot pie, mozzarella stuffed burgers, or these zucchini beef meatballs!

Why You Will Love This Tater Tot Shepherd's Pie:

Can be prepared ahead of time. The beef mixture of this tater tot shepherd's pie whips up in less than 15 minutes. Transfer it to your baking dish and then it can sit for the day until you are ready to bake. Top with the tots, bake and enjoy!
It's a great option for active kids. For student athletes and active kids, there is no better choice than beef. The protein in beef helps build muscle and provides enough energy to support kids on-the-go while B vitamins provide energy for students to perform at their best.
A freezer friendly meal. You know I am always game for a freezer friendly meal! Can't bet them. You can easily freeze individual servings or the entire dish and it will keep for several months. Makes for an easy way to grab a meal when you are in a pinch.
Has lots of nutrition packed into one meal. Don't underestimate the power of beef. A 3 ounce serving contains the nutrients needed for a growing family including protein, zinc and iron!

Tater tot shepherd's pie on white plate with fork and topped with chopped parsley.

Recipe Ingredients:

onion: yellow onion is our preference. If you aren't a big fan of onion, you can certainly half the amount.
ground beef: we typically use ground sirloin in this tater tot shepherd's pie, but whatever you have on hand will work well. Sirloin is very lean and doesn't end up with a lot of grease in the pot. Ground chuck is great and really, your favorite is great!
broth: beef broth is ideal for the best flavor in this dish. If you don't have any, vegetable or chicken broth can work. Beef stock is another great option.
flour: this will help thicken up the beef mixture up slightly so it isn't runny. If you need to avoid gluten, you can use a gluten free flour.
mixed vegetables: we prefer frozen mixed vegetables such as the mixture with peas, carrots, corn and green beans. Surprisingly my son eats all of these. You can add any sort of softened vegetables to the mix. I like to use this recipe as a clean out the fridge dish and have added steamed broccoli, roasted green beans and other veggies already cooked into it. This is a great way to vary based on what your family likes.
garlic: freshly minced is ideal but
Worcestershire sauce: not many can say or spell it, but it adds that perfect flavor to any beef dish. If you need to avoid gluten, make sure to look for one that is certified gluten free because it is not always made gluten free.
tomato paste: this will also thicken the sauce up slightly and add some flavor to the dish. I like to make sure there is no salt added so that I can control all of the saltiness on my own.
seasoning: a mixture or thyme and oregano pair so well with the beef and the Worcestershire sauce. Then some salt and pepper to finish it all out. You can certainly adjust the saltiness in yours!
tater tots: frozen tater tots are just fine! No need to thaw them.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

It's so super simple to make this tater tot topped shepherd's pie. Start out by heating olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the onions and soften for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and break up and then heat until browned. Drain any grease once the meat is no longer pink.

Add the meat back into the pan and add in the vegetables, tomato paste, seasoning, broth and flour. Stir over medium low heat until combined and flour has dissolved into the sauce. Do not worry if the veggies are still frozen.

Ground beef and onions cooked in gray skillet.

Frozen mixed vegetables, beef, tomato paste, corn starch and other ingredients in skillet.

Transfer the beef and veggie mixture to a 9x9 inch baking pan that has been sprayed lightly with oil. (if your skillet is oven proof you can certainly just use this dish to bake instead!)

Line the tater tots tightly over top to completely cover the mixture. Bake for about 35-40 minutes at 350°F or until the mixture is bubbling and the tater tots are golden crispy. You can broil on high for the last 2-3 minutes for extra crispy tater tots.

Beef and vegetable mixture in baking pan.

Tater tots lined over beef mixture in baking pan.

Recipe Notes and Tips:

Ground beef buying tip: Be sure to select ground beef with a bright, red color that is firm to the touch and doesn’t have excessive liquid in the package. Store ground beef in your refrigerator for 1-2 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Use frozen tater tots. If you don't use frozen tater tots in this recipe, the tots will not bake up as crispy. It is a definite MUST if you like your tater tots golden and crispy.
While cheese is not an ingredient in classic shepherd's pie, it's great on top! My husband preferred shredded cheddar cheese over top of his tater tots after this came out of the oven. It is definitely a delicious addition. You could also stir some into the beef mixture if desired or add on top of the tots in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Tater tot topped beef mixture in baking pan with spatula scooping into the dish.

Storage Instructions:

This shepherd's pie will keep for about 5 days in the refrigerator. Store it in an air tight container. To get some crispiness back in the tater tots when reheating, use an air fryer or bake in the oven. If you microwave, leftovers will not be very crispy on top.

To freeze, allow the dish to cool completely. Place in a freezer safe air tight container. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Other Beef Recipes:

Visit www.OhioBeef.org, and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips, recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farming families. Use #OhioBeef to share photos of your healthy meals this school year!

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