Low Carb Tot Casserole with Easy Homemade Cream Soup
I have revamped a classic comfort food with my Low Carb Tot Casserole with Easy Homemade Cream Soup Recipe that you will not miss the old one that uses a can!
In the 80s my Mom made this famous casserole every few weeks as it was my family’s favorite and it was one of those easy dinners she could whip up in a flash!
I am sure EVERYONE from the 80s remembers that the original tater tot hotdish casserole used a can of cream of mushroom soup.
Since I avoid gluten and hydrogenated oils to be healthier, I created this Low Carb Tot Casserole with my own homemade cream soup.
No cans of soup in sight but with all of the flavor in this easy recipe for creamy mushroom soup, you will want to use it in other easy dinner recipes.
You will not even miss the original canned soup version as my creamy sauce recipe will rival in taste and texture.
This truly is the best tater tot casserole recipe you will find that will quickly become a family favorite.
It evokes nostalgia and brings the whole family together around the dinner table and is bound to please any picky eaters you may have!
My healthier take on this classic recipe helps this easy casserole recipe to remain gluten-free without extra ingredients such as starches or preservatives.
Keep reading as I will share how to make my easy tater tot casserole recipe including the simple homemade cream soup, give tips on substitutions and answer frequently asked questions you may have.
What you will need to make this Low Carb Classic Tater Tot Casserole
- 1-2 pounds of Ground beef
- Onion powder
- Onion; diced
- Salt
- Shredded cheddar; reserved
- Green Giant Cauliflower/or Broccoli Tots
- Heavy cream
- Beef broth
- Worchestershire sauce
- Butter
- Marjoram
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Black pepper
- Cream cheese
- Xanthan gum/or glucomannan
Let’s Start Making The Casserole By Preparing the Meat Mixture
To craft the savory meat mixture for this casserole, start by sauteing the chopped onion with 1 tablespoon of butter.
Lean ground beef is a good option to minimize excess grease that does not contain much fat.
Once the onion is soft and a bit golden brown, stir ground beef in along with the onion powder and salt.
Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat and break up as it cooks.
Once the beef mixture is cooked, leave it in the skillet and set it aside.
Now let’s make the Homemade Cream Soup from Simple Ingredients
You will need a medium saucepan and a whisk to start.
Place your medium saucepan over medium heat and put in the remaining butter to melt.
Once the butter is melted add in the beef broth, spices, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream and cream cheese.
Whisk well over the medium heat until everything is smooth.
Bring the cream mixture to a slow boil and quickly add in the xanthan gum or glucomannan while stirring with a whisk.
Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once it coats the back of a spoon you know it is ready to put your casserole together!
Time to put your Low Carb Tot Casserole together
Preheat your oven to 350F.
You must choose if you are going to bake it in your skillet if it is oven safe, like my cast iron skillet, or if you want to put it in a casserole dish.
If you are going to use a casserole dish, put the savory ground beef in a large bowl and pour the cream soup over it.
Stir well in the large mixing bowl then place in a casserole dish or baking pan.
If you are going to cook it right in the skillet, you only need to pour the homemade cream soup over the ground beef in the skillet like I did.
Now stir it altogether until it is well combined.
Your last step is to arrange an even layer of tater tots or low carb tots over the beef and soup mixture.
The tater tots must be frozen tater tots as they bake with the casserole.
Once they are in place, bake in a preheated oven at 350F for a bake time of 20 minutes.
Then top the top of the tater tots with 1 – 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and place it back into the oven for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crispy tater tots are golden.
If you do not want your cheese to be golden brown, cover the skillet or casserole dish with aluminum foil.
Spray the foil with cooking spray before covering it so the cheese doesn’t stick to it.
It depends on how cheesy you want your hot dish whether you use one cup of cheddar cheese or 1 1/2 cups.
After it has baked for the additional 8-10 minutes let it sit for 5 minutes before serving up.
If you have leftovers, let the casserole cool down before placing them in an airtight container and storing in the fridge up to 5 days.
Alternately place in a glass dish and cover with plastic wrap.
When you go to reheat the leftovers, place in a heat proof dish and cover with foil.
Place in a 350F oven for 10 minutes.
I love having these leftovers for lunch the next day!
Tips, Substitutions, and FAQs
- If you want a leaner ground meat for your casserole, try using ground turkey or ground chicken instead of the ground beef.
- You can easily add in some extra veggies like bell peppers or a drained can of green beans when you stir the cream soup into the meat.
- If you absolutely want to make this a homemade mushroom soup you can add in sautéed fresh mushrooms right at the end of the cream soup recipe.
- Try subbing in a can of chicken for the ground beef for a different version of a classic.
- A great way to add additional creaminess to the creamy soup by stirring in 2 tablespoons of sour cream at the end right before using in a recipe or eating as is.
- Try different shredded cheese options like pepper jack or Monterey Jack cheese for a little bit of a spicy kick.
- To increase the melty cheese layers, sprinkle cheese on top of the beef mixture layer before placing the tots on top in a single layer. Then proceed with the recipe including the cheese on the top at the end.
Can I turn the cream soup recipe into different flavored cream soups?
Yes you can! Just swap out the beef broth with chicken broth to make cream of chicken soup. You can also swap out the beef broth with vegetable broth and add in sautéed celery to make a cream of celery soup. It is easy to make new recipes simply by swapping out the broth and the additions.
How can I turn this into a freezer meal to save time on prep work?
You would need to have a freezer safe dish to put the casserole in that is also a great baking dish. I have done this in an aluminum pan with great results. Prepare the recipe all the way up until you are about to put it into the oven then cover with aluminum foil and freeze. The next time you are in need of a quick meal, put it right from the freezer to the oven and bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, then add cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes.
Can I use this cream soup in other recipes?
Yes, this cream soup recipe will work very well in other recipes calling for cream soup. Try it in a green bean casserole or even in my Mexican Casserole layered with chips and beef mixture that has been mixed with my homemade cream soup.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories 759 | 759 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 50.4g | 99% |
| Saturated Fat 28.2g | 242% |
| Cholesterol 230mg | 77% |
| Sodium 451mg | 35% |
| Total Carbohydrate 2.4g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.3g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 0.7g | |
| Protein 84g | |
| Vitamin D 24mcg | 122% |
| Calcium 192mg | 15% |
| Iron 9mg | 49% |
| Potassium 1296mg | 28% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
These nutrition facts are WITHOUT the low carb tots you choose. You will need to add in the nutrition amounts for the tots that you choose to use whether cauliflower tots, broccoli tots or regular tots.
You can also use steamed veggies as a topping to keep the carb count low and maintain a lower fat count.
This easy-to-follow recipe for a low-carb tot casserole offers a delightful alternative to the classic comfort dish while catering to gluten-free and low-carb diet.
Its easy to please even the pickiest eaters with this delicious dinner and makes it a go-to choice for busy weeknights.
The printable recipe makes it a breeze to recreate this ultimate comfort food for family reunions or potluck dinners!
Low Carb Tot Casserole with Easy Homemade Cream Soup
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Medium Saucepan
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
For the Ground Beef Mixture
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 small onion; diced
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp butter
For The Easy Homemade Cream Soup
- 3/4 cup heavy cream + 1 Tbsp extra heavy cream
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp worchestershire sauce
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp marjoram
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 oz cream cheese (4 tbsp)
- 3/4 tsp xanthan gum/or glucomannan
For the Casserole Topping
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar; reserved
- 1/2 bag Green Giant Cauliflower/or Broccoli Tots or favorite gluten free tater tots
Instructions
For the Ground Beef Mixture:
- To craft the savory meat mixture for this casserole, start by sauteing the chopped onion with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Once the onion is soft and a bit golden brown, stir ground beef in along with the onion powder and salt.
- Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat and break up as it cooks. Once the beef mixture is cooked, leave it in the skillet and set it aside.
For the Homemade Cream Soup:
- Place your medium saucepan over medium heat and put in the butter to melt.
- Once the butter is melted add in the beef broth, spices, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream and cream cheese.
- Whisk well over the medium heat until everything is smooth.
- Bring the cream mixture to a slow boil and quickly add in the xanthan gum or glucomannan while stirring with a whisk.
- Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Assembling the Casserole:
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- You must choose if you are going to bake it in your skillet if it is oven safe, like my cast iron skillet, or if you want to put it in a casserole dish.
- If you are going to use a casserole dish, put the savory ground beef in a large bowl and pour the cream soup over it. Stir well in the large mixing bowl then place in a casserole dish or baking pan.
- If you are going to cook it right in the skillet, you only need to pour the homemade cream soup over the ground beef in the skillet like I did.
- Your last step is to arrange an even layer of tater tots or low carb tots over the beef and soup mixture. The tater tots must be frozen tater tots as they bake with the casserole.
- Once they are in place, bake in a preheated oven at 350F for a bake time of 20 minutes.
- Then top the top of the tater tots with 1 – 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and place it back into the oven for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crispy tater tots are golden.
- If you do not want your cheese to be golden brown, cover the skillet or casserole dish with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray before covering it so the cheese doesn't stick to it.
- After it has baked for the additional 8-10 minutes let it sit for 5 minutes before serving up.
- If you have leftovers, let the casserole cool down before placing them in an airtight container and storing in the fridge up to 5 days. Alternately place in a glass dish and cover with plastic wrap.
- When you go to reheat the leftovers, place in a heat proof dish and cover with foil. Place in a 350F oven for 10 minutes.
Notes
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 759 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 50.4g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat 28.2g | 141% |
| Cholesterol 334mg | 111% |
| Sodium 451mg | 20% |
| Total Carbohydrate 2.4g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 0.3g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 0.7g | |
| Protein 84g | |
| Vitamin D 24mcg | 122% |
| Calcium 192mg | 15% |
| Iron 9mg | 49% |
| Potassium 1296mg | 28% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition
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Check out these other low carb dinners cooked in a skillet
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Updated with new pictures, instructions, tips, and nutrition info on 9/02/2024
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