Shepherds Pie with Tater Tots is a delicious casserole dish with ground meat, cheddar cheese, and mixed vegetables. The best part is it's ready in about 45 minutes.

If you like our mini shepherds pies, you'll love this easy recipe!
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I love traditional shepherds pie, but it can be time consuming. This time-saving recipe substitutes mashed potatoes with a layer of crispy tater tots.
While our recipe calls for ground beef, you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground lamb if you prefer.
This recipe is so easy and always a crowd-pleaser! Try it for your next potluck and I'm sure you'll find it's gone in a flash!

🧂 Ingredients
- lean ground beef
- frozen vegetable medley
- beef consume
- onion
- fresh garlic
- all-purpose flour
- milk
- Worcestershire sauce
- frozen tater tots
- kosher salt and black pepper
- cheddar cheese
This is meant to be a brief overview of this great recipe. For step-by-step instructions and a full printable recipe card with ingredients, please scroll down to the teal box below.
🔪 Instructions
- Place the tater tots on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 400-degrees.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the onion and garlic on medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle the flour onto the beef and stir to combine.
- Reduce to medium heat and mix in the milk and beef consume. Cook until it's bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Fold in the mixed vegetables.
- Trasnfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
- Top with cheddar cheese and partially cooked tater tots.
- Bake at 425F degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the tater tots are golden brown and delicious!
Note: This can also be baked right in an oven-safe skillet, such as a cast iron skillet.

🥄Equipment
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In addition to Measuring Spoons and a Liquid Measuring Cup, here is what you will need to make this easy recipe:
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⭐ Tips
✔️ Precooking the tater tots a little bit while you are making the meat filling shortens the overall cook time.
✔️ This is a great dish to share with a neighbor or friend who needs a meal. Instead of one large 9x13 pan, use two 9x9 pans instead.

🍲 Storage
To Store: Keep leftover Shepherd's Pie with Tater Tots in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. (These are my favorite airtight containers.)
To Reheat: Microwave individual portions in 30 second intervals until heated throughout.
To Freeze: Make the filling mixture but do not include the tater tots. Place the ground beef filling into a freezer-safe container or bag.
To Thaw: Place in the fridge overnight to thaw, then transfer to a baking dish, top with tater tots, and bake according to instructions.
📖 Variations
The first time you try any new recipe we recommend that you make it just as it is written on the recipe card since that is how the recipe has been tested. However, the next time you make our recipe, you might want to try one of these ideas:
- I use a mixture of frozen vegetables that includes peas, corn, carrots, and green beans. You can add any of your favorite frozen veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, lima beans, etc.
- To thicken the sauce and add a different flavor, omit the flour and stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
- Any sort of tots can be used. This is especially good with sweet potato tots, but you could also use broccoli and cheese tots, zucchini tots, or any other kind of veggie tots.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
I love this yummy casserole with a dollop of whipped cream. You can also finish it off with fresh herbs if you like.
This all-in-one meal doesn't really need anything additional, but if you're feeding a big crowd you might add a fresh green salad.
😋 Similar Recipes
Next time, try one of these delicious recipes:
- chicken bacon ranch tater tot casserole
- tater tot breakfast casserole
- cheesy ranch tater tots
- big mac casserole
- hamburger potato casserole
- buffalo chicken tater tot casserole
If you love hearty ground beef casseroles, you have to try our American Goulash and Cheesy Hamburger Casserole recipes. Our Walking Taco Casserole is great, too!
Not ready to make Shepherds Pie with Tater Tots yet?
When you do make it, please come back and comment and leave me a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below!

Shepherds Pie with Tater Tots
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Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 10 ounce can beef consomme
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- black pepper and kosher salt to taste
- 1 30 ounce bag frozen tater tots
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place the tater tots on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 400-degrees.1 30 ounce bag frozen tater tots
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef with the onion and garlic on medium-high heat.1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup diced onion, 1 clove garlic
- Sprinkle the flour onto the beef and stir to combine.2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Reduce to medium heat and mix in the milk and beef consume. Cook until it's bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly.1 10 ounce can beef consomme, ½ cup milk
- Remove from the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, black pepper and kosher salt to taste
- Fold in the mixed vegetables.2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- Trasnfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
- Top with cheddar cheese and the partially cooked tater tots arranged in a single layer.1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake at 425F degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce bubbles around the edges and the tater tots are golden brown and delicious!
Video
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Heather Kaufman says
I have not made shepherd's pie with tater tots before, but I will try.
Michelle Bauer says
I love the suggestion of using sweet potato tots or other veggie tots like broccoli cheese hmmm, YUMMY!!!