Hot Dish, Never Casserole

      I probably get at least one question in my comments whenever I refer to "hotdish" as part of menu updates. While I understand to the rest of the world, the blend of a starch, a protein, and a veg with some sort of binder typically is called a casserole, it's just not in Minnesota. 

     The quintessential Minnesota hotdish is the Tator Tot hotdish. This Facebook post explains it perfectly. I think even if you don't have Facebook, you can use the link. I haven't made it in quite a while. If you're wondering, I use green beans, not corn. I do not line up the tots but a randomized layer. If you Google for recipes and see pictures using both green beans and corn, that's just plain wrong. I guess that's my hotdish line in the sand.

Not just a tasty side for a burger...
photo pexel.com



Comments

  1. TamaraSeptember 2, 2026 at 5:32 PM

    Love this post, and found the Facebook link to be hilarious. Thank you for the fun read!

    ReplyDelete
  2. CelieSeptember 2, 2026 at 6:41 PM

    Americas Test Kitchen made one, and of course fancied it up. They made the binder using milk, cream and fresh mushrooms. They put in mixed vegs, and lined the tots up in neat rows. It looked like no tater tot hotdish I'd ever seen!

    ReplyDelete

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