This vegetarian tater tot casserole is made with smoky black bean chili seasonings, a handful of veggies, and golden tater tots. This hotdish is as nutritious as it is comforting!
Tater tots are the perfect comforting topping in this vegetarian black bean hot dish. I grew up eating tater tot green bean casserole, and black beans are a staple in vegetarian pantries, so it feels only natural to make a tater tot black bean casserole.
The black beans are seasoned with chipotle peppers, which makes a smoky and cozy base when combined with mushrooms, carrots, and peppers. The flavors remind me a lot of my slow cooker black bean soup.
This is a veggie-packed meal that makes delicious leftovers. It can easily be made vegan by omitting the cheese or replacing it with your favorite vegan cheese.
Recipe highlights
- Flavors: Smoky, hearty flavors from canned chipotle chili peppers, chili powder, and paprika.
- Ingredients: This is a budget-friendly meal made with canned black beans, a few fresh vegetables, and tater tots.
- Time: This recipe is weeknight-friendly but does require some prep time for chopping vegetables. The casserole can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance.
- Nutritious: Packed with protein from two cans of black beans and dappled with sautéed vegetables, this is a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- Tater tots: Frozen puffed potatoes make this vegetarian hotdish ultra-comforting. While I opt for the classic tater tot shape, any potato puff works.
- Black beans: Two cans of black beans yield about 3 cups of beans. Feel free to cook your own black beans in the Instant Pot or crock pot instead of using canned beans.
- Chipotle peppers: These come in a small can and are usually labeled "chipotle peppers in adobo sauce". They are dried jalapenos, so they are a little bit spicy but not overwhelmingly so. They can usually be found in the International aisle by enchilada sauce.
- Vegetables: This casserole works with a lot of different vegetables, so feel free to adjust and use what you have on hand. I use two whole carrots, a yellow bell pepper, onion, and white mushrooms. I've also used zucchini in place of carrots before.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, oregano, paprika, and a pinch of cinnamon create a warming base reminiscent of black bean soup.
- Shredded cheese: I use shredded sharp cheddar, but Mexican blend cheese is another great option. Make this a vegan tater tot casserole by using an equal amount of your favorite vegan shredded cheese.
- Enchilada sauce: Choose a 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce, or use 1 ¼ cup from a larger jar. Enchilada sauce is usually available in mild, medium, or hot; choose the spice level that works for you.
How to make
We'll start by making the seasoned black beans. To do this, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with enough oil to coat. Once hot, add the diced onion. Saute until it starts to sweat, just a few minutes.
Stir in the pepper, chopped mushrooms, and carrot coins.
Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the onions are starting to brown. Sprinkle with salt.
Stir in the chopped chipotle chili peppers, tomato paste, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, to toast the tomato paste and saute the garlic.
Stir in the spices and toast for just 30 seconds. This blooms the spices and enhances their flavor.
Add the drained cans of black beans and enchilada sauce. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Once warmed through, transfer the black beans to an 8x11 or similarly sized baking dish. Top with frozen tater tots and a handful of shredded cheese. Note that the tater tots do not need to be thawed before cooking.
Transfer to the oven and bake, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tater tots are hot. Remove the foil or lid and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling. The black bean filling should be bubbling and thickened.
Storage tips
Leftovers: Let the tater tot casserole cool before covering with foil or a lid and transferring to the fridge. Keep for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing: I recommend freezing the casserole before baking it. Let the casserole thaw overnight in the fridge before baking per recipe instructions. Note that thawed tater tots will cook a touch more quickly than frozen tater tots.
Reheating: Reheat individual portions of tater tot casserole in the microwave. To reheat the entire casserole, cover with foil and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.
More vegetarian casseroles
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Recipe
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Black Bean Tater Tot Casserole
Equipment
- 1 8x11-inch baking dish or similarly sized dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or other neutral oil
- 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced
- 8 ounces white mushrooms roughly chopped with stems removed
- 2 whole carrots sliced into coins
- 1 medium orange bell pepper diced into 1 inch pieces
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic grated (can mince if you don't have a box grater or microplane)
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped chipotle chili peppers from a can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- pinch cinnamon
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce or 1 ¼ cup
- 32 ounce bag tater tots use ~⅔ of a bag
- 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, prepare a 8x11-inch or similarly sized casserole dish by spraying it with cooking oil.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with oil. Once hot, add the onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes to softened, then add the mushrooms, carrots, and pepper.
- Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the onions are starting to brown. Sprinkle with salt.
- Stir in the garlic, chopped chipotle chili peppers, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, to toast the tomato paste and saute the garlic.
- Stir in the chili powder, oregano, paprika, and cinnamon. Toast, stirring frequently, for just 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add the rinsed black beans and enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. Continue cooking on medium heat until warmed through, just 2-3 minutes.
- If using a casserole dish, transfer the black beans to a lightly oiled 8x11-inch baking dish. Smooth and flatten the beans into a uniform layer.
- Top with frozen tater tots, about ⅔ of the package. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Cover tightly with an oven-safe lid or foil.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the tots are golden. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Tater tots: Any variety of tater tots or "potato puffs" works. I like to cover the black beans completely with the tater tots in neat rows.
- Vegetables: Feel free to substitute with different vegetables. I recommend keeping the mushrooms, as they add a fair amount of texture to the dish.
- Baking dish: This recipe is written for an 8x8 baking dish, but any similar size works. Note that larger dishes require more tater tots for the topping, while smaller require less.
- Leftovers: Let the tater tot casserole cool before covering with foil or a lid and transferring to the fridge. Keep for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: I recommend freezing the casserole before baking the tater tots. Let the casserole thaw overnight in the fridge before baking per recipe instructions. Note that thawed tater tots will cook a touch more quickly than frozen tater tots.
- Because the tots are topped with cheese, they aren't super crispy. For really crispy golden tots, omit the cheese, or place cheese below the tots.
Debbie says
I made this tonight for dinner. It was delish!
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
So happy to hear that! Thank you for the review 🙂
Karen McGregor-Lucchesi says
I saw this on IG and had to make it. Glad I did!!! Not too complex to throw together and it’s such a delicious dish! We really enjoyed this! Thank you!!
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
So happy to hear you liked it! Thanks for the review and I love hearing where people find my recipes.
Dinah says
This recipe looks so good! It calls for an 8x11” pan in 2 places and an 8x8” in another. Which do I need?
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
Hi Dinah, it works best with 8x11. Originally I used 8x8 but when I updated this recipe I decided it works better with a larger dish. I’ve also used a 12-inch skillet and think that works well. The short answer is that you can’t go too wrong with dish size! Thanks for asking!