1 / 1
Vegetarian Texas Tater Casserole
Frozen soy protein crumbles cook down with onion, celery, garlic, condensed cheddar soup, corn with peppers, chunky salsa, and chili powder into the base layer. Four and a half cups of frozen potato nuggets tile across the top before the casserole goes into the oven. After baking, taco-seasoned cheese gets scattered over the nuggets and returned briefly until melted. Serves 8 in about 70 minutes — mostly hands-off oven time.
Equipment
- Oven
- Stovetop
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
- 1 medium stalk celery, chopped ( ½ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 cups frozen soy protein crumbles (from 12-oz package)
- 2 cans (10 ¾ oz each) condensed Cheddar cheese soup
- 1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
- ½ cup chunky-style salsa
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 ½ cups (16 oz) frozen potato nuggets (from 32-oz bag)
- ½ cup shredded taco-seasoned cheese blend (2 oz)
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-inch skillet thoroughly with cooking spray. Add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic, giving the vegetables an additional light mist of cooking spray.
- 2Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Softening the aromatics first builds a savory flavor base for the filling.
- 3Stir the frozen soy protein crumbles, condensed cheddar cheese soup, drained corn, salsa, chili powder, and black pepper into the skillet. Transfer the entire mixture into an ungreased 2.5-quart casserole dish.
- 4Arrange the frozen potato nuggets in an even layer over the filling. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes to ensure the nuggets get crispy and the filling is hot throughout.
- 5Scatter the shredded taco-seasoned cheese blend over the potato nuggets. Return the dish to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, cooking until the cheese melts and the edges bubble.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave, or reheat in a 350°F oven until hot and crispy again.
- Swap: If you aren't strictly vegetarian, you can substitute browned ground beef or turkey for the soy crumbles.
- Make ahead: Assemble the filling in the casserole dish up to a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Add the frozen potato nuggets right before baking.
