Football season is here!
That means it’s time for tailgating, appetizers, snacky, man-food type stuff.
It’s also casserole season. There is a slight chill to the air, and a warm casserole just seems to hit the spot.
This cheesy Tater Tot and Bratwurst Casserole tackles both the hungry-man-food problem, and the warm-up-your-belly situation.
It’s the combination of sauerkraut, bratwurst, and crispy tater tots fused together with a creamy cheese sauce, then piled high with more melted cheese on top.
It’s incredibly easy to throw this crowd pleasing meal together!
It basically makes itself.
Just looking at these pictures is making me want to kick my feet up, grab a big helping of this casserole, and re-live each delicious bite.
The tang of the sauerkraut is tamed down by the cheese sauce, and not over powering at all. The bratwurst gives it a savory kick, while the crispy tater tots on top lend to your prepubescent cravings.
‘Gimme some of your tots.’
This tater tot and bratwurst casserole was a touchdown with my family.
Loved by all.
Grab a bowl today!
Tater Tot and Bratwurst Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 package, 1 1/4 lbs. uncooked bratwursts
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 16oz can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
- 1 10oz can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 package, 32oz frozen Tater Tots
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
- In a large saucepan combine the chicken broth and bratwursts, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the bratwursts are cooked through. Drain and discard chicken broth. Place brats on a cutting board and cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
- Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place the saucepan back on the stove and brown the bratwursts in the butter over medium-high heat. Drain on paper towels.
- Spoon the drained sauerkraut into a greased 9x13" casserole dish. Top with the bratwursts.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cheddar cheese soup and milk until smooth. Pour over the brats.
- Top with the tater tots. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are lightly browned and crisp.
- Sprinkle with the cheese and onions, bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Very easy to make. I subbed 1/2 of a jar of queso cheese dip (just spread it right over the brats) for the canned cheese soup & milk which added a nice zing. Most definitely rinse off and squeeze all of the water out of the sauerkraut. I used 1/2 of a 32 oz jar. Instead of boiling the brats, I put them in my pressure cooker w/a bottle of Angry Orchard hard cider and pressure cooked them for 6 minutes with a full natural release. Will definitely make again for an afternoon of watching football.
I love this recipe! My husband has me make it once a year for football tailgates, and everyone just loves it! It’s always requested by our tailgating friends, and I like to bake it for a regular weekend dinner, too.
This is one of the best tailgate recipes I have ever eaten, or made!
Absolutely fantastic recipe! I dont suppose anyone knows the calories per serving for this recipe?
Is the oven temp correct @ 450??
Yup! You want it at a higher heat for the tater tots to get nice and crispy!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I can’t get over all the folks that want to substitute the Sauerkraut or say that they hate it.
I think that most people don’t realize , that you are supposed to rinse the Sauerkraut that you buy in the can or bag ,at least once before you use it.
(It gets rid of that sour/bitter taste)
Did not have cheddar soup so used queso dip and sour cream 50/50. Also used hash browns in lieu of tots. Still delicious!
My kids rrally do not like saur kraut. Is there anything I can use as a substitute. I’m excited to try it! Sounds delicious!
This casserole is amazing! I have made it probably 10 times since I found this recipe and I can’t get enough! Every time I find bratwurst on sale THIS casserole comes to mind. Love it!
I’m going to try this tomorrow but I’m going to put some beer and grainy mustard in the cheese soup mixture
Use beer to boil a good brat! Implants on making this for Oktoberfest party!
Good post however , I was wondering if you could write a litte more on
this subject? I’d be very thankful if you could elaborate a little bit further.
Many thanks!
We just ate this for dinner – DELISH. I subbed farmer bologna for the brats and boiled it in beer. Next time, I’m going to double the kraut, since I love kraut.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you guys liked it, and I’m totally a kraut lover too, so I can fully get behind doubling that ingredient! 😉
10 years of making this and today is the first time I am actually making it with brats
I just made this and it is SO GOOD. Thank you thank you! My husband hasn’t tried it yet but I know he’s going to love it.
Whoa I never would’ve guessed to make this! I LOVE tater tots, and this looks so comforting.
Is there anything I can use in place of sauerkraut? The entire family doesn’t like it, including myself. Maybe just leave it out?
Yeah- I was going to just leave it out as well. It should still be totally delish!
Hmm… well, you might try some shredded zucchini?? Or maybe some frozen hash browns, but since you already have tater tots on top, might be potato overload. The sauerkraut is really good in there, and since you rinse and drain it, it’s not that over-powering sauerkraut taste. Let me know what you try and how it turns out! 🙂
This looks so good – what a great twist on a classic!
What a glorious casserole! Tater tots are my absolute favorite!
Such a fun and delicious twist to the tatertot casserole!
I used a can of spicy nacho cheese instead of regular cheese soup, and it was delicious.
This is so genius! I love this idea…do you think andouille sausage would work in this as well? I really only like two kinds of sausage which is breakfast type sausage and andouille… But cheese and tater tots….I’m there!
Definitely! If you get an andouille sausage that is already cooked then just skip the boiling part, and brown it in the butter before putting it in the casserole dish. 🙂 Thanks Dana!
great! thanks mama!