Andouille and Chard Tater Tot Casserole

Cajun Tater Tot Casserole is a comforting weeknight dinner made with andouille, sautéed chard, cheese and a spicy mushroom gravy.

When I am looking for a filling weeknight dinner, casseroles are a no-brainer. They usually have everything you need right in one dish. Your protein, carbs and veggies all in one easy to make, hearty meal.

I’ve made and shared a few casseroles using tater tots here on Life’s Ambrosia. For taco lovers, Chorizo Tater Tot Casserole is a must. My kiddos are obsessed  with Chili Dog Tater Tot Casserole. And Kielbasa and Cabbage Tater Tot Casserole for my cabbage lovers. 

And now this, Cajun Tater Tot Casserole recipe. It is loaded with flavor and in my humble opinion, is the epitome of comfort food.  It’s a little spicy thanks to the andouille sausage and cajun seasoning. There’s a creamy mushroom gravy, cheese and of course tater tots.  Gosh, my stomach is growling just thinking about it!

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make it:

Cajun Tater Tot Casserole Ingredients: 

You will need a handful of ingredients to make this casserole, some you may have on hand but other’s might require a trip to the store. Here’s the full list. 

• ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE: Andouille sausage is a spicy smoked sausage that originated in France and is popular in Cajun and Creole cooking. It’s made with seasonings like garlic, onions and cayenne. 
• MUSHROOMS: I prefer to use crimini mushrooms but you can also use white button mushrooms. 
• SWISS CHARD: Is a leafy green vegetable that takes on a mild sweet flavor when cooked. You can use green, red or rainbow in this recipe. If you don’t like chard, or can’t find it, you can substitute spinach. 
• OLIVE OIL AND BUTTER: To saute the chard and help make the gravy. 
• GARLIC
• ONIONS
• CAJUN SEASONING: You can use your favorite seasoning blend or my recipe for DIY Cajun Seasoning.
• BEEF BROTH: Use low sodium beef broth. Andouille sausage can be a bit salty so you don’t want the broth to add too much salt to the dish. 
• FLOUR: Will thicken the gravy. 
• MILK: To make the gravy creamy. 
• PEPPER JACK CHEESE: Will add a little bit of heat. 
• MOZZARELLA: For the perfect melt, I recommend shredding your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded. 
• TATER TOTS: The amount that you’ll need depends on how big of a casserole dish you use. I used a 9-inch pie pan and it was about 40 tater tots.
• PARSLEY: As a garnish if desired.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions: 

This casserole might seem like it has a lot of steps but trust me when I say it’s pretty easy to make! Just follow along with these step by step photos and instructions. 

• STEP #1: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add in chard and minced garlic. Cook just until the chard starts to release water and wilt. This will take about 2 – 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. Let cool. 
• STEP #2: You’ll make the gravy in the same skillet. Heat olive oil and butter until butter melts stir in onions and mushrooms. Cook until they start to brown and caramelize, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top and cook 1 minute. 
• STEP #3: Whisk in beef broth and milk and cook until the gravy starts to thicken. Add in cajun seasoning and then season to taste with salt and pepper. 
• STEP #4: Once the chard has cooled, place in a few paper towels and squeeze excess water out. This will help prevent the final dish from being too watery. 
• STEP #5: Now assemble the casserole. Layer andouille sausage in the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan. Next add the chard mixture. Pour the mushroom gravy over the top. Top with 1/2 of the cheese and then the tater tots. Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until tater tots are starting to brown.
• STEP #6: Top the casserole with remaining cheese and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and tater tots are golden brown and cooked through. Allow to set for 5 minutes, garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve.

Storage and Leftovers: 

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and use within a 3-4 days. To reheat, you can pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You can place in a  350 degree oven and heat until warmed through.

Looking for more casserole recipes? Try these: 

Pizza lovers in your life will adore this Pizza Casserole made with pasta and all of your favorite pizza toppings. 

If you need a use for leftover ham, look no further than this Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole.

Casseroles aren’t just for main dishes, they make great sides too! This Zucchini and Summer Squash Casserole is one of my favorite summer sides!

Note: Originally published under the title “Andouille and Chard Tater Tot Casserole” in 2013. Updated in 2025 with new photos, step by step instructions, nutrition information and a title change to “Cajun Tater Tot Casserole”.

Andouille and Chard Tater Tot Casserole

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine American

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 597 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Ingredients:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• ▢ 8 cups chard chopped
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter
• ▢ 1/2 yellow onion diced
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
• ▢ 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• ▢ 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
• ▢ 3/4 cup whole milk
• ▢ 50 tater tots about 3 cups
• ▢ 12 ounces andouille sausage sliced
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
• ▢ 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

 

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9 inch deep dish pie pan.
• ▢
  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in chard and minced garlic. Cook just until chard wilts, 2 - 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• ▢
  In the same skillet heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter melts. Stir in onions and mushrooms. Cook until they are soft and begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the top, cook one minute. Slowly whisk in broth, slowly whisk in milk. Cook until it thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Whisk in cajun seasoning. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Remove from heat.
• ▢
  Layer sliced andouille sausage on the bottom of the prepared pie pan.
• ▢
  Combine pepper jack and mozzarella cheese together in a bowl.
• ▢
  Now that the chard has had a chance to cool, use paper towels to squeeze out the excess water from the chard. Layer the chard over the top of the sausage. Pour the mushroom gravy over the top. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cheese over the top. Layer tater tots on top. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with remaining cheese. Return to oven and bake for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted, edges are bubbly and tater tots are brown and crispy.
• ▢
  Allow to set for 5 minutes. Serve.

Notes

It is really important to squeeze out the excess water from the chard. If there is still water, it will continue to release it as it cooks and the final dish will be a bit watery. 

You can also make this in a 9x13 casserole dish, you'll just need more tater tots. 

Nutrition information for estimation purposes only. 

Nutrition

Calories: 597kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 27gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 1294mgPotassium: 842mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3578IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 390mgIron: 3mg

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Keywords: andouille sausage, casserole, comfort food, cream sauce, entree, Recipe, tater tot casserole, tater tots