Chow Mein Noodle Hotdish Recipe
Ask any Minnesotan what’s for dinner, and the answer just might be hotdish. Not casserole. Hotdish. It’s a point of pride up here. Chow mein noodle hotdish holds a special place in the Midwest canon: This budget-friendly recipe comes together fast and features the hotdish essentials: Cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, frozen vegetables, and crispy chow mein noodles.
Did you know that a true Minnesotan doesn’t accept food until the third offer?
Take it from me – a born and bred Minnesotan – that would be much too forward and verging on rude. Here’s how a scene may play out at a Sunday evening get-together among friends or neighbors:
- Host: Do you want some more dessert?
- Minnesotan: Oh no, I really shouldn’t.
- Host: Oh come on now. Are you sure?
- Minnesotan: Ya – I think I should pass.
- Host: There’s still a lot left and I really don’t want to bother with leftovers. Are you sure?
- Minnesotan: Oh, well, I really shouldn’t. But if you insist…
Back in college, I had a speech communication professor from Thailand. In our intercultural communication class, he showed us a video called “How to Speak Minnesotan”.
It gave a comical but realistic look at some common Minnesotanisms: The long goodbye; waving to the driver of an oncoming vehicle; extreme modesty. Things that make so much sense to us, but may seem a little peculiar from the outside.
Lesson #5 was my favorite: Eating in Minnesota.
What Is Hotdish? (From How To Talk Minnesotan)
- Hotdish is served hot
- Hotdish is served in a dish
- Hotdish typically appears at church suppers, weddings, 4H meetings, and funerals
Generic Recipe For Hotdish (from How to Talk Minnesotan)
Mix together 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, 1 pound of cooked pulverized meat, 2 cans of pale vegetables. Stir. Salt to taste. Pour in baking dish. Bake between 400 and 700 degrees, until a crust forms. (See below for real recipe).
Want to learn how to talk Minnesotan yourself? Watch this amusing and slightly esoteric video – and prepare to be entertained:
All jokes aside, hotdish is a much loved meal in Minnesota and throughout the upper Midwest. It can be prepared so many different ways (here are 30+ hotdish ideas) – with everything from ground beef to tuna to chicken, with canned or frozen vegetables, and a variety of crunchy toppings.
And every family here seems to have a favorite hotdish recipe. Here are some of my family’s favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What kind of chow mein noodles should I use?
A: Use the dry, crunchy chow mein noodles you’ll find in the Asian foods aisle of most grocery stores – not soft stir-fry noodles or ramen. They come ready to eat straight out of the bag, and that’s exactly what you want here. They soften slightly during baking but stay crispy on top, giving the hotdish its signature crunch.
Q: How much frozen stir fry vegetables should I use?
A: A standard 14–16 oz bag works well for this recipe. You don’t need to thaw them first — just mix them in frozen and they’ll cook through in the oven.
Q: Can I make this in a crockpot?
A: Yes! Brown the ground beef and onion first, then add everything except the chow mein noodles to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 3–4 hours or high for 1–2 hours, until hot and bubbly. Stir in one cup of chow mein noodles about 15 minutes before serving, and top with the remaining noodles right before you eat so they stay crunchy.
Q: Can I use a different protein?
A: Absolutely. Ground turkey works great as a leaner option. Some people also make this with cooked, shredded chicken. The creamy sauce pairs well with just about any protein you have on hand.
Q: How do I store leftovers?
A: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind the chow mein noodles will soften as they sit. When reheating, you can add a handful of fresh noodles on top to get that crunch back.
Q: Can this hotdish be frozen?
A: Yes, though it’s best to freeze it before adding the chow mein noodles. Let it cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bake until heated through, then add the noodles for the last 15 minutes
More Minnesota Hotdish Recipes
- Three-bean hotdish
- Ring bologna hotdish
- Pizza hotdish
- Tuna noodle hotdish
- Tater tot hotdish
- Simple hamburger hotdish
- Thanksgiving leftover hotdish
- Cheesy corn hotdish
- Crab rangoon hotdish
- Chicken broccoli hotdish
Chow Mein Noodle Hotdish
This hotdish recipe is hearty and filling. Make a night out of it and watch your favorite Minnesota-themed movie like Fargo, New in Town, or Juno.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 package frozen stir fry vegetables
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups chow mein noodles, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Brown ground beef and onion. Place in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Mix in soups, frozen vegetables, half of the green onions, seasonings, and 1 cup of chow mein noodles.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining chow mein noodles. Return to oven and bake for additional 15 minutes or so, until hotdish is hot and bubbly, and chow mein noodles are browned.
- Top with remaining chopped green onions and serve.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Great, thank you. I like dishes that are easy to make:)
I love easy meals-thanks so much!
Classic midwest! I grew up in Chicago, so we had casserole instead of hotdish, but hey–it’s all the same food group. “Things in pyrex,” perhaps? 🙂
Only the most sophisticated of Minnesotans call it “casserole” 😉
But you’re right – it’s all pretty much the same thing!
So funny! This looks and sounds like the pot luck dishes that I loved eating while growing up. Yum, I can almost taste it.
LOVE how to talk Minnesotan!!! And, love a good hotdish. In fact, my grandmother has been known to make this very dish!
Pingback: Weekly Menu Plan - WTCW #98 - Just Us Four
Just came across this amazing looking and sounding hotdish, but was left with one question i hope you can answer (since the video is down and not able to help here anymore):
Are the noodles already cooked? If not, what chow mein noodles were you using? 🙂
Thanks for your answer!
Hi Steffen,
Great question. The chow mein noodles aren’t cooked. I buy them in the Asian food section of the grocery store. It looks like you’re from Germany, I believe, so I don’t know how easily you can find them there. They’re very crunchy and ready to eat out of the bag. I hope that helps!
Somehow i wasn’t able to figure out how to reply to your reply Haley so i have to write another comment… sorry 🙁
Your comment helps more than just “a bit”. It’s exactly what i hoped for. 🙂
And yes i’m probably able to get my hands on some Chow Mein Noodles in Germany. (So yes you “guessed” right ^^) I just have to figure out if the chow mein noodles you’re reffering to/used are mor like the ones you kinda “have to cook” for a while (https://bamboogarden.de/bilder/produkte/l/4023900539964.png) or those instant wok noodles you can sue without cooking them first (https://bamboogarden.de/bilder/produkte/l/4023900430018.png). But i think i’ll go with the last one 😀
Thanks again! 🙂
The second link looks about right – as long as you can eat them right out of the package?? Hope you like it Steffen!
Me again xD. I was about to make the hot dish tomorrow and realized i have everything, but how much (gram/oz) is one package stir fry vegetables? There are a lot of package sizes… sounds 750g ok? ^^
Can this be made in a crockpot? 🙂
I think so, but I’ve never tried it. I would brown the beef before putting in the crockpot, then heat on low for an hour or two… just check to make sure it’s all heated and ready to go. Add the chow mein noodles at the end.
Thank you so much for this entertaining post! I’m home sick (and homesick) and decided to look for the recipe for the hotdish my grandma always used to make. I got the recipe, but even better than the taste of MN, you included some MN culture, which cheered me right up! I look forward to making this recipe. (BTW, Tater Tot Hot Dish is my second favorite one.)
Aw, thanks Nicole! I love how recipes can take you right back 🙂