Chow Mein Casserole (Minnesota Hotdish)

All these years I had no idea that my mother-in-law's "Chow Mein Casserole" was actually a Chow Mein Hotdish (aka Minnesota Hotdish or Mock Chow Mein). But it makes perfect sense, given where we're from. Being that we're from Winnipeg, which happens to be in the Canadian province of Manitoba, which lies directly above the states of Minnesota and North Dakota, it now makes perfect sense that she'd have a recipe for Minnesota Hotdish in her arsenal.

My mother-in-law passed away when my kids were pretty young, so they never really had the pleasure of enjoying her cooking. I, on the other hand, did and was fortunate enough to get many of her recipes. This Mock Chow Mein recipe is one of my husband's faves and a total comfort food for him. It makes a great weeknight dinner!

🥘 Ingredient Notes

Hotdish, the unofficial state cuisine of Minnesota, is a comfort food staple found in households, not just in Minnesota, but across the Upper Midwest United States. Hotdish is a type of casserole that incorporates a mixture of simple, thrifty ingredients and dump and stir method. Being thrifty is the reason it's also referred to as poor man's chow mein. You can read more about the hotdish HERE.

The Anatomy of a Hot Dish:

• Protein: Ground beef (hamburger), shredded chicken, canned tuna
• Vegetables: Canned corn, canned green beans
• Starch: rice, macaroni, mashed potatoes
• Sauce: Canned cream of anything soup: cream of mushroom, cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, cheddar
• Crispy Topping: Tater Tots, French’s French Fried Onions, chow mein noodles, crushed potato chips

The only difference is that this Minnesota hot dish calls for celery and onion instead of canned veggies. I usually serve it with mixed vegetables on the side, but you could easily add them to the dish!

📖Variations & Substitutions

• Add-ins - water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, or bean sprouts, fresh mushrooms
• Hamburger - You could also substitute ground turkey or chicken (this will lighten it up as well)
• Rice - You could use white rice, wild rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice (to lighten it)
• Soup- you can use cream of chicken soup instead of cream of mushroom. Or if you don't have any canned cream soup on hand, check out my post on how to make a cream-of-anything soup substitute (jump to #17)

🍲The Difference between a Casserole and a HotDish

Although all hotdishes are casseroles, the reverse is not true. Hotdish is a general term that has been used since the early 18th century and applies to South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Hot dishes use more condensed soup varieties like cream of mushroom, while casseroles often use stock, vegetable juices, and wine.

Both casseroles and hot dishes have become all-in-one staple meals in North America that can be found at the majority of social functions including banquets, family dinners, thanksgiving, funerals, and potlucks.

Casseroles are king when it comes to easy comfort food. And if you talk to anyone from the upper midwestern United States (or Manitoba) they'll most certainly agree that this Chow Mein Hotdish epitomizes comfort food!

👪 Serving Size

This Chow Mein Noodle Casserole recipe serves 8. However, you can half, or even double or triple the recipe if you're feeding a large family, simply by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You'll just need a larger (or additional) casserole dishes.

🌡️Storage

Store this Chow Mein Hotdish in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.

It can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed container.