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Home » dishes » Hotdish

Making The First Hot Dish Recipe

Published on March 15, 2018 by Ben · Updated on July 25, 2021 · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 10 Comments

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The Original Hotdish shown with an overhead view of a casserole dish containing our recipe.
"Minnesota Hamburger Hotdish" with the background of a closeup of the food
Classic Minnesota Hotdish with two pictures of it in a casserole dish and one on a white plate.

This trip through history's kitchen shows how homemaker's of yesterday might not be that different than today when it comes to stretching a dollar. Today we are making the First Hot Dish Recipe and you can make this tasty casserole too!

picture of the first hot dish recipe from overhead on a white cloth with an onions and spoon.

We have already looked at the history of hotdish and talked about the first recorded hot dish recipe in a cookbook. Today, we are going to take that recipe and put it to the test. Mrs. C. W. Anderson from the Grace Lutheran Church in Mankato, MN gets the honors of claiming the first hot dish recipe. Well, we made the same recipe and are going to share it with you today. Go straight to the recipe.

Why Do We Need To Make The First Hot Dish Recipe?

We don’t, but why not? Part of what I do here at Ramshackle Pantry is to try and come closer to the spirit and heritage of a recipe. Whether we are covering the Mojito, The Chicago Style Pizza, or The Old Fashioned, my goal is to publish recipes that pay respects to its history and maybe try to push the boundaries a bit. In addition to the recipes, I think the history of these dishes and cocktails are worth exploring. I mean, why did the hotdish become a popular meal and the following meal from the late 1800s not?

Calf Brains with Mushrooms Recipe.

I mean, yeah, it sounds kind of gross, but I have never tried calf brains. Maybe they are delicious. Perhaps it should be on my menu and might be better than hotdish. Hotdish, however, won that cultural evolution. And that it did, in my opinion, makes it worthwhile to spend time with. What better way to pay culinary respect to hotdish than to construct the original recipe.

Here is the First Hot Dish Recipe

It is very straightforward and easy to make. As we covered in our history post, the history of the hotdish has a heritage in making meals that are easy and can feed an entire family for a reasonable price. I think Mrs. Anderson’s recipe fits the bill.

The First Hot Dish Recipe

We are going to break the recipe down into a modern list of calories and the like, but here is the text from the original 1930 cookbook:

“Fry two pounds of hamburger. Fry, but not till brown, two large onions. Boil in salted water until tender one box Creamettes. Put in baking dish the fried hamburger, onions, creamettes, and add one bunch of celery cut up, one can of peas, 1 can of tomato soup, and 1 quart tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir all together and enough water so liquid covers all, bake. -- Mrs. C. W. Anderson”

chopping an onion with my Wustoff knife in preparation for making a hot dish recipe.

Taste Of The First Hot Dish

It is everything that a hotdish advertises. It is a straightforward recipe that contains all of the nutrients that a person might want in a meal. Protein, starch, and vegetables are all in this recipe. It is an easy recipe that can be made quickly. Finally, it is a meal that doesn’t break the bank and all the ingredients are easily accessible.

This is a no-frills recipe that has a good taste for what it is. Would I consider this my meal of choice? No, but I could see why it would be a regular part of the meal planning in a busy household. If served this, I would certainly eat it.

mixed hotdish that still needs to be baked. 9 by 13 dish on cutting board with a spoon in the dish mixing.
a picture of the completed hot dish recipe. A tomato and onions in the background.
hotdish on a plate with a fork. You can see the rotini noodles, hamburgers, peas.

Did You Try This Recipe?

Thank you so much for giving it a try! If you are looking for a way to get a meal on the table, this kind of dish stands the test of time. From Mrs. C. W. Anderson in 1930 until today, similar dishes still work and I am very happy to have made this recipe. Give it a whirl!

If you like what we are doing here, sign up to get new posts about recipes and history via email and also follow me on Pinterest.

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picture of the first hot dish recipe from overhead on a white cloth with an onions and spoon

Making The First Hot Dish Recipe

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Ben
  • Prep Time: 30 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
  • Yield: 8 Servings 1x
  • Category: Casserole
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Looking for hotdish recipes? Why not try the first and original hotdish recipe? This classic hot dish is easy and feeds the whole family.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds of hamburger
  • 2 Onions
  • 16 Ounces Creamette Rotini Pasta
  • 1 can condensed tomato soup
  • 28 Ounces canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 ounce can peas
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • ½ cup water
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta per package
  2. Fry hamburger until done
  3. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheight
  4. Add all ingredients to a 9x13 baking dish and mix
  5. Bake for 45 minutes
  6. Serve

Keywords: classic hot dish

Did you make this recipe?

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More Hotdish Recipes and Articles

  • Easy Minnesota Tater Tot Hotdish without Canned Soup
  • Reuben Casserole
  • Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
  • Chicken Chow Mein Hotdish Recipe
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  1. Sharon

    March 15, 2018 at 11:32 am

    I love reading your posts and learning about all the history of food and drinks. This hot dish looks great and I think that updating to ground beef was a much needed upgrade!

    Reply
    • Ben

      March 17, 2018 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks Sharon!

  2. Jyohi

    March 15, 2018 at 11:34 am

    I never tasted brains, something new to me. But it definitely looks delicious, that pasta though!

    Reply
  3. Danielle

    March 15, 2018 at 12:18 pm

    I haven't heard of this before, but it looks like proper comfort food to me. My husband would love it!

    Reply
  4. Lisa Huff

    March 15, 2018 at 12:54 pm

    Such a great potluck idea! Perfect!

    Reply
  5. Danielle

    November 07, 2018 at 8:50 pm

    Loved the history in this post! Looks tasty!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Sherri

    November 07, 2018 at 9:24 pm

    I loved reading about the history of this dish! And I'm glad this won out over the other option. It's so interesting discovering what people used to eat! Love your recreation of the first hot dish! 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  7. Jori

    November 07, 2018 at 10:08 pm

    So interesting! I've never heard of a hotdish before. Thank you for the introduction and recipe!

    Reply
  8. Natalie

    November 07, 2018 at 11:49 pm

    Never heard of it before, but it looks so delicious! Loved reading all the history of this dish ♥

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Tisha

    November 07, 2018 at 11:54 pm

    Never heard of this recipe before! Definitely intrigued to try it

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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Hi, I am Ben Myhre! Ramshackle Pantry is about the most decadent classics and the history behind them! We explore delicious recipes, the history behind them, and find ways to make the recipes our own! Then, I share my recipes with you. Find out more about me and Ramshackle Pantry in the About page.

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