This hamburger casserole is made with lean ground beef, mixed veggies, and a rich homemade sauce and topped with an irresistible crunchy layer of tater tots. No canned soups here!
2poundslean ground beefor ground turkey or ground chicken
½teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonground black pepper
1medium yellow onionminced
2clovesgarlicminced
2tablespoonsall-purpose flour
½cuplow-sodium beef broth
½cupwhole milk
1tablespoonWorcestershire sauce
½teaspoononion powder
¼teaspoongarlic powder
1cupfrozen mixed vegetables corncarrots, peas, green beans, corn
8ouncesshredded sharp cheddar cheeseoptional
32ouncesfrozen tater tots
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and minced onion to the skillet and cook, breaking up the beef into bite-sized pieces, until the beef is cooked through. Add in the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour over the beef and onions and stir. Cook for 1 minute, to remove the raw flour taste.
Slowly whisk in the beef broth and milk. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened. This should only take a couple of minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the frozen vegetables into the skillet.
Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the beef mixture. Arrange the tater tots on top in a single layer.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the tater tots are browned and the beef mixture is warmed through.
Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
Beef: I recommend using 90/10 lean ground sirloin. Feel free to use lean ground turkey or ground chicken. Add Mushrooms: Add up to 1 cup of chopped button or shitake mushrooms to the dish when browning the ground meat.Milk: Feel free to use any fat percentage of milk desired. How to Store Leftovers: Cover the casserole with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To retain the crispy texture of the tater tots, bake the leftovers in an oven-safe casserole dish at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through.