Tater Tot Casserole
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!
Servings: 8
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey or ground chicken
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup low-sodium beef broth
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables corn carrots, peas, green beans, corn
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese optional
- 16 ounces frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/175℃ and grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the 1 teaspoon olive or canola oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 pounds lean ground beef, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 medium yellow onion (minced) to the skillet and cook, breaking up the beef into bite-sized pieces, until the beef is cooked through. Add in the 2 cloves garlic (minced) and saute for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the beef and onions and stir. Cook for 1 minute, to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in ½ cup low-sodium beef broth and ½ cup whole milk until well incorporated. Stir in 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon 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 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables corn into the skillet.
- Transfer the beef mixture to the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the beef mixture. Arrange 16 ounces frozen tater tots over the mixture 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℉/175℃ for 20-25 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 978mg | Potassium: 853mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1246IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 4mg
