Tater Tot Casserole
This is total comfort food! Ground beef and tater tots make the base of this casserole. If you like veggies and cheese you can add those too, but they are optional. Most of my family prefers this without veggies and cheese. I have made it both ways.
Tater Tot Casserole
Ground beef is browned with onions and mixed with beef broth and optional veggies. It his topped with tater tots and cheese (if using) and baked until bubbly and crispy on top. It is total comfort food.
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef
- 1 Medium Onion (diced or pureed)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt
- 3 Cups Reduced Sodium Beef Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 12 Ounce Bag Frozen Mixed Vegetables (Optional)
- 8 Ounces (2 Cups) Shredded Cheddar Cheese (optional)
- 32 Ounce Bag of Frozen Tater Tots
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain any excess fat. (See Notes)
- Add the onion and cook until slightly browned.
- Deglaze the pan with beef broth and bring back to a gentle boil. Be sure to scrape up the browned bits on the pan when you add the broth.
- Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the ground beef and broth and stir well. The mixture will gently thicken as it cooks.
- Add the bag of mixed veggies (if using) and stir well. Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Top the beef mixture with the bag of frozen tater tots. (You do not need to thaw them first.)
- Place casserole in 400 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes until the tater tots are browned on top.
- If you are using cheese, top the cooked casserole with 8 ounces of shredded cheddar and return to the oven. Bake for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
- Serve.
Notes
This recipe relies on the browned hamburger for lots of flavor. I like to press the raw ground beef into the cold skillet and cook on high until the bottom is well browned and crispy. I flip the beef and cook on the other side, then break into bite size pieces with a spatula. If you have excess fat, drain it before adding the onion.
My family does not prefer the texture of onions so I puree the onions before cooking. You could use puree the onions, or dice them before adding to the ground beef.
I have made this casserole with or without the veggies and cheese. It works well both ways.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 549Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 1128mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 33g
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and may not be completely accurate.
