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Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
This creamy hamburger tater tot casserole comes together with one bowl of sauce, no roux, and green beans mixed right in. Ground beef, a creamy sauce, cheese, and crispy tater tots bake up together for an easy weeknight dinner.
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When the kids each have somewhere different to be, and you need a dinner you can get in the oven in 15 minutes flat, this Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole will save the day. It's got a flavorful sauce that comes together in one bowl, no roux to mess with, and no extra pans to wash.
Ground beef on the bottom, sauce over that, then cheese, then tater tots on top. A few minutes of prep and it's in the oven, while you have time to find soccer cleats or swim goggles, and help with algebra on the side.
It's the kind of meal that disappears fast at the table, and leftovers reheat just as well the next day. This recipe is a keeper.
Ingredients For Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
What you'll need to make ground beef tater tot casserole with green beans:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 29 ounces cut green beans, drained (two 14.5-ounce cans)
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (divided ½ cup and 1 ½ cups)
- 32 ounces Tater Tots (I used Ore-Ida brand)
If you don't have sour cream on hand, plain Greek yogurt works just as well in the sauce. And 2% milk is fine if that's what's in the fridge.
Not a green bean fan? If you leave them out, your filling will be much thinner, but it will still taste good. I recommend replacing them with a vegetable you do like. Mixed corn, peas, and carrots make a nice substitution.
If you only have frozen beans on hand, use about 24 ounces, and give them time to thaw first. You'll also want to dry them so you don't add extra water to your casserole.
More Tater Tot Dinners
How to Make Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
Start by browning the ground beef with the onion and garlic until it's no longer pink, then drain off the extra grease and spread it across the bottom of your baking dish.
For the sauce, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, and seasonings until smooth, then stir in some of the cheese and all of the green beans. Spoon that right over the beef.
Top everything with the rest of the cheese, then layer the tater tots over top.
Bake until the tots are golden and the sauce is bubbling, about 45 to 50 minutes.
I find it's best to let this hot casserole sit for about 5-10 minutes before digging in.
Tips For Success
- When you're stirring the green beans into the sauce, go gentle. I find that if you stir too hard, they'll break apart, leaving you with mushy bits of beans.
- You'll know it's done when the tots are golden brown and you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges of the dish.
- If you want to get a head start, you can assemble everything except for the tater tot layer. Cover, and refrigerate it for up to a day. Add the tots right before it goes in the oven so they bake up crisp. If you go this route, let the pan sit out for 30 minutes before adding the tots so the ground beef isn't so cold when it goes in the oven.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover the dish tightly or transfer the leftovers to an airtight container.
Tater tots are notorious for getting soggy, so keep that in mind. If you want to return a bit of their crispiness, use the oven to reheat. Warm portions uncovered at 350°F for about 15 minutes
For a quicker reheat, pop it in the microwave for a minute. Stir, then add a little more time if necessary.
More Easy Dinner Recipes ⭐ Hamburger Potato Casserole | Homemade Hamburger Helper | Hamburger Rice Casserole
How to Serve Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
This tater tot hotdish is cheesy, carb-heavy, and includes protein and veggies, so there's no guilt in serving it all on its own. But if you want to stretch it further or round things out, garlic bread is an easy addition that doesn't need much attention while the casserole bakes. Crescent roll garlic knots work too if you want something a little more fun for the kids.
If you'd rather go with potatoes on the side, air fryer potato wedges, sweet potato fries, or crispy fried potatoes all come together quickly.
And since the oven's already on, it's the perfect time to throw in a strawberry, chocolate, or lemon dump cake. By the time dinner's done, dessert will be too.
Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole
This creamy hamburger tater tot casserole comes together with one bowl of sauce, no roux, and green beans mixed right in. Ground beef, a creamy sauce, cheese, and crispy tater tots bake up together for an easy weeknight dinner.
Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by Leaving a Review!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup yellow onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 14.5-ounce cans cut green beans, drained
- 1 10.5-ounce can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly cracked)
- 2 cups mild cheddar cheese (shredded and divided (½ cup and 1 ½ cups))
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic together, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.
- Spread the beef mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, milk, salt, onion powder, and pepper until smooth.
- Gently fold in ½ cup of the cheddar cheese and the green beans, taking care not to crush the beans.
- Spoon the sauce mixture evenly over the beef layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese over the top.
- Arrange the tater tots in a single, even layer over the cheese.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the tater tots are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Serve hot.
Notes
- Be gentle when stirring the green beans into the sauce so they stay whole instead of breaking apart.
- You'll know it's done when the tater tots are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- To get a head start, assemble everything except the tater tots, cover, and refrigerate for up to a day. Add the tots right before baking so they crisp up properly.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes if you want the tots to crisp back up.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1078mg | Potassium: 619mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 413IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 2mg
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