Description
Comfort meets convenience in this mouthwatering Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole, blending hearty ground beef, creamy cheese, and crispy potato gems. Crowd-pleasing layers promise a delicious meal you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds (680 grams) ground beef
- 0.5 pound (227 grams) frozen tater tots
- 1.5 cups (360 milliliters) sharp cheddar cheese
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 0.25 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 0.25 teaspoon seasoned salt
Canned Ingredient:
- 1 (10 ounce) can of cream of chicken soup
Instructions
- Warm the oven to a moderate temperature of 350°F, creating an ideal cooking environment for the casserole.
- Sauté ground beef and chopped onions in a skillet, cooking until the meat browns completely and onions become translucent, ensuring all raw meat is thoroughly cooked.
- Eliminate excess grease from the meat mixture by carefully draining any accumulated fat.
- Enhance the beef mixture with a measured portion of seasoned salt, stirring to distribute the flavor evenly throughout the meat.
- Transfer the seasoned meat mixture into a prepared baking dish, spreading it into a uniform layer that covers the entire bottom surface.
- Create a rich cheese foundation by generously sprinkling sharp cheddar cheese across the meat layer, ensuring complete coverage.
- Gently spread cream of chicken soup over the cheese layer, creating a creamy binding element for the casserole.
- Meticulously arrange frozen tater tots across the soup layer, positioning them in a precise single layer that covers the entire surface.
- Sprinkle the remaining seasoned salt over the tater tots to add a final flavor enhancement.
- Slide the casserole into the preheated oven and bake until the tater tots transform into a golden, crispy topping, typically requiring 30-35 minutes of cooking time.
- Once completed, remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to rest briefly, helping the layers settle and making serving easier.
Notes
- Ensure ground beef is thoroughly browned to enhance food safety and develop deep, rich flavors.
- Use lean ground beef (90/10) to reduce excess grease and create a lighter casserole texture.
- For gluten-free adaptation, replace cream of chicken soup with homemade cream sauce or gluten-free cream soup alternative.
- Add extra vegetables like diced bell peppers or mushrooms to boost nutritional value and introduce more complex flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg