Description
Hearty midwest casserole brings comfort and nostalgia to dinner tables with its crispy tater tots and savory ground beef layered in a creamy sauce. Families and friends will savor each cheesy, satisfying bite of this classic midwestern dinner classic.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 bag frozen tater tots (32 ounces / 907 grams)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (113 grams)
Aromatics and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.5 ounces / 298 grams)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (113 grams)
Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the ground beef mixture by sautéing it with diced onions and minced garlic in a skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Thoroughly drain any excess grease to ensure a crisp, non-greasy base.
- Create a creamy sauce by whisking together cream of mushroom soup and sour cream until smooth and well-combined.
- Grease a rectangular baking dish to prevent sticking and promote easy serving.
- Distribute the seasoned ground beef evenly across the bottom of the prepared dish, creating a uniform meat layer.
- Gently pour the creamy soup mixture over the meat, ensuring complete coverage and even distribution.
- Arrange frozen tater tots in a precise, overlapping pattern across the entire surface of the casserole, maximizing crispy potato coverage.
- Generously sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the tater tot layer, allowing for complete cheese melting and golden-brown edges.
- Transfer the assembled casserole to a preheated oven set at 350°F (175°C) and bake for 40-45 minutes, watching for a bubbling cheese top and crispy golden-brown tater tots.
- Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to rest for 5-7 minutes, which helps set the layers and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Make ahead by preparing the casserole and refrigerating up to 24 hours before baking for deeper flavor development.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for healthier protein alternatives that maintain the dish’s hearty texture.
- Add diced bell peppers or mushrooms to the beef mixture for extra nutrition and color complexity without changing the core recipe.
- Customize cheese options by using pepper jack for heat or mixing multiple cheese types like monterey jack and sharp cheddar for a more dynamic flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg