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Golden tater tot casserole with melted cheddar in a 9x13-inch dish, an easy ground beef dinner

Easy Tater Tot Casserole With Crispy Tots and Creamy Beef

A crisp, golden tater tot casserole over a thick, creamy beef and mushroom filling, finished with sharp cheddar. The sauce is made from scratch in one skillet, so there is no canned soup.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 square
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef Filling
  • 1 1/2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
  • 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 2 cups frozen cut green beans about 8 ounces, not thawed
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Creamy Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
Topping
  • 2 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese 8 ounces, divided
  • 24 ounces frozen tater tots about 70 tots
  • Cooking spray for the dish

Equipment

  • 9×13-inch baking dish
  • 12-inch deep skillet
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Box grater

Method
 

  1. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch deep skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains and the edges look browned. Spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.
  2. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute. Stir in the frozen green beans and cook 3 more minutes, until the mushrooms look browned, the beans are bright green, and no liquid pools at the bottom.
  3. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute, until the paste darkens to a brick red and smells sweet.
  4. Add the butter and stir until it melts, then sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture. Stir for 2 minutes, until no dry flour shows and the mixture looks like a thick, pale paste.
  5. Pour in the broth in a slow stream, then the milk, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of the cheddar, until the filling looks thick and glossy.
  7. Scrape the hot filling into the baking dish and press it flat into all four corners. Arrange the frozen tots in tight rows, one layer deep, with thin gaps between rows, while the filling still steams.
  8. Bake on the middle rack at 400°F for 30 minutes, until the tots look golden and the filling bubbles at the edges.
  9. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheddar over the top and bake for 5 to 8 more minutes, until the cheese melts with a few golden spots and a thermometer reads 165°F in the center.
  10. Rest the casserole on a trivet for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the squares cut cleanly.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate cooled squares in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make ahead: Cook the filling through step 6 and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add frozen tots just before baking and expect 10 to 15 extra minutes.
Use certified beef and broth, cheddar made with microbial rennet, and tots without animal derived flavorings.