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close up of a spoonful of cheesy ground beef and green bean tater tot casserole being lifted out of the baking dish
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Cheesy Ground Beef and Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole

This easy Cheesy Ground Beef and Green Bean Tater Tot Casserole is an all-in-one-dish dinner that the whole family will love. And it's made without canned soup (but you can use canned soup if you want)!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 5 minutes
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
Estimated Calories: 900
Author: Michelle

Ingredients

For the Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup Substitute

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup vegetable stock or broth, I use a roasted vegetable base mixed with water
  • ½ cup milk, I use whole milk

For the Casserole

  • cooking spray
  • 1 pound ground beef, I use 80/20
  • 1 cup diced onions
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups frozen French-cut green beans
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 16 ounces frozen tater tots, half of a 32-ounce bag
  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Spray an 11x7x2-inch (2½-quart) casserole dish with cooking spray.

Make the Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup Substitute

  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat (I use a 1-quart saucepan), melt the butter.
  • Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until they have softened (about 3 to 4 minutes).
  • Add the flour; stir until the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
  • Add the vegetable stock or broth and the milk; whisk until well combined.
  • Increase the heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened (it will be rather thick, as it should be similar to the consistency of condensed canned cream of mushroom soup; it will thicken even more as it cools). Set aside.

Make the Casserole

  • Cook the ground beef and onions in a large skillet over medium heat (I use a 10 or 12-inch skillet), breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the onions have softened and the ground beef is cooked through and no longer pink (about 5 minutes); drain any excess grease. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
  • Add the cream of mushroom soup substitute, sour cream and Worcestershire sauce; stir until well-combined. Tase the mixture and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Transfer the ground beef mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly to cover the bottom of the dish.
  • Add the green beans, spreading them out evenly over the ground beef mixture. Season the beans lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Add the shredded cheese, spreading it out evenly over the green beans.
  • Add the tater tots, spreading them out evenly over the cheese.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until bubbly and the tater tots are golden brown.
  • Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • If desired, sprinkle on some chopped fresh parsley (either on the whole casserole or on each individual serving). Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • I like to lightly season both the ground beef and green bean layers so they taste good. To ensure that the casserole doesn't end up too salty, when seasoning, keep in mind that the soup substitute, the cheese and the tater tots will all have some salt in them as well.
  • To make this recipe with canned condensed cream of mushroom soup, omit the butter, mushrooms, flour, vegetable stock or broth, and milk. Start the recipe by cooking the ground beef and onions and add one 10.5-ounce can of cream of mushroom soup with the sour cream and Worcestershire sauce.
  • As written, this recipe will give you 4 generous servings. If you add sides, you can easily stretch it out to 6 servings.
  • Estimated calories shown is based on 4 servings. Based on 6 servings, estimated calories are 600 per serving.
  • Please refer to the post for additional recipe tips, substitutions and variations, serving suggestions, and information on storing, freezing, and reheating. 
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