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Tatertot Casserole (No Canned Cream Soups!)

3.00 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)2 votes, average: 3.00 out of 52 votes, average: 3.00 out of 52 votes, average: 3.00 out of 52 votes, average: 3.00 out of 52 votes, average: 3.00 out of 5

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Level: Easy

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Description

I don’t like using canned cream of mushroom soup, so I made my own “cream soup” sauce for this classic casserole.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Ground Beef
  • 2-½ cups Frozen Green Beans
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter
  • 1 whole Medium Yellow Onion, Chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons Flour
  • 1 cup Beef Broth
  • ¾ cups Milk
  • ⅛ teaspoons Dried Thyme
  • ⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper
  • ¼ cups Parmesan Cheese (Optional)
  • 1 pound Frozen Tater Tots (half Of A 32 Oz. Bag)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with nonstick spray (or you can use a deep-dish 9″ pie pan).

Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s nicely browned, drain grease and pour beef into the baking dish. Spread the (still frozen) green beans over the ground beef in the baking dish and set aside.

Melt butter in the skillet you used earlier. Saute onions over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often. Add broth, milk and spices. Heat to a low boil and cook until thickened, stirring often.

Pour sauce over beef and green beans in the baking dish. Top with parmesan cheese (if using) and spread tater tots on top in one even layer.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, until tater tots are brown and sauce is bubbling. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

Note: If you like softer green beans, cook them according to package directions before adding them to the casserole.

2 Comments

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Milissa on 11.20.2019

Thank you! Used this recipe to bs my way through what my tastebuds said needed to be a thing and get rid of some leftover (gasp how is that a thing!) tater tots and this was a fabulous way to do it!

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Elle on 5.16.2014

I think this recipe is great! I always do my own thing when it comes to spices so I thought it had great flavor. I used onion and garlic powder, sea salt and pepper. I used a 8×8 pan and also used frozen green beans. I also bought flavored tatortots…garlic and parmesan! I probably cooked mine for close to 40 minutes because I wanted the tots to be super crispy. And I LOVE that there were no “cream of” soups in this…it is now a weekly meal at our house!

3 Reviews

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Bettye on 8.19.2012

I also disagree with the first review (and so does my husband); maybe they have taste issues because this was a very full flavoured dish. I suppose if you use cheap products then maybe this would taste gross.

Meanwhile, I tweaked a few things: I used the mini-tater tots. They spread well and were fun for my 5 year old, too (I used 1 lb 12 oz bag–the whole thing). I also used 2 CANS of drained, cut green beans instead of frozen (admittedly, frozen is likely better). For my parmesan (A MUST) I used FRESHLY grated parm…it made all the difference in the world. Instead of chopped onions, which we don’t like because cooked onions get slimy, we used toasted minced onion.

All-in-all, the slight tweaks that I made were good, but the basis of the recipe is wonderful & MUCH better than the canned soup version. Love it!

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Pammela on 11.18.2011

Well i have to disagree with the first reviewer, we really liked it. Since i also know to season as I go, I went ahead and did that (why didn’t the first reviewer?). I seasoned my ground beef with salt, pepper, some garlic salt and thyme. I used my deep dish pie plate. I then used french cut frozen green beans and layered those on top and set aside (they defrosted pretty much sitting while I made the sauce). I liked the sauce a lot, although I used more salt, pepper and thyme then called for. I would make this again, but probably add the rest of the bag of green beans mixed with the ground beef, then layer on top per the recipe. I cooked mine for 30 minutes and it was pefect, having leftovers today! Thanks for the recipe!!!

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outsidethebox on 8.22.2011

I’m sorry but this was borderline gross. I googled Tatertot Casserole *without* cream of anything because I don’t cook with those. This came up and I was skeptical, but tried it. First of all, I am enough of a cook to know to salt as I go. This recipe made no mention of salting – the ground beef, sauce, anything. I knew the green beans would soak up salt so I thought I salted pretty liberally. As well as pepper. I though to myself I should be adding garlic powder, something because this was going to be bland. And it was. Also, I baked for 30 min. and the green beans were not done. IF I were to do it again I would for sure do canned green beans. I would also season it up liberally – garlic powder, maybe some dry mustard, chili powder? It certainly needs something. My husband (who will eat anything) proclaimed this as “army food”. Enough said!

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