Description
Hearty meatloaf meets crispy tater tots in this comforting Midwestern-inspired casserole. Melted cheese and savory ground beef create a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) ground beef
Binding and Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (120 grams) breadcrumbs
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) ketchup
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Topping and Cheese:
- 1 bag (32 ounces/907 grams) frozen tater tots
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 375°F (190°C), ensuring a consistent temperature for even cooking.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, thoroughly combine ground beef with breadcrumbs, finely diced onion, minced garlic, eggs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper, blending ingredients until uniformly mixed.
- Transfer the meat mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish, pressing and spreading evenly to create a compact base layer.
- Systematically arrange frozen tater tots across the meat surface in a uniform, single layer, covering the entire mixture.
- Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, allowing the meat to cook through and tots to start crisping.
- Remove the casserole and generously distribute shredded cheddar cheese over the tater tots, ensuring complete coverage.
- Return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes, waiting until the cheese melts completely and develops a golden, bubbly texture.
- After removing from the oven, allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes, which helps the dish set and makes serving easier.
Notes
- Customize Meat Choose lean ground beef or mix beef with ground turkey for a lighter version, enhancing nutritional balance while maintaining rich flavor.
- Crumb Options Swap traditional breadcrumbs with gluten-free alternatives like almond flour or crushed pork rinds for celiac or low-carb diets.
- Cheese Variations Experiment with different cheese blends like pepper jack, monterey jack, or Swiss to create unique flavor profiles and texture variations.
- Make-Ahead Strategy Prepare the meatloaf mixture and assemble the dish ahead of time, storing in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking for convenient meal planning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg