Recipe Background
Bun-Free Casserole combines beef, cheese, and tater tots for snow day comfort.
The first time I made this bun-free casserole was during an unexpected snow day. I had just moved in with my partner, and we were knee-deep in unpacked boxes and mismatched socks when the skies opened up and gifted us with a winter wonderland. We were both exhausted but hungry for something hearty to warm us up. A quick glance in our half-stocked kitchen revealed a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies—always a favorite in our pantry—and a bag of frozen tater tots. It was time to get creative.
The kitchen smelled of sizzling bacon as I crisped it up in our tiny skillet, a gift from my aunt who swore by its cast iron magic. The sweet onion was chopped and tossed in with the beef, filling the room with that comforting aroma of home-cooked nostalgia. I remembered an old trick from my grandmother—drain the cooked beef well so the casserole stays bubbly without becoming a greasy mess. A splash of Worcestershire sauce added depth, while mixing in the cheeses was like burying a secret surprise inside the savory mix. We topped it off with crispy, golden tater tots for a whimsical touch.
As the casserole bubbled invitingly in the oven, we bundled up in sweaters that didn't quite match but felt exactly right. The final sprinkle of cheese was our cue to settle in on the couch, plates piled high in front of us. We toasted to new beginnings and snow day comforts, delighting in the crunchy-topped, cheesy goodness that seemed to banish the cold from the tips of our fingers. It's a slice of warmth we have lovingly recreated every winter since.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground round
- 1 cup sweet onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies drained
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded, divided
- 4 ounces mild cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 4 cups frozen tater tots
- 4 thick-cut slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- fresh chives optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
- ketchup optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 7x11-inch baking dish.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground round and the onion and cook, stirring often, until the beef is crumbled and browned and the onion is tender, about 7-8 minutes. Drain all the fat from the skillet.
- Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the beef mixture with the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell disappears, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the beef broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with chilies, the mustard, the Worcestershire sauce, the salt, and the pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mixture begins to simmer, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and cook, stirring often, until the cheeses begin to melt, about 1-2 minutes.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top the mixture evenly with the tater tots.
- Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake the casserole, uncovered, until bubbly around the edges and the tater tots are golden-brown, about 30-35 minutes.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining Monterey Jack and the remaining cheddar cheese and bake until all of the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer the casserole from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the crumbled bacon and the chives.
- Serve with the ketchup.
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