This casserole is everything you love about hamburgers just without the buns! Bun-Free Casserole places the juicy, savory hamburger meat front and center, packing it with plenty of wonderful umami and spicy flavors to ensure each bite is exciting and dynamic! The hamburger meat is topped with melty cheese and crispy, fluffy-on-the-inside tater tots for the full burgers-and-fries experience… and that’s all before the crunchy bacon gets sprinkled on top! Bun-Free Casserole proves you don’t need a bun when it’s burger time!
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
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Lightly grease a 7×11-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 4 –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.
Step 5 –Lower the heat to medium.
Step 6 –Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 7 –Sprinkle the beef mixture with the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell disappears, about 1 minute.
Step 8 –Gradually add the beef broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 9 –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.
Step 10 –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.
Step 11 –Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 12 –Top the mixture evenly with the tater tots.
Step 13 –Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
Step 14 –Bake the casserole, uncovered, until bubbly around the edges and the tater tots are golden-brown, about 30-35 minutes.
Step 15 –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.
Step 16 –Transfer the casserole from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Step 17 –Sprinkle the casserole with the crumbled bacon and the chives.
Step 18 –Serve with the ketchup.
