Frozen tater tots are a time saver in Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole when they stand in for raw, diced potatoes in this easy to make, incredibly tasty, one-dish meal.
Why We Love It
We are hooked on anything that’s cracked these days, and I’m not talking about eggs. Cracked generally refers to the following ingredients: ranch, cheddar cheese and bacon served up in a dish in some tasty way.
In Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole, we combine those tasty cracked flavors with browned beef, frozen tater tots, canned soup, cheese and other savory ingredients to create a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs, family meal.
If you’re intrigued about the frozen tater tot part and why I’m calling this recipe a hash (though the below picture might give you a clue), keep reading. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Why You’ll Love It
| Easy- After browning the ground beef, all the ingredients get mixed together before being transferred to a 13×9 casserole dish to bake in the oven. It’s that simple. Complete Meal- This hearty tater tot casserole checks off all the boxes for a wholesome family meal. With plenty of protein from the beef and cheese, vitamins from the fresh broccoli, and heartiness from the tater tots, this meal’s got you covered for dinner. Kid Friendly- Kids love beef, cheese and tater tots. Mix them all together and toss in some broccoli (which, with all the other flavors, you can’t really taste), and this meal is family and kid approved! Keeps well- Because this tater tot casserole is hearty and makes a lot, you will most likely have leftovers. This dish keeps well in the fridge and can also be frozen both before and after baking it! For more info, see Storing Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole below. |
For more family friendly ground beef casseroles, check out Beef Ragu Italiano, Chow Mein Beefy Rice Casserole, Mexican Stuffed Peppers, and Three Layer Cheesy Taco Bake!
Ingredients for Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole
- 1 lb. lean ground beef, cooked and drained (I often use extra lean/96%)
- 1/2 cup bacon flavored bits (may substitute cooked, chopped bacon)
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix (or 1 packet)
- 2 cups raw broccoli, cut into small pieces (may substitute defrosted frozen broccoli)
- 1 (10.75 oz.) can Campbell’s Healthy Request Cheddar Cheese Soup (may substitute Cream of Cheddar)
- 16 oz. container reduced fat sour cream (Breakstone’s or Daisy’s recommended)
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese (2% milk)
- 22 oz. frozen tater tots– do NOT defrost (you will have a few servings left in the standard 32 oz. bag)
Hold up: Is this a Tater Tot Casserole?
Ok, you got me. Technically yes, because it has tater tots in it. But because they are mixed into the casserole with all the other ingredients AND because they fall apart and resemble diced potatoes after baking, we’re calling it a hash.
It’s a you say potato–I say po-tah-to kind of thing. Now on to the tasty recipe!
How to Make Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole
You’ll want to gather the following equipment:
- skillet with lid
- meat chopper
- large mixing bowl
- small mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- mixing spoons
- cutting board
- chef’s knife
- 13 x 9 casserole dish, lightly greased
Getting Started
Brown the beef. Place the ground beef in your skillet. Use a meat chopper to mash it up. Then cook the beef over medium to high heat until brown and cooked through (picture below is raw beef before cooking).
Time saver:
While the beef is cooking:
- Chop up the broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Kitchen Ready Betty tip: Meat choppers are an amazing little kitchen tool. With just a little bit of force, they work so well to eliminate clumps of ground meat. When selecting one for your kitchen, make sure to go with one that is heat resistant and non-scratch. I often go back to my skillet more than once while the meat is cooking to mash more! This also helps to evenly distribute the meat to ensure that it is thoroughly cooked through.
Next, place the drained, cooked meat in your large mixing bowl.
Add the bacon flavored bits and ranch mix. Stir until meat is evenly coated.
Fold in the chopped broccoli. Then set this bowl aside.
In a separate, small mixing bowl, mix the cheddar cheese soup and sour cream together to create a smooth sauce. Once incorporated, add this mixture to your large bowl. Gently fold until all ingredients are coated with the sauce.
Add the shredded cheese and mix until blended.
Fold the frozen tater tots carefully into the bowl. I’m not going to lie, this requires a little bit of persistence and elbow grease.
The bowl is really full now and there’s a lot of ingredients that have to be mixed together. Trust me, the reward is worth it! Eyes on the prize and keep on mixing!
Spoon the tater tot mixture into the prepared 13×9 dish. This mixture is thick and dense, so be sure to use a sturdy spoon to evenly distribute it!
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until casserole is slightly bubbling. Let stand 5 minutes before serving!
Storing Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole
We sometimes don’t have any–it’s just that good–but if you do…
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Enjoy within five days.
Reheating instructions: Bake covered at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the casserole is heated through.
You may also freeze this for up to 2 months. If never cooked, thaw completely and follow original baking instructions. If cooked and then frozen, thaw completely and then bake covered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated through.
Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole
Description
Ground beef, bacon, ranch, tater tots, cheese and more come together in this savory, one-dish, kid-friendly meal. Technically a tater tot casserole, we're calling it hamburger hash because of the way the tater tots fall apart once this is baked!
Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole
How to Make Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Cook ground beef in skillet over medium high heat until browned. Drain excess liquid.
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Chop broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces.
To save time, do this while the meat is cooking.
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Place the cooked and drained ground beef into large mixing bowl.
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Add the bacon flavored bits and ranch mix. Blend until beef is coated.
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Add the chopped broccoli. Stir gently to incorporate. Set bowl aside.
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Empty contents of cheddar cheese soup and sour cream into a separate, small mixing bowl. Blend until smooth.
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Add the soup mixture to the large bowl. Stir well.
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Add the shredded cheese and blend.
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Carefully fold in the frozen tater tots.
This step takes a little bit of persistence because there are a lot of ingredients to mix together now. Use a large mixing spoon and carefully scoop and fold contents of bowl from bottom to top to mix. Repeat as necessary until tater tots are incorporated.
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Lightly grease 13x9 dish. Then spoon casserole mixture into prepared dish.
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Place baking dish in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes, or until casserole is slightly bubbling.
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Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
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Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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For additional storage instructions, including how to reheat leftovers and freezing, refer to "Storing Cracked Hamburger Hash Casserole" in the above post.
Note
I almost always use 96% lean ground beef for this recipe. I would not recommend going below 85%.
It is really helpful to use a very large mixing bowl for this-- there are so many ingredients to incorporate! I use a 4 quart glass mixing bowl and sometimes I wish I had an even bigger one!
Feel free to swap out cooked, chopped bacon for the bacon bits. I use the bits to save time and because frankly cooking bacon just isn't my thing!
User Reviews
Yeah, a new, easy recipe for ground meat. I’m definitely going to try this soon.
That’s great! It’s one of our favorites!