I first ate tater tot casserole at a friend's house a few years after we graduated college. We had this cooking club where four of us couples rotated cooking dinner for each other once a week. The rules were pretty simple; cook a balanced meal for eight people, making sure it included protein and veggies. It was genius because it meant we all got a home-cooked balanced meal once a week, but we only had to cook once every four weeks. It was a win-win for everyone and fun getting together to share a nice meal that often. I was so impressed when my friend Scott served this to us. At the time, I'd never heard of such casserole brilliance.
One bite into it and everyone at the table moaned with satisfaction. A creamy meat layer on the bottom, mixed with green beans. Add a layer of cheddar cheese. Then top it with tater tots?! This is comfort food at its best. Years later, I had to recreate my own version for Kurt and Drew. You can use any ground meat and veggies you like. Along with the green beans, you can throw in carrots, corn, or even broccoli. You can even experiment with different cheese too. Mozzarella or gouda are other great options. The tots are the star of the dish, though. Don't go swapping those out. They're the party on top of the casserole. After they're cooked to a golden brown crisp, they soak up the gravy from the soup, and every bite aims to please.