Cheesesteak Tater Tot Casserole

We had a few different ingredients that I knew I wanted to put together - some bell peppers, a bag of frozen tater tots, a package of fresh mushrooms, and ground beef. My sister and I were discussing flavor profiles and settled on cheesesteak! I did a quick search online but actually didn't find too many options to pick from so we just made it up as we went along, and I was pretty happy with how this one turned out!

The leftovers didn't last very long in my house either - about 24 hours to be exact! This casserole is creamy and cheesy, with a lovely crispy layer of potatoes on top. The sauce becomes so rich and saucy, the perfect base for the potato topping. The addition of the juice from the bell peppers adds a great tang to the flavor profile - but you can certainly leave that out if you're not a fan!

Cheesesteak Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 bell peppers (I used 1 green, 1 yellow)
1 medium onion
1 16-oz package baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup juice from jarred banana peppers
1/4 cup banana peppers, diced
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS soy sauce
1 TBS minced garlic (jarred)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup milk
4 slices American Cheese
6 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese (or a mix)
1 28-oz bag frozen mini tater tots

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet combine the ground beef with the diced bell peppers and onion, cook for about 8 minutes over medium to medium-high heat. Add in the diced mushrooms and cook another 8-10 minutes until all the veggies are tender. Season mixture with the salt and pepper. Add in the banana peppers and juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and minced garlic. Stir and allow to simmer on low while you prepare the roux. The meat mixture should be fairly "wet" still at this point.
3. To prepare the roux - in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat, and then whisk in the flour until well combined. Let the flour mixture cook for about a minute. Whisk in the heavy whipping cream and milk until you have a smooth mixture. Do not bring to a boil.
4. Pour this combined mixture into your meat mixture and bring to a boil. It should thicken everything up into a luscious sauce. If your mixture is too thick, add a splash of broth or additional milk as needed. Rip the 4 slices of American cheese into pieces, and stir into the meat mixture until melted and blended in.
5. Taste, and adjust seasonings as desired.
6. Pour the meat mixture into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish, spread gently until even. Layer the slices of provolone / mozzarella over the top and pour the frozen tater tots over the top. Sprinkle the tots with a little bit more salt and pepper.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly, and potatoes are cooked through, golden brown and crispy. Return to the oven for an additional 8-10 minutes if needed to ensure crispy potatoes.
8. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

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