Garbanzo Bean Tater Tot Beef Casserole
Homemade garbanzo bean tater tots baked atop seasoned ground beef, onions, and celery, then topped with creamy mushroom soup sauce and melted cheddar cheese. The crispy tots provide textural contrast to the savory meat filling and creamy topping.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup garbanzo beans, dried
- 3 cups water, for cooking beans
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs, Japanese
- ⅓ onion onion, finely chopped
- ½ tsp salt, for bean mixture
- ¼ tsp pepper, for bean mixture
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded and chopped into smaller bits
- coconut spray, for baking sheet
- 1 lb ground beef, extra lean, organic
- 1 onion onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 tsp thyme, dried
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- salt, to taste(optional)
- pepper, to taste(optional)
- 1 10.75 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- 1
Soak garbanzo beans overnight in approximately 3 cups water.
- 2
Drain and rinse beans.
- 3
Bring 3 cups water to boil, add chickpeas, reduce heat to slow rolling boil for approximately 1 hour.
- 4
Drain, cool, and place beans in food processor.
- 5
Preheat oven to 450°F.
- 6
Add egg, garlic, Panko crumbs, onion, salt, pepper, and shredded and chopped cheese to food processor and pulse until smooth.
- 7
Lay wax or parchment paper on counter and drop mixture onto sheet.
- 8
Spread mixture in a long sausage fashion and wrap paper around to form a long slender roll.
- 9
Slice roll into tater tot-sized pieces and form into nuggets by hand.
- 10
Place tots on lightly sprayed baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
- 11
Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- 12
Brown meat, onions, and celery in large skillet.
- 13
Add thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until flavors blend and mixture is cooked through.
- 14
Drain excess fat from meat mixture.
- 15
Spread meat mixture evenly over bottom of 2 quart casserole dish.
- 16
Arrange baked tots evenly over meat mixture.
- 17
Stir cream of mushroom soup and milk together in small bowl until smooth.
- 18
Pour soup mixture over tots and meat.
- 19
Spread shredded cheese evenly over top.
- 20
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.
- 21
Top with dried thyme if desired.
Tips
Form bean tots consistently in size for even cooking and browning.
Ensure tots are golden and crispy before assembling casserole for best texture contrast.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered at 350°F until warmed through.
Assemble casserole through step 18, cover, and refrigerate up to 8 hours before baking. Add 5-10 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.
Serve hot directly from casserole dish. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.
Common Mistakes
Skip draining excess fat from meat mixture to avoid a greasy, soggy casserole.
Do not slice tots too thin to avoid them falling apart during assembly and baking.
Avoid opening oven door during tot baking to maintain even cooking and crispiness.