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1
Heat the oven to 175°C. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces, until no pink remains and the fat has rendered. Drain excess fat; the meat should be dry enough that it will not thin the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
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2
In a large bowl, whisk the two tins of condensed cream of mushroom soup with the milk until fully combined and smooth. The mixture should coat a spoon — neither stiff nor runny. Add the browned beef and the green beans and fold together until every element is evenly distributed.
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3
Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 9×13-inch baking pan and spread it level. This is where the dish lives or dies: the sauce must bind the filling without pooling — if the mixture looks loose or wet at this stage, the finished dish will be soupy rather than creamy. Correct now by draining any visible liquid before it goes into the oven.
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4
Arrange frozen tater tots in a single, tightly packed layer across the entire surface of the filling. Do not thaw them; the ice crystals drive off steam during baking, which helps the exterior crisp. Every centimetre of filling should be covered.
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5
Bake uncovered at 175°C until the filling is visibly bubbling at the edges and the tater tots are deep golden and crisp on top — approximately 45–55 minutes. A tot pressed lightly with a spoon should resist and not sink; the underside of the tot layer, where it meets the filling, will have absorbed some sauce and become tender, while the exposed surface remains crunchy.
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6
Remove from the oven and rest the pan for 5 minutes before serving. The filling should hold its shape when spooned — creamy and cohesive, not liquid. Serve directly from the pan.