Easy Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is delicious, cheesy comfort food. The classic flavor is a family favorite and never disappoints. Dinner is on the table in less than an hour with a few simple ingredients like juicy ground beef, burger toppings, cheddar cheese, and crispy tater tots.
Our classic Tater Tot Casserole is another family favorite!
Casseroles are a favorite weeknight dinner around our house the whole family loves! Plus, they’e good for potlucks. This easy recipe has it all. Ground beef, gooey cheese, and crispy tots! It’s like a cheeseburger and fries all in one!
Of course, we love our incredibly popular Taco Tater Tot Casserole, if you want to mix things up!
Ingredient Notes
This tater tot casserole doesn’t use cream of mushroom soup if that’s what you’re looking for.
- ground beef – 85% fat or leaner is the best choice.
- onion – diced onion gives the meat mixture a bit of depth and flavor.
- ketchup – your favorite brand will work.
- yellow mustard – this amps up the flavor and gives it a cheeseburger taste!
- Dijon mustard – Dijon adds just the right amount of tangy sharp flavor to the meat mixture.
- Worcestershire sauce – this condiment brings the whole casserole together.
- salt and pepper – to taste
- shredded cheddar cheese – this is the base for your cheese sauce, which we love is homemade. However, you could use cheddar cheese soup if you prefer. You can use mild or sharp cheddar cheese.
- butter, flour, and milk – these three ingredients make the base of your cheese sauce.
- frozen tater tots – Crispy tater tots make this dish! It’s like your burger and fries in one easy casserole recipe!
Bacon is optional, but who doesn’t love a bacon cheeseburger?
Topping Ideas
Like a regular burger, delicious toppings make the dish your own. Try any one of these or a combo!
- Diced Tomatoes
- Shredded Lettuce
- Diced Avocado
- Crumbled Bacon
- Diced Pickles (dill or sweet butter pickles)
Step-By-Step Directions
Let’s make our yummy casserole.
STEP 1 – PREP. Place your rack in the middle of the oven and heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. (204 Celsius). Then, spray your 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
STEP 2 – COOK BEEF and ONIONS. Next, In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef and onions, breaking up the meat as you cook it. Drain off any excess grease.
STEP 3 – ADD CONDIMENTS. Add the ketchup, mustard (both kinds), Worcestershire sauce, and relish if using. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Evenly spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
STEP 4 – MAKE CHEESE SAUCE. Next, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Continue whisking until the mixture is golden brown and a little puffy.
PRO TIP: This process is called a roux in French cooking—the base for a sauce.
Now, slowly whisk in the milk and incorporate it with the roux. Keep whisking until the sauce is thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
Pour the sauce evenly over the meat mixture.
STEP 5 – ADD TATER TOTS. Add the tater tots in an even layer over the cheese sauce.
STEP 6 – BAKE. Bake in your preheated oven for 35 minutes. No need to cover it. Then, remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the top of the tater tots.
Place it back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Let cool slightly, serve, and enjoy!
Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
Oh, the glorious combination of ground beef, cheese, and bacon! To make a bacon cheeseburger tater tot bake recipe, you can add cooked bacon to the meat mixture (12 slices, cooked) or the top of the finished dish (4 cooked slices, crumbled).
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Crispy Tots: For crispier tots, bake them in the oven for 10 minutes per package instructions while cooking your beef mixture.
- You can use ground bison, ground chicken, or ground turkey in this casserole.
- Cheese: Substitute your favorite type of cheese in the recipe. Monterey jack, pepper jack, and sharp cheddar are all good!
- Spice it up: Add a dash of hot sauce or red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
- This cheeseburger casserole recipe easily doubles if you need to feed a crowd or an extra meal. Just use a second casserole dish. This is a great way to cook once and eat twice.
- MAKE AHEAD: follow the recipe but don’t put the tater tots on yet. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a day or freeze for longer. Uncover, top with tater tots, and bake as instructed.
What to Eat with Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
If you’re serving this as the main dish, try serving this tater tot casserole with green beans, roasted veggies, spinach, or fresh green salad.
How to Store
REFRIGERATOR – Store leftover Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for five days.
To reheat in the oven, place the casserole in an oven-safe dish and cook for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Or, place individual servings in the microwave and heat for a minute or so.
FREEZER – Yes, you can freeze your cheeseburger tater tot casserole either before baking it or after. This Tater Tot Casserole Freezer Meal article includes all the details on how to do it easily, plus how to reheat it.
You may also wonder how to prevent freezer burn when storing recipes in the freezer.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use ground turkey, ground chicken, or even a meat substitute like ground plant-based meat for a different flavor or dietary preference.
No, it’s not necessary to thaw the tater tots before putting them on your casserole. They can be used directly from the freezer.
Yes, you can use your favorite cheese or a combination of cheeses for a tater tot casserole. Cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey Jack, and Swiss are all good options.
More Tater Tot Recipes
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Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, 85% fat or leaner
- ½ cup onion, diced
- ⅔ cups ketchup, your favorite brand
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 32 ounces frozen tater tots, you may not use them all
Toppings
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- diced dill pickles
- crumbled bacon
- 12 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
Equipment
- Spatula or cooking spoon
- saucepan
Instructions
- Place your rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. (204 Celsius). Then, spray your 9 x 13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef and onions, breaking up the meat as you cook it. Drain off the fat.
- Add the ketchup, mustard (both kinds), Worcestershire sauce, and relish if using. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add bacon if using. Stir to combine. Evenly spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour until smooth. Continue whisking until the mixture is golden brown and a little puffy.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, making sure to incorporate it with the roux. Keep whisking until the sauce is thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, and whisk in 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese until the cheese melts and the sauce is smooth. Pour the sauce evenly over the meat mixture.
- Add the tater tots in an even layer over the cheese sauce. Bake in your preheated oven for 35 minutes. No need to cover it. Then, remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese over the top of the tater tots. Place it back in the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let it cool slightly and serve!
Notes
- For crispier tots, bake them in the oven for 10 minutes per package instructions while cooking your beef mixture.
- You can use ground bison, ground chicken, or ground turkey in this casserole.
- Substitute your favorite type of cheese in the recipe. Monterey jack, pepper jack, and sharp cheddar are all good!
- This cheeseburger casserole recipe easily doubles. Just use a second casserole dish. This is a great way to cook once and eat twice.
Everything my family loves…tater tots & cheeseburgers!! This recipe is a family favorite! Crisp & so much flavor!
We love how crispy and delicious the recipe is too! Glad you family loved it.
I LOVE this casserole! Our whole family does! The ultimate comfort food!
A casserole recipe that works time and time again. Perfect for weeknights or weekends!
My kids LOVED this so much! I just wish I doubled the recipe!
Oh, great! Glad your kids loved it. Doubling the recipe is a great idea for next time.
This casserole is DELICIOUS! Even my super picky kiddo happily ate it. I did cut the recipe in half and used an 8×8 pan, which worked great. This will be going into our region dinner rotation. Thank you!
So glad to hear it was a win with the kiddos, Katy! My kids devoured it! If you have time next time your make it, freeze the other half for dinner the following week. #momhack
This was so delicious! A great take on tater tot casserole, probably my new favorite way to make it!
Ours too, April. It’s just so tasty!
So easy to make and my family loved it! Even my picky 12 year old which is a big deal. Thank you!
This tater tot casserole is perfect for picky eaters. Glad you enjoyed it!