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. 

Casseroles are a favorite weeknight dinner around our house the whole family loves! And 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 traditional Tater Tot Casserole, but this is a yummy way to mix it up. 

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Topping Ideas
• Step-By-Step Directions
• Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
• Recipe Tips and Tricks
• What to Eat with Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
• How to Store
• More Tater Tot Recipes
• Printable Recipe

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 ½ 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). 

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• 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 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. 

More Tater Tot Recipes

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Printable Recipe