Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

Cheeseburger casserole with a serving spoon in it.

Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is delicious, cheesy comfort food. Dinner is on the table in less than an hour with a few simple ingredients like ground beef, burger toppings, cheddar cheese, and tater tots.

Course dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 568kcal

Equipment

large skillet
Spatula or cooking spoon
9x13 inch baking pan
saucepan

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

Makes: 9 x 13inch rectangle

Get Recipe Ingredients

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 ½ 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!

Video

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.

Store leftover Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for five days.

The calories shown are based on the recipe divided 10 ways or 1/10 of the recipe. Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition