This Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is a one-skillet dinner combining everyone's favorite burger flavors. A quick and easy meal for weeknights that the whole family will love.
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This post was originally published in January 2019 and has been updated.
I love using my pantry and freezer to create quick yet delicious meals. This cheeseburger casserole combines a handful of pantry staples with frozen tater tots.
For more cheeseburger-inspired recipes, try Big Mac Tacos and Cheeseburger Slider Casserole.
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Why you will love this recipe
- No need to shape and cook individual burgers. This casserole is loaded with cheeseburger flavors the whole family will love.
- Enjoy your burger and fries in one dish! Tater tots top off this cheesy casserole for the perfect all-in-one bite.
- One skillet meal - Preparation and clean-up are easy and who doesn't love that at dinner time? I love serving this casserole family-style right from the skillet.
- So quick and easy. This dish is as easy as browning the meat, stirring in the sauce ingredients, topping with tots, and baking. Voila! Dinner is served!
Ingredients
- Ground beef brings the classic burger vibe. For a leaner option, ground turkey or chicken can also be used.
- Cheese - Shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack is my favorite combo. American and Pepper Jack are also great options. Be sure to use a good melting cheese.
- Tater tots - These frozen potatoes are convenient and bake up crispy.
- Seasonings - Onion, ketchup, yellow mustard, and Worcestershire round out the flavors.
Step-by-step instructions
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of oil, ground beef, and diced onion. Sauté until the beef is no longer pink, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Drain the excess fat.
- Add the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to combine.
- Layer half of the cheese over the meat mixture.
- Arrange tater tots (I use Ore Ida Crispy Crowns) over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tater tots are brown and crisp.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.. Garnish with pickles and chopped scallions.
Expert Tips
- Grate the cheese fresh from a block for optimal melting.
- Drain the excess fat from the meat before adding the sauce ingredients. This prevents the dish from being greasy and too heavy.
Storing and reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warmed through. Individual portions can be reheated in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
This casserole is pretty hearty by itself, so I like to round out the meal with a salad. Try a garden salad, Broccoli and cauliflower salad, and Miracle Whip coleslaw.
Casseroles, in general, are referred to as hot dishes in the Midwest. Hotdish is very popular in upper Midwest regions, particularly Minnesota. Hotdish generally refers to a one-dish comfort food-style meal.
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📖 Recipe Card
Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
Save this recipe!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds ground beef
- ½ cup diced onion
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
- 16-20 ounces tater tots ( or Ore Ida crispy crowns, approx. ½ of a 32-oz package)
- pickles (for garnish)
- chopped scallions (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉.
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add a drizzle of oil and the ground beef and onion. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Drain the excess fat.
- Stir in ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Top the mixture with half of the cheese.
- Arrange tater tots (I used Ore Ida Crispy Crowns) over the top covering the surface. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tater tots are brown and crisp. Top with the remaining cheese and return to the oven for 5 more minutes. Garnish with pickles and scallions, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Sara L says
I have a very picky eater in my household and this is one of his approved recipes. I do substitute onion powder for the actual onions and add a tablespoon of my favorite burger spice but other than that I follow the recipe to a T! This is a menu staple at our house! Thank you for the recipe!
Abbey McDermott says
Sara,
I'm so happy this recipe is a favorite in your house! Thank you for the review!
Jessica O’Dea says
Delicious! Added a package of crumbled bacon. And a bag of frozen corn when I had cooked the meat. Everyone loves it!!
Abbey McDermott says
Thank you, Jessica. I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Everything is better with bacon!!
Diane Moore says
I will definitely make this again. I fried the tater tots a bit before putting them on top and finished in oven. I like crispy tots.
Abbey McDermott says
Diane,
I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe! Crispy tots are the best!