EASY Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

This Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is everything you love about a juicy burger, baked into a cozy casserole. Crispy tater tots, melty cheese, smoky bacon, and savory ground beef come together for the ultimate comfort food. It’s hearty, kid-approved, and perfect for busy weeknights or a cozy weekend family dinner. 

Want another dinnertime twist to a bacon cheeseburger? 🍔🥓 – try this family favorite, and totally delicious Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf. 

Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

This bacon cheeseburger casserole is a great recipe when you want all the components of a juicy, cheesy bacon cheeseburger – but in an easy, family-friendly, casserole dish. 

The crispy tots on top replace the hamburger bun, a layer of melty shredded cheese, savory ground beef mixture all cook together in one dish in the oven. 

How To Make Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Bake (Printable Full Recipe Card)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. 

Cook the bacon strips in a large skillet, over medium heat, until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Drain the grease from the skillet. Crumble the bacon into bite-sized pieces. 

Add the ground beef and onions to the same skillet pan, over medium-high heat, and cook and crumble the ground beef until the meat is browned and the onions are softened. Drain any excess grease from the pan. 

Stir in the condensed cheddar cheese soup, milk, and dried seasonings until combined well. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread it out evenly. 

Top it with the crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese. Evenly layer, in a single layer, the frozen tater tots in even rows on top of the shredded cheese and bacon. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown and the casserole is bubbly on the sides. 

Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving it warm. Enjoy!

Substitutions & Ingredient Notes

• Bacon : Use raw bacon strips cooked in the skillet pan or cook them your preferred way (air fryer, oven, etc). Another option is to use microwaveable bacon or bacon bits, or even some leftover bacon works also. If you’re not cooking the bacon in the skillet pan, then skip that first step entirely and just start cooking the ground beef and onion in a large skillet. 
• Ground Beef : I recommend using a lean ground beef such as 90/10 or 93/7, or you could go leaner and use 96/4. You don’t want extra grease in the casserole which is why you will also drain any excess grease from the skillet after cooking the ground beef. A lean ground beef won’t give off as much as grease when cooking. 
• Onion : I prefer a sweet onion but you could also use a white onion, yellow onion, or even a red onion if preferred. 
• Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup : This one is preferred for that ‘cheeseburger’ flavor it adds; however, you could use cream of mushroom soup or condensed white cheddar cheese soup if wanted.
• Whole Milk : Another option is to use a 12 ounce can of evaporated milk, or half and half works. I don’t recommend using a lower-fat milk.
• Cheddar Cheese : A medium or sharp cheddar cheese holds up well against the other flavors. Other options include extra sharp cheddar or mild cheddar, Pepper Jack cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese. You could also do American cheese slices if wanted to more perfectly replicate that melty cheese on a cheeseburger. 

Tater Tot Casserole Recipe FAQs

Could I Add Some Heat To The Casserole?

If you want to add heat to the casserole, you could include 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder or cayenne pepper to the seasonings. If you prefer to keep heat for individual servings, then you could offer pickled jalapeños, fresh sliced jalapeños, or hot sauce. 

Can I Put The Shredded Cheese On Top Of The Tater Tots?

If you want to add shredded cheese on top of the tater tots, I recommend waiting until the tots are already crispy and golden brown before adding cheese on top. You could also serve the casserole alongside some additional shredded cheese and then people could add more as wanted. 

What Is The Best Way To Drain The Grease From The Pan?

If you move all the meat to one side of the pan and then tilt it so the grease can drain away from the meat, you can spoon it out or use a paper towel to soak it up. The leanness of the meat will determine how much grease you get in the pan. 

Do I Need To Thaw The Frozen Tater Tots Before Adding Them On Top?

No, you do not need to thaw the frozen tater tots before adding them. I like to pull them out of the freezer at the beginning of prepping the casserole, but it’s not necessary to thaw them completely. 

More Family Favorite Tater Tot Casseroles

• Taco Tater Tot Casserole
• Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
• Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
• BBQ Beef Tater Tot Casserole
• Buffalo Ranch Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
• Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
• Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole