Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

A casserole pan of the tater tot casserole with a wooden serving spoon with a scoop on it.

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.

Course Casserole, Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword bacon cheeseburger tater tot casserole

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 25

Servings

Calories 612kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

6 strips bacon (see notes)
2 pounds lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
1 sweet onion finely diced
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 9x13-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.
^{*If cooking bacon a different way, using microwaveable bacon, or bacon bits - skip this step entirely and start with the ground beef + onion step below.}
6 strips bacon
Add the ground beef and onions to a large 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.
^{*If you cooked the bacon in the skillet pan just use the same one to cook the ground beef and onions in (after it has been drained from cooking the bacon).}
2 pounds lean ground beef, 1 sweet onion
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.
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup, 1 cup whole milk, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper
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.
2 shredded cheddar cheese, 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
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. If wanted, set out additional toppings like ketchup, mustard, sour cream, extra bacon bits, or shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Notes

Bacon : You can cook bacon your preferred way, use microwaveable bacon, or the equivalent of 6 strips in bacon bits. If not cooking bacon in the skillet pan, skip that step, and move directly to the ground beef + onion step. I love using the Kirkland Signature Costco brand of microwaveable bacon. It gets really crispy and is so easy to cook. 6 strips of bacon equals about 1/2 cup of chopped bacon pieces.

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 or shreds if wanted to more perfectly replicate that melty cheese on a cheeseburger.

Nutrition