Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

An overhead image of a cheeseburger casserole covered in tater tots on a green towel with shredded cheddar cheese next to it.

Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe

My kids do not stop requesting this Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe; it's simple comfort food at it's finest and perfect for busy weeknights. Best of all: it's ready in under an hour!

Course dinner, Main, Main Course, Main dish

Cuisine American

Diet Low Salt

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Inactive time 30

Total Time 1

Servings Servings

Calories 212kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

3 slices bacon
1 cup diced onion
1 pound ground beef, 80/20
1 Tablespoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
14.5 ounces beef broth
10.75 ounces cream of mushroom soup
1 cup frozen peas
1 ⅓ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
60 frozen tater tots, this will vary based on your pan but it ends up being around ½ a regular size package

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Cook bacon in a sauté pan over medium heat until crispy, around 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Add onions to the pan and sauté stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes to soften.
Add ground beef to the pan and use a wooden spoon to break it up. Sauté for 5 minutes or until brown, stirring often. Drain well.
Add chili powder, salt, pepper and cornstarch to the ground beef mixture and stir to combine.
Add beef broth and cream of mushroom soup to the pan and mix until well combined.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes to reduce slightly, stirring often. Stir in peas.
Transfer to a 9" x 9" baking pan.
Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese and then crumble the bacon on top.
Line the top of the casserole with a single layer of frozen tater tots to cover.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until tater tots are golden brown and and the casserole is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Don't skip the bacon! The grease really brings it all together.

If your kids aren't big onion fans, mince the onion extra small for great flavor but minimal texture.

Let the meat cook a tad more after you add the seasonings. It'll deepen the flavor.

Make tight rows of tater tots and try not to press them in too much. You want them to gently rest on top of the filling so that as much of the tater tot tops is exposed to get perfectly golden brown.

Ingredients to prep ahead- Dice onion and grate the cheese

Leftovers and storage- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, microwave in 30-second bursts.

Nutrition