This bacon cheeseburger tater tot casserole will be a fan favorite with your family, potluck, or anywhere else you eat dinner.
This bacon cheeseburger tater tot casserole is a twist on the older version of the casserole and is sure to be a new favorite.
What could be better than a “cheeseburger” and tater tots” with a little bacon thrown in for good measure? Each ingredient is amazing in itself but when combined, they take on a whole new flavor palate.
Bacon cheeseburger tater tot casserole notes
When making this casserole be sure and choose the choicest selection of hamburger. Be careful when browning your meat so that you don’t burn it, thus giving the casserole a burnt taste. Pick the freshest vegetables for your casserole and cut them properly for cooking. Too big and they are less easy to eat, too small and they disintegrate during cooking.
Your choice of cheddar cheese will be important as well. You can go generic or pick your favorite brand. Follow recipe directions for cooking times (adapted to suit how hot your oven heats) so that the casserole comes out perfect and ready for the next family dinner, pot luck at church, or even freezing it for another day.
Substitutions
This casserole is delicious as is but if you like to try substitutions or need to change it for dietary reasons, there are some substitutions you can make. It calls for ground chuck because it is considered one of the most juicy and flavorful. It isn’t as fatty as regular ground beef but still has good flavor.
Other choices are ground round, ground sirloin, and regular ground beef. They all have different fat levels and would need to be considered based on your preference or need.
As far as the cheddar cheese, some subs are Brick, Tillamook, Longhorn, a Double Glouster, or Colby. Depending on availability and personal preference, these cheeses offer a similar alternative to cheddar. Remember the taste and texture will change with the choice of cheese.
The recipe also calls for frozen tater tots. Another frozen potato that is similar in texture and taste is tater rounds. The round shape would just give the casserole a slightly different look in appearance.
If you don’t like grape tomatoes or dill pickles, you could top off with fresh chopped chives or colorful bell peppers. You could be as creative as you like with different toppings!
Bacon cheeseburger tater tot casserole ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground chuck
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (12 ounce) package bacon, cooked, drained, and crumbled
- 1 (32 ounce) package frozen tater tots
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
- ½ cup sliced dill pickles, halved
Directions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and then prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set this aside while preparing other ingredients. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion, salt and pepper over medium high heat until the meat is crumbled. Remember to watch carefully and avoid burning of the meat. Drain well.
Return the meat to the skillet. Add the tomato sauce, cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring continually until melted. Then transfer the ground beef mixture to the casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese, the crumbled bacon, and a layer of tater tots. It will start to look like a culinary masterpiece at this point and smell like a touch of beefy-cheesy heaven.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the tater tots are browned and the edges bubble. Top with tomatoes and pickles. It is ready to serve hot out of the oven. It is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and garner you rave reviews!
To freeze: Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Other dinners we love
Bacon Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground chuck
- 1 each onion diced
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 ounce
- 1 pkg cream cheese 8 ounce, softened
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 pkg bacon 12 ounce, cooked, drained, and crumbled
- 1 pkg frozen tater tots 32 ounce
- 1 cup grape tomatoes quartered
- 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the onion, salt and pepper over medium high heat until the meat is crumbled. Drain well.
- Return the meat to the skillet. Add the tomato sauce, cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and Worcestershire sauce, stirring until melted.
- Transfer the ground beef mixture to the casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese, the crumbled bacon, and a layer of tater tots.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the tater tots are browned and the edges bubble.
- Top with tomatoes and pickles. Serve while hot.
Just finished making this and realised the recipe doesn’t say when to add the 1 can tomato sauce! So hopefully it tastes okay without…
Hi Vicky, we’re sorry about that! I have fixed the error. Thanks for letting us know!