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Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole layered with ground beef, tots and cheese. It is a family favorite and you will love how easy it is to make.
This is easy hamburger casserole and the kids go crazy over it so it is a win-win in our family. It has become a regular in the dinner rotations. This easy tator tot casserole recipe is also very versatile.
The possibilities are endless with this simple tator tot casserole recipe. It is one of my favorite ground beef recipes. You might also like our cowboy casserole, Totchos, Cornbread Casserole or Chicken Tater Tot Casserole.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This casserole is so easy to make. You can easily jazz up this easy tator tot casserole recipe and make it your own recipe.
I love it just the way it is , but there are several different ways you can change this simple casserole and make it a completely different dinner idea. Perfect to feed a crowd or for weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- Ground Beef – You can also make with ground turkey
- Worcestershire sauce – If you are out, see The Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes
- Garlic Powder – Check out The Best Garlic Powder Substitute
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variations Ideas
- Make Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole – Add in chopped bacon for a delicious variation.
- Mushroom – Add Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup and fresh sliced mushrooms to the meat mixture
- Add Homemade Taco Seasoning – This will give the casserole a delicious tex-mex flavor and even better adding a can of Rotel.
- Sloppy Joes – Add in the sauce from our Quick and Easy BBQ Sloppy Joes Recipe and make a sloppy joes tator tot casserole
- Slow Cooker – Try making it the slow cooker. Our Crock pot Tator Tot Casserole Recipe is just as delicious.
How to Make Easy Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole Recipe
- Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Step 2 – Add the ground beef and diced onions to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Cook, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the beef is no longer pink.
- Step 3 – Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Step 4 – Stir the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and garlic powder into the pan and heat for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is heated through.
- Step 4 – Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Allow the heat from the meal to melt the cheese.
- Step 5 – Spread the beef mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 baking pan.
- Step 6 – Place one layer of tator tots on top of the beef mixture in the pan.
- Step 7 – Baked for 25 minutes uncovered.
- Step 8 – Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese on top and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Step 9 – Remove from the oven. Let the casserole sit for 10-15 minutes and then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Cooking Beef – This is a great recipe to prepare the ground beef ahead of time. This will save time and you can even learn How to Freeze Ground beef AFTER you brown it.
- Baking Dish – Before layering the ingredients in the casserole dish, we recommend spraying with cooking spray. This makes cleanup a breeze and helps to serve to make sure you get all the layers.
- Cooking Time – Cooking time will vary. Watch closely to make sure the cheese does not burn.
Serving Suggestions
This casserole can be served as is, but I like to serve with a light side dish since this casserole is so hearty. Serve with Air Fryer Broccoli, Air Fryer Cauliflower Recipe or a nice green salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no need to thaw the tator tots before topping the casserole. The tots will bake with the casserole in the oven.
Yes, you can substitute tator tots with hashbrowns. Cooking time may change.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
In case you love freezer cooking this casserole is completely freezer friendly. You simply make the casserole as directed. Go ahead and add the cheddar cheese on top before cooking. Then cover with foil and freeze. When you are ready to cook, allow it to thaw completely. Then baked for 30 minutes until heated and the cheese is melted. It is that easy!
We recommend reheating the leftovers in the oven but it can also be reheated in the microwave.
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If you make this Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review. We love to hear from you.
Cheeseburger Tator Tot Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef (lean)
- 1/2 onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 bag Frozen Tator Tots (32 ounces)
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the ground beef and diced onions to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Cook, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the beef is no longer pink.
- Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Stir the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and garlic powder into the pan and heat for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is heated through.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Allow the heat from the meal to melt the cheese.
- Spread the beef mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 baking pan.
- Place one layer of tator tots on top of the beef mixture in the pan.
- Baked for 25 minutes uncovered.
- Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese on top and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven. Let the casserole sit for 10-15 minutes and then it’s ready to serve and enjoy!
I’m so glad they are loving it.
I have two boys that are picky eaters that don’t like vegetables and beans so this recipe popped up and I tried it and the wife loves it everyone loves it so I want to thank you for this recipe because now the boys are asking for it twice a week.
Thank you love the easy cheeseburger tater tots recipe.
Delicious recipe! I love how it’s a complete dinner!
This is great to hear – thank you for sharing!
This is definitely comfort food. I only buy grounder sirloin so for fear of it being too dry I added some homemade cream of mushroom soup. Also added a can of green beans to make it a one dish meal. Not only did I have no complaints from picky eaters but everyone wanted seconds.
This is a great family recipe that all those picky eaters will love. It’s an easy recipe, inexpensive, & oh so yummy.
One of my favorites from my childhood! This is super easy to make and very inexpensive. You get a lot of meals out of it!
This recipe is a definite go to! My family kids pretty picky and they loved this!!
I generally use Montreal as well but have used McCormick’s as well and I liked that too!
I’ve made this recipe before and it was a hit with everyone. Except my daughter thought it was too spicy, she doesn’t like pepper much. I was thinking it could have been the steak seasoning, all I had was Montreal Steak Seasoning. So tonight I am omitting that and see how it tastes. What other steak seasoning would you recommend? I love all the different ideas.. I can’t wait to try them. Thank you for everything!! ?
I made this casserole super easy ! I put 1 can of Cambells cheddar cheese soup in the mix. Came out great ! I will be making this again ! It didn’t say in the original recipe to drain the hamburg grease but, I always do. I’m putting this in the comments so if you happen to read this you wont forget this step. 🙂
when making this do you cook the tater tots first or put the on top of hamburger frozen
Great idea – Thank you for sharing!
Add a layer of canned green beans on top of the hamburger.
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
I add corn into the mixture and BBQ sauce on top at the end to my own serving! LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe!!
Yes, that would work. Thanks!
Tater tots are potatoes that have been grated, formed into tots and deep fried. In the USA, they are sold frozen in our grocery stores. Thank you.
Yummy! Great idea with adding the mushrooms. Thank you for sharing.
I have made this with ground chicken and cream of chicken soup, added mushrooms and onions, colby cheese and havarti. Yummy!
What are Tartar Tots?
Can I use hash browns instead of tater tots
Yes definitely!
I am not a meat eater could it be made leaving out the meat,maybe add more veggies?
Awesome – Please let us know how it turns out. Thank you!
I’ll be making this tonight, with some changes. Since I’m a person alone, I’m cutting the recipe to 1/2 pound of burger meat, and cutting the seasonings accordingly.
Instead of Tater tots, I’ll be using Tater Crowns (same taste, different shape) and instead of Monterey Jack cheese, I’ll be using Havarti, because that’s what I have on hand. I will add some bacon bits (real ones) at the end. I already know it’s going to be delicious. Can’t wait to prove it.
Making taco rice Tator tot cacastrole right now, one cant have cheese,one don’t like taco toppings, so one pan with tin foil dividers, ! Feeding 4 of us, so sour cream, onions and green peppers on the side!.for meat mixture used canned tomatoes, drained the juice out and heat it for few minutes, added minute rice to it, then once meat cooked, added taco seasonings tomatoes, and rice mixture! Thank you for the base idea…..this is great
Family with 5 kids here and I made this last night! The kids loved it! I did use hash browns instead of tater tots. It was delicious!
Yum! Great idea – Thanks for sharing!
I did something similar, but rather than adding the mushroom soup as an alternative, I made sausage gravy and used that as the ‘glue’ to hold it together. Added tater tots, and cheese. Talk about hitting the spot!
Sheila – You can divide it in half to make a smaller amount. You can freeze smaller amounts and defrost at a later time for individual meals.
I live on my own and was wondering if the recipe can be made in half. Or can I divide the big pan into smaller containers and freeze and then take out and cook.
Definitely making this tonight! Adding tator tots to the bottom to make more filling I have 8 mouths to feed. Lol Please email me recipe. Thank you sounds delicious.
Thank you so much for all your advice and posting this recipe in the first place, Carrie. We had leftovers today, and I thought it was perfect that way. No issues like I noticed before. Will make it again and experiment as you suggested. Will also try your three ingredient Sloppy Joes soon! Need all the help I can get!
Wendy – Maybe try to add a can of mushroom soup to the meat mixture. That would make the casserole more creamy. Also, definitely cook it a bit longer so that the tots are cooked through. Thank you!
My husband liked it, me, not as much. I felt the hamburger was dry. Was that because I drained it? Should I not drain it? Also the tots were undercooked. I don’t mind them soft, but they were not warm inside. Suggestions for a remake?
Wendy – If there is extra grease, I would drain it after the onions are added in. I like the onions to cook in the grease! If you use lean beef or ground turkey/chicken, you may not need to drain it. Thank you!
Do you drain the beef at any time? if so, before or after adding the onions, or both times?
This was very delicious the whole family loved it
Please email me the recipes.
I always use them frozen ,
I’m sorry this may be a stupid question but the tots should be frozen not defrosted correct?
Making it for our Super Bowl party right now!! We used Habanero Monterey Jack cheese for added heat. Can’t wait to try it
I’m so glad you loved it!
Whole family enjoyed . Have a handicapped brother that is a picky eater and he enjoyed it so much he asked for seconds thanks jane
Whole family enjoyed it have handicapped brother that is picky and he asked for seconds great meal and cheap
Made this tonight. I added mushrooms and rotel tomatoe to the meat. We really enjoyed this and it was so easy to make. Thanks! I served it with a green salad with tomatoes, and it was a perfect lazy Friday night meal.
Easy to make. Taste has yet to be determined. Looks and smells wonderful. Did not change recipe at all.
I don’t think you would need to expand the cooking time at all, but I think it would definitely work! Great idea to stretch the money. 🙂
That is a great idea! Thanks for the suggestions.
Absolutely delicious…..I mixed sour cream into the meat mixture and used ground turkey instead of ground beef. The entire pan was pretty much emptied….a great dish for kids. We served it with an amazing salad on the side.
Love this recipe and very easy. I used Worcester Pub Burger seasoning and added 1/3 cup of ketchup and 1 T of prepared mustard. Probably could reduce amount of Worcester sauce when using that particular seasoning. Very yummy!
Do you think putting another layer of tots on the bottom would work too? Would it add to the cooking time? I have a teenage son and a husband… trying to expand meals is an art form in my house, lol. Tots are the cheap element so I just wondered if it was plausible. Thank you for your time, AND the recipe. 🙂