Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

Why You'll Love It

This super easy recipe makes about 4 adult-size servings, but you can easily double it for a larger crowd or freeze a second casserole for later.

Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole is a family-friendly meal that the kids and adults will love. It's also fun to make with the kids - they love to line up all the tater tots!

Just like my Big Mac Casserole with Tater Tots, the leftovers are fantastic the next day making this casserole great for meal prep.

This tater tot casserole can be a budget-friendly meal The main ingredients are ground beef, tater tots, cheese, and seasonings. The store-brand ingredients are generally inexpensive and easy to find in most grocery stores.

Key Ingredients

Ground Beef - I use one pound of lean ground beef. Or use ground turkey or ground sausage. Use half ground beef and half ground sausage for even more flavor!

Frozen Tater Tots - plain tater tots work great, and there's no need to thaw them first! You could also experiment with the veggie tots to sneak in some extra veggies for the kiddos.

Cream of Mushroom Soup and Milk - these make the beef filling creamy and flavorful.

Shredded Cheddar Cheese - for the best flavor and texture, shred your own cheese!

Seasonings - think of the seasonings you'd use on a hamburger! I use Montreal Steak Seasoning), garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. I also use Montreal Steak Seasoning in my Mashed Potatoes without Milk.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of the dried steak seasoning blend, use a little bottled steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or BBQ sauce.
• Substitute the cream of mushroom soup with condensed cream of celery, cream of onion, or cream of cheddar cheese soup.
• Use Velveeta cheese instead of the cheddar cheese.
• Use tater crowns instead of the tots.

Substitutions to Avoid

Here are a few substitutions that I would not recommend when making this casserole.

• Don't use feta or parmesan. The cheeses do not melt well and will alter the flavor of the casserole.
• Avoid strongly flavored tater tots, as their flavors could clash with the other ingredients in the casserole. Stick to plain tater tots for the best results.
• Don't use a non-creamy soup such as tomato soup because it would change the taste and texture of the casserole, resulting in an entirely different dish.

Anne's Recipe Tips

You'll likely have more tater tots than you need for this recipe. Save the remaining frozen tots for another meal or double this recipe with a 9 x 13-inch dish, and use the whole bag.

Make it a one-pan meal using a large oven-proof skillet or pan. Cook the ground beef in the skillet and drain the grease. Mix in the soup, milk, and seasonings. Add half the cheese, the frozen tater tots, then the remaining cheese. Bake as directed.

What TO sERVE WITH It

Make it your own; be creative; serve with your favorite side dishes. This Simple Mac and Cheese without Flour and even this Broccoli Bacon Salad are always a hit.

Want to change things up? Here are a few fun ways to serve this casserole:

• Add some cooked bacon pieces on top of the tater tots before baking.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream, sliced jalapenos, and chopped green onions on the side.
• Go wild and serve a scoop of tater tot casserole on a hamburger bun with all your favorite condiments, lettuce, tomato, and pickles!