What the heck is this?
Listen, sometimes you need to throw nutrition out the window and just embrace the beautiful disaster that is comfort food. This Loaded Cheeseburger Tater Tot Bake is exactly that moment — it’s everything you love about a loaded cheeseburger but in casserole form with crispy tater tots on top because we’re adults and we can do whatever we want.
We’re talking seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, crispy bacon, and all the classic burger fixings layered under a blanket of golden tater tots. It’s the kind of meal that makes your kids think you’re the coolest parent ever and your spouse wonder why they married someone so brilliantly chaotic. Takes 30 minutes, feeds a crowd, and tastes like pure happiness. What more do you need?
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 30 minutes from start to finish — perfect for busy weeknights
- One dish, minimal cleanup (your future self will thank you)
- Kid-approved, adult-devoured
- Uses stuff you probably already have in your freezer
- Reheats like a dream for leftovers
- Basically a deconstructed cheeseburger in the best possible way
- Feeds a small army or one very dedicated person
The Good Stuff You’ll Need
For the Burger Base:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 is perfect)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
For the Cheese Situation:
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup American cheese, shredded (or Velveeta cubes)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
For the Toppings:
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced pickles
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Ranch or burger sauce for drizzling
Let’s Do This
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish like your life depends on it.
Step 2: Beef It Up
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Stir in ketchup and mustard. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Cheese Please
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, half the cheddar, and half the American cheese until combined.
Spread this cheese mixture in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
Step 4: Layer Like Your Life Depends On It
Spread the beef mixture over the cheese layer.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and American cheese on top.
Add half the crumbled bacon (save some for the top because we’re not animals).
Step 5: Tot Crown
Arrange tater tots in a single layer over everything. Don’t overlap — we want maximum crispiness.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until tots are golden brown and crispy.
Step 6: The Final Touches
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with remaining bacon, diced tomatoes, pickles, and green onions.
Let it rest for 5 minutes (if you can wait that long) before serving.
Drizzle with ranch or burger sauce because why not?
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a side salad to pretend you’re being healthy
- Perfect with ice-cold beer or soda
- Great for game day, potlucks, or “I don’t feel like cooking but need to feed people” nights
- Have napkins ready — this gets messy in the best way
Switch It Up
Bacon Cheeseburger Style: Double the bacon and add it to the beef mixture too.
Spicy Version: Add diced jalapeños to the beef and use pepper jack cheese.
Mushroom Swiss: Sauté mushrooms with the onions and use Swiss cheese instead of American.
BBQ Twist: Add BBQ sauce to the beef mixture and top with crispy onions.
Breakfast Version: Use breakfast sausage instead of beef and top with scrambled eggs.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Brown the beef mixture ahead of time and store in the fridge
- Assemble everything except the tots, cover, and refrigerate. Add tots right before baking
- Cook bacon ahead and store in the fridge — it reheats perfectly
- Prep all toppings and store separately until serving
Questions People Actually Ask
Q: Can I use ground turkey instead? A: Sure! Just season it extra well since turkey can be a bit bland on its own.
Q: What if I don’t have cream cheese? A: Use sour cream or just double up on the shredded cheese. It’ll still be delicious.
Q: Can I make this ahead of time? A: Assemble everything except the tots up to a day ahead. Add tots and bake when ready.
Q: How do I reheat leftovers? A: Oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes to keep the tots crispy. Microwave makes them soggy.
Q: Can I freeze this? A: The beef mixture freezes great, but assemble and bake fresh for best results.
Q: What size baking dish do I need? A: 9×13 is perfect. Smaller dish means thicker layers but longer cooking time.
Q: Can I make this vegetarian? A: Use plant-based ground meat and skip the bacon, or load it up with mushrooms and beans.
Print
Loaded Cheeseburger Tater Tot Bake 30 Minutes Easy Delicious
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
Listen, sometimes you need to throw nutrition out the window and just embrace the beautiful disaster that is comfort food. This Loaded Cheeseburger Tater Tot Bake is exactly that moment — it’s everything you love about a loaded cheeseburger but in casserole form with crispy tater tots on top because we’re adults and we can do whatever we want.
We’re talking seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, crispy bacon, and all the classic burger fixings layered under a blanket of golden tater tots. It’s the kind of meal that makes your kids think you’re the coolest parent ever and your spouse wonder why they married someone so brilliantly chaotic. Takes 30 minutes, feeds a crowd, and tastes like pure happiness. What more do you need?
Ingredients
For the Burger Base:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 is perfect)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
For the Cheese Situation:
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup American cheese, shredded (or Velveeta cubes)
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
For the Toppings:
- 1 bag (32 oz) frozen tater tots
- 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced pickles
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Ranch or burger sauce for drizzling
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish like your life depends on it.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add garlic, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for another minute.
Stir in ketchup and mustard. Remove from heat.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, half the cheddar, and half the American cheese until combined.
Spread this cheese mixture in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.
Spread the beef mixture over the cheese layer.
Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and American cheese on top.
Add half the crumbled bacon (save some for the top because we’re not animals).
Arrange tater tots in a single layer over everything. Don’t overlap — we want maximum crispiness.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until tots are golden brown and crispy.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with remaining bacon, diced tomatoes, pickles, and green onions.
Let it rest for 5 minutes (if you can wait that long) before serving.
Drizzle with ranch or burger sauce because why not?
Notes
- Serve with a side salad to pretend you’re being healthy
- Perfect with ice-cold beer or soda
- Great for game day, potlucks, or “I don’t feel like cooking but need to feed people” nights
- Have napkins ready — this gets messy in the best way
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~520 kcal
- Fat: ~35g
- Carbohydrates: ~28g
- Protein: ~28g