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