Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole

A cozy cheeseburger tater tot casserole is the perfect one-dish weeknight meal!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword cheeseburger casserole, cheeseburger tater tot casserole, tater tot hot dish, tater tot hotdish

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings people

Calories 461kcal

1 lb. ground beef
1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons total) (or use ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish or chopped dill pickles (optional)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
21 ounces (about 5 cups) frozen tater tots (or more or less as needed)
Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley or chives; sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet), brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Drain off excess grease.
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat so that the mixture is gently simmering. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in chopped pickles (if using) and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Arrange the tater tots in a single layer on top of the beef mixture. Transfer to the oven and bake until the tater tots are golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese on top and continue baking until the cheese melts, about 5-10 more minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.

If you don't have a cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof large skillet), transfer the hot filling to a 3-4 quart casserole dish before adding the tater tots on top.

Bake the casserole long enough so that the tater tots get really brown and crispy. This will help to prevent a soggy casserole.

If you’d like the topping even crispier, transfer the dish to the broiler for a couple of minutes at the very end. Keep a close eye on it, though — the potatoes can burn quickly.

For even more flavor on top, sprinkle French fried onions over the tater tots during the final 5-10 minutes (at the same time that you add the extra cheese).

Garnish the casserole with chopped fresh herbs or sliced green onion for a bright, flavorful finishing touch. Good options include fresh parsley or chives. You might also like to add some more of your favorite burger toppings, such as diced red onion, extra pickles, chopped lettuce, or a drizzle of ketchup or mustard.