Cheeseburger Casserole with Crispy Bacon & Tater Tots
This recipe takes all the satisfying flavors of a cheeseburger and bakes it into a comforting dinner casserole. Also known as cheeseburger hot dish, this recipe layers ground beef and crispy bacon with frozen tater tots, and cheddar cheese. Dinner is ready in 1 hour, with minimal hands-on time!
Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a 9X13 inch casserole dish. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat cook chopped bacon until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Drain grease and remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
6 slices bacon
Add ground beef and onion to the skillet. Cook until beef is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Drain grease, if necessary.
1 ½ pounds ground sirloin, 1 medium onion, 1 clove garlic
To the ground beef add half cooked bacon, drained diced tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, relish, worcestershire, salt, pepper, and 1 cup grated cheese. Stir to combine and spread in prepared baking dish.
Top with frozen tater tots in a single layer, so the tots become crisp during baking. If you have a few minutes, line them up in rows to make sure the full package fits on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until tater tots are crisp. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese and bacon on top. Bake for 5 additional minutes. Serve immediately with optional toppings.
32 ounce frozen tater tots
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Notes
Make-Ahead / Freezer Directions:
Make-Ahead: Prepare ground beef filling up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. Assemble casserole with frozen tater tots when ready to bake and serve. Bake as directed, but add an additional 5-10 minutes to cooking time.Freezer Meal: Either double the recipe and freeze one in a disposable aluminum pan or make ahead to freeze and enjoy at a later date.Prepare the ground beef mixture and spread on the bottom of a greased 9X13 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with tater tots. You will want to be sure you have allowed the meat enough time to cool so that the tater tots do not thaw when placed on top.Cover the tots with cheese and bacon topping, or wait and add the topping when you are ready to bake.Cover the dish with foil and then wrap with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Make sure to label the dish with the recipe name and baking instructions. You can freeze this dish for up to 4 months.When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and foil. Bake from frozen so the tater tots don’t thaw before. Plan to add an additional 30-35 minutes to the baking time for the ground beef to heat completely through.