Description
Cheesy bacon cheeseburger tater tot casserole combines classic comfort food flavors in one irresistible dish. Crispy tots, savory ground beef, and melted cheese create a hearty meal that brings family and friends together at the dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins:
- 1 pound (450 grams) ground beef
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups (240 grams) shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup (60 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup (60 grams) pickles, diced (optional, for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions or parsley (for garnish)
Sauces and Base:
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) ketchup
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) mustard
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) BBQ sauce (optional)
- 1 (32 ounces / 900 grams) bag frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Prepare a sizzling skillet with ground beef, heating it over medium flame until thoroughly browned and crumbly, ensuring all pink disappears while draining excess lipids.
- Introduce aromatic onions and minced garlic into the meat, sautéing until translucent and fragrant, releasing their delectable essence.
- Infuse the meat mixture with tangy ketchup, zesty mustard, smoky BBQ sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, allowing flavors to meld and intensify during a brief five-minute simmer.
- Transfer the seasoned beef to a greased baking vessel, creating an even foundation that promises robust flavor.
- Generously cascade shredded cheddar cheese across the meat landscape, creating a molten preliminary layer.
- Strategically arrange frozen tater tots in a precise, overlapping formation, ensuring complete coverage of the cheesy terrain.
- Slide the assembled casserole into a preheated 375°F oven, allowing the tots to transform into golden, crispy sentinels guarding the savory underneath.
- During the final moments of baking, lavish additional cheddar and mozzarella cheese atop the tots, followed by a generous scattering of crisp bacon fragments.
- Continue baking until cheese melts into a bubbling, inviting blanket and bacon bits turn delightfully crisp.
- Rescue the masterpiece from heat, optionally adorning with fresh green onions, diced pickles, or verdant parsley for a vibrant finish.
- Serve immediately, accompanying with a light salad or steamed vegetables to balance the indulgent main dish.
Notes
- Customize the meat by using ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version that maintains the casserole’s hearty flavor profile.
- Reduce sodium content by selecting low-sodium ketchup and using reduced-fat cheeses without compromising the dish’s delicious taste.
- Create a make-ahead friendly option by preparing the casserole up to the point of baking, then covering and refrigerating for up to 24 hours before cooking, which helps blend flavors and simplifies meal prep.
- Enhance texture and nutrition by adding diced bell peppers or mushrooms to the ground beef mixture, introducing extra vegetables without altering the classic cheeseburger taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg