Easy Tater Tot Cheeseburger Bites
Easy Tater Tot Cheeseburger Bites are crispy, cheesy, bite-sized favorites made with seasoned ground beef, melty cheese, and golden tater tots—perfect for game days, parties, or anytime snacking.
When it comes to game day food, easy, crowd-pleasing appetizers are always a win—and these Easy Tater Tot Cheeseburger Bites check every box. Add my secret sauce for dipping, and they are a solid win for the burger lovers at your nest or next gathering!
They’re everything you love about a classic cheeseburger and fries meal packed into a crispy, cheesy, handheld bite that’s perfect for sharing (or not, it’s okay to be selfish with your game day eats).
Whether you’re hosting friends or feeding hungry fans at home, this recipe is a guaranteed touchdown. So, if you’re the betting sort… I’d put my money on these delicious little cheesy bites!
Ingredients List
- Ore-Ida Frozen Crispy Crowns
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- Worchestershire Sauce
- Favorite Burger Seasoning — I like Blackstone All-purpose or Whiskey Burger
- Grape Tomatoes
- Dill Pickle Slices
- Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves
- 3 slices of Cheddar Cheese — cut into small 1 inch squares
- 20-24 bamboo skewers, 4-6 inches long
Secret Sauce Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ Tablespoon prepared mustard
- 2½ Tablespoon Ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons Sweet Pickle Relish
- 2 Tablespoons of Franks Buffalo Sauce
How to Make Mini Tater Tot Cheeseburger Sliders
These mini burger sliders come together quickly. Start with the crispy crowns and, while they are baking, prepare the ground beef. This will help with the preparation of these little bites.
Begin by baking the tater tot crowns. As per the package, preheat the oven to 425° (F). Arrange 3/4 of the bag of frozen tater tots in a single layer on a large (11×17) baking sheet. (I bake the extra’s and eat them. Because I deserve a treat! But you do you!) Season with an all-purpose seasoning before baking. This adds extra flavor to this delightful appetizer.
Bake for 25–30 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy. You don’t need to turn them during baking. They will be perfectly crispy as is.
Preparing Mini Hamburger Patties
In a medium-sized bowl, add ground beef, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon of Worchestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon of your favorite hamburger seasoning. I like Blackstone All Purpose seasoning, but I recommend using your favorite.
TIP: Why add breadcrumbs? Adding breadcrumbs helps reduce the amount of shrinkage in the patties AND helps hold the moisture in the burgers.
Combine the ingredients and shape into 20–24 mini patties. They should be about 1½ inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. They will shrink slightly and thicken during cooking.
TIP: I use a heaping Tablespoon cookie scoop. You’ll be tempted to make them bigger than they should be, but remember the “bun” for these little bites are those crowns baking in the oven!
Cooking Instructions
Place the prepared mini ground beef patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook 3–5 minutes per side, until juices run clear, and the patties are brown.
Turn off the heat and place 1-2 small squares of sliced cheese on top of each mini patty. Cover and allow the cheese to melt.
Remove the baked crispy crowns from the oven. Push the tater tots to one side of the baking sheet. Line the empty half of the baking sheet with a paper towel and place the cooked mini patties on the paper towels.
Assembling Mini Cheeseburger Bites
To assemble the mini cheeseburger bites, gather all your ingredients. This makes it easy to assemble them quickly.
Slice the grape tomatoes in half. Tear the green leaf lettuce into small bite-sized pieces. Drain the sliced dill pickles and place in a small bowl.
Now for the fun part…assembling the mini burger sliders. On a 4-6 inch bamboo skewer, begin by threading on one golden crispy crown, then half a grape tomato, followed by a cheeseburger patty, a pickle slice, lettuce, and another crispy crown.
TIP: I suggest using green leaf lettuce. The ruffled edge makes for a wonderful presentation.
Continue until all the burgers have been made into skewers. The beauty of this recipe is you can exclude any ingredients you don’t like. Not a fan of tomatoes? Bye-bye little red globes! Hate pickles? See ya later green little slices of sublime tang.
Wondering how you can keep the little burgers warm? See my tip below. They are such a fun appetizer. Even if served at room temperature.
BIG TIP: If you are serving these at a party, you can just thread the crispy crowns and burgers on the skewers, place in a warm oven (200°) and serve the other toppings on the side and let your guests add what they like. That way you can serve them warm.
Secret sauce
Like any superb appetizer, the dipping sauce is key to its overall flavor. For these mini cheeseburger bites, I wanted something that was both traditional, but with a slight kick. Nothing too dramatic, just enough to make it interesting!
This sauce starts out like most traditional burger sauces. To “kick it up,” I added a bit of Franks Buffalo Sauce. It doesn’t add heat, as much as it adds flavor!
In a small bowl, combine all the secret sauce ingredients and mix until well combined. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Recipe Wrap-Up!
I love to serve these sliders with a side dish of that yummy “Secret Sauce”. Then guests can add it to their plates for dipping or drizzling. The sauce really adds so much flavor to these little burger bites.
Mini Cheeseburger Skewer bites are a wonderful addition to any party. Perfect for game day, a teen party, even your little kiddos’ birthday parties. Everyone will love these little cheeseburger bites!
Favorite Game Day Recipes
- Hot Pastrami and Swiss Cheese Sliders
- Hasselback Pepperoni Pizza Sliders
- Loaded Cheesy Cowboy Queso
- Game Day Finger Food Recipes
- Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Easy Philly Cheese Steak Sliders
Serve these Tater Tot Cheeseburger Bites fresh and hot with your favorite dipping sauces, and watch them disappear fast.
They’re simple to make, fun to eat, and always a hit at any gathering. From kickoff to the final whistle, this easy appetizer is one you’ll come back to again and again here at Norine’s Nest.
Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope you’ll stop back by often.
Happy Nesting,
Printable Recipe Card
Easy Tater Tot Cheeseburger Bites
Ingredients
- 1 30 ounce bag Ore Ida Crispy Crows, Frozen
- 1 pound Ground beef
- ¼ cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tablespoon Season Salt Your choice of seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 slices Cheddar cheese Cut into 1-inch squares.
- 12 individual Grape tomatoes Cut in half
- 24 individual Dill pickle slices drained
- 1 cup Lettuce leaves Torn into bite-sized pieces
Instructions
- Per the package instructions, preheat the oven to 425° (F). Place crispy crowns on a 11×17 baking sheet in a single layer. Season with seasoning salt of choice. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- While the tater tots are baking, place one pound of ground beef in a medium-sized bowl. Add bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and ground beef seasoning of choice. Mix until well combined. Using a tablespoon scoop, make 20–24 small patties. About 1½ inches in diameter and approx. ¼ inch thick.
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook the patties for 3–5 minutes per side until the juices run clear, and the meat is browned. Turn off the heat. Add 1–2 squares of cheese per mini patty. Cover the skillet with a lid to melt the cheese.
- Slide the crispy crowns onto one side of the baking sheet. On the other half, place 1–2 sheets of paper towel. Place cooked hamburger patties on the paper-toweled lined side of the baking sheet.
- Gather the remaining ingredients. To assemble mini cheeseburger sliders, begin by threading one crispy crown onto a bamboo skewer. Next add half a grape tomato, then the cheeseburger patty, then the pickle, lettuce, and one more crispy crown. Serve immediately with secret sauce. Makes 20–24 mini burgers. *Secret Sauce recipe below in the notes.
Notes
Nutrition
Meet the Author
Hi! I’m Norine, the cook, baker, and recipe creator behind Norine’s Nest. I love sharing and creating recipes that invite family, friends, and neighbors to gather around the dinner table. Sharing good food and creating memories with those we love brings me happiness. Thanks for stopping by my Nest!
