Bake uncovered for 35–40 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the tater tots are crisp and golden.Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble once cool enough to handle.

Drain most of the bacon grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking the beef into crumbles, until browned and the onion has softened.

Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Drain off any excess grease.

Season the beef with Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir well and remove the skillet from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the cheddar cheese soup and sour cream. Stir in 1½ cups of cheddar cheese, the seasoned ground beef mixture, and most of the crumbled bacon, reserving some bacon for the top.

Spread the cheeseburger mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Instead of mixing the tater tots into the filling like the original recipe does, arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer across the top. I like this change because you’ll get a much crispier tater tot topping and a prettier casserole.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese and reserved bacon over the top. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Let the casserole rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Finish with sliced green onions if desired.