Big Mac Casserole is pure comfort food made with juicy ground beef, special homemade Big Mac sauce, crisp lettuce, cheese, tangy dill pickles, tender onions, and warm tater tots.
The casserole tastes like a Big Mac burger and pairs perfectly with the tater tots on top that remind you of french fries. It’s like a match made in heaven.
If you like the flavor combination of the sandwich you’d get at the local fast food joint, you’ll love this easy, toss-together dinner casserole recipe. Casseroles are filling, hearty, and usually an easy dinner recipe to whip up, if you’re looking for more of that, try my Ultimate Chicken Casserole or my Chicken and Broccoli Casserole. Both are filling and comforting.
Why This Recipe Works
This easy Big Mac Casserole recipe makes 8 servings and is ready in under an hour. This tater tot casserole is perfect for cozy nights at home or family gatherings. The layers of ingredients create a comforting and satisfying meal that will leave your whole family feeling full and happy.
You only need minimal ingredients and it’s made with simple prep, no crazy cooking techniques or skills required. Try this Taco Casserole for another dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise: Use the real stuff, not Miracle Whip.
- Ketchup: Any kind will work
- Sweet relish: You can also use finely diced-up pickles.
- White vinegar
- Spices: Onion powder and salt & pepper.
- Ground beef: You can also use ground turkey if you prefer.
- Veggies: Diced white onion, shredded Iceberg lettuce, and diced dill pickles.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese and American cheese slices
- Tater tots: Could be swapped for tater discs or frozen diced potatoes.
How to make Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
- Step 1: In a small mixing bowl mix together the ingredients needed for the creamy Big Mac sauce: mayo, ketchup, sweet relish, white vinegar, onion powder, and salt.
- Step 2: In a large skillet that is oven safe, add ground beef and onions and cook until browned. Drain off excess fat.
- Step 3: Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the ground beef mixture, and stir.
- Step 4: Add shredded cheese and homemade Big Mac sauce to the meat mixture and stir.
- Step 5: Cover the filling with a layer of American cheese slices.
- Step 6: Place a layer of tater tots on top of the casserole evenly. Bake uncovered until you have golden brown, crispy tater tots on top. Garnish with lettuce, pickle slices, onions and serve.
Recipe Tips
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, follow steps 1-4 using a regular skillet and then transfer the mixture to a baking dish and continue on with the recipe instructions.
- Make sure you use full fat cheese. Low-fat cheese doesn’t melt as nicely.
- I’d wait to add the lettuce to your casserole until serving each plate. If you add it on and let it sit, it can get soggy quickly.
- Instead of iceberg lettuce, you can make this casserole and serve it on a big bed of lettuce for a Big Mac Salad.
- You can add some sesame seeds to tie in the last of the classic flavors you expect in a Big Mac sandwich.
- Feel free to add your favorite burger toppings.
Big Mac Casserole
Ingredients
Big Mac Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
For the Casserole
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 slices American cheese
- 32 ounce bag of tater tots or discs
- Iceburg lettuce shredded
- dill pickles diced
- White onion finely diced
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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In a small bowl mix the sauce together until combined.
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Heat an oven safe skillet on medium high heat and add your ground beef, and onions and cook until browned. Drain any extra fat.
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Add in the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
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Pour in the sauce and add the shredded cheese and mix until combined. (Transfer to a baking dish if you don’t have an oven safe skillet.)
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Place a layer of American cheese on top of the filling. Finally add the tater tots on top in an even layer.
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Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the tater tots are crispy.
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Top with shredded lettuce, diced pickles and onions if desired.
Notes
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, follow steps 1-4 using a regular skillet and then transfer the mixture to a baking dish and continue on with the recipe instructions.
I’d wait to add the lettuce to your casserole until serving each plate. If you add it on and let it sit, it can get soggy quickly
