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Home » Food and Recipes » Big Mac Casserole

Big Mac Casserole

April 4, 2023 by Chef Alli 8 Comments

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Here’s your new favorite ground beef hot dish! Big Mac Casserole is made with browned ground beef in a sweet sauce that’s topped with American cheese and mini tater tots. It’s baked until hot and bubbly throughout and served with the delicious Big Mac “special sauce” we all know and love!

BIG MAC CASSEROLE RECIPE

A big hot pan of Big Mac Casserole, ready to eat.

HOWDY! CHEF ALLI HERE. LET’S GET YOU COOKIN’…. SHALL WE?? 🙂

I’m always on the lookout for good ground beef recipes! This recipe for Big Mac Casserole fits the ticket just perfectly – it’s pure comfort food that any American family will relate to and enjoy. Everybody loves a Big Mac, right?

Tex Mexican Taco Pie (Low Carb!) is a family favorite that I make often for my guys, and so is Fiesta Ground Beef and Noodle Skillet. If you’ve a lover of Cuban flavors like I am, I hope you’ll try Classic Cuban-Style Picadillo Over Rice – it’s an unusual blend of flavors that is hands-down delicious.

AN EASY GROUND BEEF TATER TOT CASSEROLE TO MAKE

Serve this Big Mac Casserole with your favorite burger toppings, just like they do at McD’s. Shredded lettuce, sweet chopped onions, and chopped dill pickles…topped off with a good slather of “special sauce” – heck yea!

WHAT TO LOVE ABOUT THIS EASY DINNER RECIPE

  1. Put the Big Mac Twist on a classic comfort food!
  2. Such an easy weeknight dinner your family will love.
  3. Assemble this 9×13 casserole ahead and bake it fresh when you need it.
Big Mac Baked Casserole on a white plate.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

  • Ground beef
  • Ketchup
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Granulated onion
  • Granulated garlic
  • Mini tater tots (may substitute regular tater tots or tater puffs
  • Dill pickle juice (aka dill pickle brine)
  • Cornstarch
  • Sliced American cheese
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce
  • Chopped dill pickles (I used sliced hamburger dill pickles to make it easy)
  • Green onions, optional
  • Special sauce (aka burger sauce)
  • Sesame seeds
All the fixins for Big Mac Casserole.

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS CASSEROLE THE BEST IT CAN BE

  • Always bake tater tot casserole uncovered so the tater tots can get deep golden brown.
  • Just before popping the casserole into the oven, spray the tater tots with a light coating of nonstick baking spray so they can get extra crispy.
  • Assemble this casserole when it’s convenient, then refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING BIG MAC CASSEROLE

**PRINT THE FULL RECIPE FROM THE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST

Place all the sauce ingredients into a bowl, stirring to combine; reserve in refrigeration until time to serve the Big Mac Casserole.

Place a large skillet over medium high heat; when the pan is nicely hot, add the ground beef, crumbling the beef as it cooks.

Ground beef cooking in a cast iron skillet.

When the beef is fully cooked and well crumbled, tip the pan to one side, moving the ground beef towards the top of the skillet. This allows the fats from the meat to drain down towards the bottom side of the skillet. Crumple paper towels and place them into the hot fat; when the fats are absorbed, carefully remove the paper towels to the trash. **Reserve 1-2 Tbs. of the fats in the skillet to proceed with the recipe for added flavor!

Cooked ground beef in a skillet with fats to the side.
Cooked ground beef in a skillet with paper towels absorbing the fats.

Add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Over medium heat, combine the added ingredients with the crumbled ground beef, stirring until nicely combined and hot throughout. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cooked ground beef with sauce ingredients on the side.
Big Mac Casserole beef simmering in a skillet.

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake the pickle juice and cornstarch together to make a slurry. Pour the prepared slurry into the warm ground beef mixture, stirring well, until the sauce thickens and the mixture is glossy.

Pickle juice slurry being added to Big Mac ground beef mixture.

Spread the prepared Big Mac mixture in a 9”x13” greased casserole dish; layer the cheese slices in overlapping rows over the top.

Big Mac ground beef mixture spread into a casserole dish.
Sliced cheese layered over the top of Big Mac ground beef mixture.

Lastly, cover the slices of cheese with a single layer of tater tots.

Big Mac Casserole with the final layer of tater tots on top.

Bake the Big Mac casserole, uncovered, on the center oven rack for about 40 minutes, or until the meat mixture bubbles up around the edges and the tots are golden brown and crispy on top. **A fully baked and ready to eat casserole should be 165 degrees F. at the center.

Hot and ready to serve, Big Mac Casserole.

To serve, spoon helpings of the Big Mac Casserole into bowls, then top with lettuce, pickles, and onions; drizzle with the prepared Big Mac Burger Sauce, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy at once!

A delicious serving of Big Mac Casserole on a plate.

ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS ASKED ABOUT THIS RECIPE

WHICH TOOLS ARE HELPFUL FOR MAKING BIG MAC CASSEROLE?

Kitchen shears are slick for cutting up the green onions. I like kitchen shears that come completely apart so they are easier to wash and keep sanitary.

Use a good, heavy-duty skillet for browning the ground meat. I love my Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet and use it constantly.

For cutting the lettuce and pickles, I always want my 8-inch chef’s knife in my hand and a large wooden cutting board.

You can use a metal 9×13 baking pan, but I truly prefer a glass 9×13 baking dish. Ceramic 9×13 baking dishes are a good bet, also.

Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test the casserole for doneness towards the end of the baking time. It should be 160-165 degrees F. at the center to be hot throughout and safe to eat.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A CASSEROLE IS HOT AT THE CENTER?

Super great question! Use an instant-read thermometer to test the internal temperature at the very center of the casserole towards the end of the cooking time. When the temperature is 160-165 degrees at the center, it’s hot and safe to enjoy.

WHICH OTHER TYPES OF GROUND MEATS CAN BE USED TO MAKE THIS CASSEROLE?

Because we raise cattle for a living, I typically use ground beef. However, because my sons are hunters, I have often used ground venison in this casserole and it’s delicious. Ground bison, turkey or chicken work well, too.

Hot and ready to eat, Big Mac Casserole on a white plate.

MORE FAVORITE RECIPES TO ENJOY –

  • BUBBLE UP TACO CASSEROLE
  • TACO RICE CASSEROLE
  • BEEFY SHEET PAN QUESADILLAS
  • ROTISSERIE CHICKEN AND POTATO CASSEROLE
  • TACO MEAT LOADED BELL PEPPERS

PRINTABLE BIG MAC CASSEROLE RECIPE

Big Mac Casserole topped with lettuce, pickles, onions and sauce.

Big Mac Casserole

Here's your new favorite ground beef hot dish! Big Mac Casserole is made with browned ground beef in a sweet sauce that's topped with American cheese and mini tater tots. It's baked until hot and bubbly throughout and served with the delicious Big Mac "special sauce" we all know and love!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 453kcal

Ingredients

Big Mac Burger Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 Tbs. ketchup
  • 1/8 cup prepared mustard
  • 1 Tbs. dill pickle juice from a jar of dill pickles
  • 1 tsp. mild chili powder

Big Mac Casserole

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 1/4 cups ketchup
  • 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. granulated garlic may substitute garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. granulated onion may substitute onion powder
  • 1/4 cup dill pickle juice from a jar of dill pickles, aka dill pickle brine
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 30 oz. bag frozen mini or regular tater tots
  • 8-10 slices American cheese
  • 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup chopped dill pickles
  • 1 cup chopped green onions
  • Big Mac Burger Sauce to taste
  • Sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Place all the sauce ingredients into a bowl, stirring to combine; reserve in refrigeration until time to serve the Big Mac Casserole.
  • Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat, cooking until no pink remains; drain any excessive fats that accumulate.
  • Keeping 1-2 tablespoons of the fats in the skillet with the ground beef (for flavor!), add the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Over medium heat, the combine ingredients with the ground beef, stirring until nicely combined and hot throughout. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • In a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake the pickle juice and cornstarch together to make a slurry. Pour the prepared slurry into the warm ground beef mixture, stirring well, until the sauce thickens and the mixture is glossy.
  • Spread the prepared Big Mac mixture in a 9”x13” greased casserole dish; layer the cheese slices in overlapping rows over the top; arrange the tater tots in a single layer over the cheese.
  • Bake the Big Mac casserole, uncovered, on the center oven rack for about 40 minutes, or until the meat mixture bubbles up around the edges and the tots are golden brown and crispy on top. **Casserole should be 165 degrees F. at the center.
  • To serve, spoon helpings of the Big Mac Casserole into bowls, then top with lettuce, pickles, and onions; drizzle with the prepared Big Mac Burger Sauce, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Enjoy at once!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Big Mac Casserole Bake, Easy casserole, easy weeknight meal, ground beef meal

Nutrition

Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 1226mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?
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LET’S GET YOU COOKIN’,
CHEF ALLI

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Related

Filed Under: Food and Recipes, Main Dishes Tagged With: casserole, comfort food, easy

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jen

    May 1, 2023 at 8:37 am

    5 stars
    Our family loves this casserole. Easy to make and so much flavor!

    Reply
    • Chef Alli

      May 4, 2023 at 9:10 am

      Hi Jen-
      Thanks for letting me know that you’ve enjoyed this recipe. I sure appreciate it!
      Sincerely,
      Chef Alli

  2. Olivia

    May 4, 2023 at 8:46 am

    5 stars
    So easy and SO GOOD! My fam loved it!

    Reply
    • Chef Alli

      May 4, 2023 at 9:11 am

      Hi Olivia –
      Yay! This makes my heart happy. Thank you for letting me know your family enjoyed this casserole – we love it too!
      Sincerely,
      Chef Alli

  3. Brooke

    May 5, 2023 at 8:22 am

    It’s so delicious!

    Reply
    • Chef Alli

      May 5, 2023 at 6:05 pm

      Hi Brooke – Glad you found the Big Mac casserole to be a good one! Thank you for letting me know.
      Sincerely,
      Chef Alli

  4. Jess

    May 5, 2023 at 8:44 am

    5 stars
    This was so easy to prepare and tasted delicious! Can’t wait to make it again! Such a hit, and who doesn’t love a good casserole!

    Reply
    • Chef Alli

      May 5, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      Hi Jess –
      My family enjoys a really good casserole, too, especially when it’s so easy to make. Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this recipe.
      Let’s Keep Cookin’,
      Chef Alli

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