Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole has all the comforting cheesy, savory flavors of a Big Mac burger -- plus crispy tater tots!-- in a bubbly hot casserole. The only thing missing is the bun! Or is it ...
For more family-friendly casserole recipes, try Bubble Up Pizza Casserole with Biscuits and Walking Taco Casserole with Fritos next!
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Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole has everything you love about that iconic fast-food burger -- beef, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, sesame seeds -- all baked into a comforting, fresh-from-the-oven dinner the whole family will enjoy.
The golden brown tater tots make a fun, crispy stand-in for the bun, or, if you're feeling extra indulgent, serve it in a sesame seed bun for the ultimate Big Mac experience!
❤️You're Going to Love This
- Comforting, family-friendly, easy dinner recipe for busy weeknights
- Fast and easy to prepare with simple ingredients
- Hearty casserole with generous portions -- excellent potential for leftovers!
🍔Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Lean ground beef. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Finely diced onion. Finely chop the onion to mimic the minced onion on a Big Mac.
- Special sauce. For fast and easy special sauce, use Thousand Island dressing. Or try my simple homemade Big Mac sauce recipe!
- Pickle slices. Dill pickles are the classic choice but use whatever kind of pickles you love.
- American cheese. American cheese slices give Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole that fast food burger flavor.
- Toppings: Top Big Mac casserole with shredded iceberg lettuce, pickles, raw minced onion, Thousand Island dressing, sesame seeds, or any of your favorite burger toppings. We like to add sliced cherry tomatoes, too!
🥒Variations or Substitutions
- Add your favorite burger seasonings with, or instead of, the garlic powder and onion powder. Paprika, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, Montreal seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce are all good choices!
- Swap out the cheese slices for shredded cheese, use shredded cheddar cheese, a combination of different cheeses, or any type of cheese you love.
- Instead of pickle slices, stir dill pickle relish or sweet pickle relish into the beef mixture.
- Adjust the special sauce to your taste by adding more pickle relish or a dash of hot sauce for a spicy kick.
🥣How to Make Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
Step 1: Brown ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in large skillet on medium-high heat. Drain excess grease, remove from heat. Stir in Thousand Island dressing, minced onion, and 6 slices American cheese until cheese melts.
Step 2: Spread beef mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Step 3: Place the pickle slices on top of the beef layer. Lay 8 cheese slices on top of the pickles. Place tater tots in a single layer on top of the cheese.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 60 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown and crispy.
Step 5: Arrange toppings like shredded lettuce, pickles, minced onions, diced tomatoes, and sesame seeds on top of the casserole right before serving.
Step 6: If it seems like it's missing something ... serve it on a bun spread with creamy Big Mac sauce! It's my husband's favorite way to eat Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole :).
👉Helpful Hint: To avoid leftovers with soggy toppings, add toppings only to the portion of the casserole you'll be eating fresh from the oven, or serve the toppings on the side.
✅Top Tips
- Drain the browned ground beef of excess fat to avoid a greasy casserole.
- Add the fresh toppings right before serving to keep them crisp.
- For the full Big Mac experience, serve portions of the casserole inside a sesame seed bun spread with special sauce.
🎁Storage
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze entire casserole or individual portions in freezer-safe containers for 3-6 months.
🔥Reheating
- Reheat a partial casserole in a baking dish covered in foil in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil and bake 5-10 more minutes to crisp up the tater tots.
- Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30-second bursts until warmed through.
🗓️Make Ahead
Assemble the Big Mac Casserole recipe through the step of adding the cheese slices. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to one day. When you're ready to bake, add the tater tots and bake as directed, adding more cooking time as needed.
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📖 Recipe
Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef, lean
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup minced white onion
- 1 cup Thousand Island dressing or Big Mac Sauce
- 30-35 dill pickle slices
- 14 slices American cheese, divided
- 28 ounces frozen tater tots
- Toppings: shredded lettuce, pickle slices, chopped tomatoes, minced onions, and sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Heat large skillet to medium-high. Add ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Brown the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles with a spatula, until cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Drain excess grease and remove from heat.
- Add the minced onions, Big Mac Sauce or Thousand Island dressing, and 6 cheese slices. Stir until combined and the cheese is mostly melted. (It's okay if it doesn't all melt -- it's going in the oven). Pour the beef mixture into a 9 x 13 pan.
- Arrange the sliced pickles in an even layer over the beef. Place 8 cheese slices in a single layer on top of the pickles. Arrange the tater tots in an even layer over the cheese.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown.
- Before serving, top with shredded lettuce, pickles, onions, tomatoes, Big Mac Sauce or Thousand Island dressing, and sesame seeds, or offer toppings on the side for build-your-own. For the full Big Mac experience, serve on sesame seed buns!
Notes
- To avoid leftovers with soggy toppings, add toppings only to the portion of the casserole you'll be eating fresh from the oven, or serve the toppings on the side.
- Drain the browned ground beef of excess fat to avoid a greasy casserole.
- Add the fresh toppings right before serving to keep them crisp.
- For the full Big Mac experience, serve portions of the casserole inside a sesame seed bun spread with special sauce.
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