This Bic Mac Casserole is an easy way to get the classic flavors of your favorite burger in a delicious meal. It's on the table with minimal effort too! The hearty casserole is made with ground beef, tater tots, cheese and burger sauce. It's a family favorite that will have everyone asking for seconds!
Next time be sure to try the Stuffed Pepper Casserole recipe, it's so good!
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Why you'll love this recipe
✔️ Extremely simple and easy to make.
✔️ Quick enough for a weeknight meal.
✔️ Finished with your favorite burger toppings and creamy big mac sauce, it's the perfect comfort food dish !
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- olive oil
- yellow onion
- ground chuck
- onion powder, garlic powder
- salt and black pepper
- burger sauce - no burger sauce? Substitute Thousand Island Dressing.
- Dill relish or diced dill pickles
- cheddar cheese - you can also use colby jack cheese.
- tater tots
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Preheat the oven, prepare baking dish, set aside.
- In a large skillet, add the oil and add the diced onion. Cook until the onions are soft.
- Next, add the ground beef. Cook until the meat is browned, add the seasonings.
- Drain the majority of the fat from the pan.
- Add the burger sauce and the dill relish (or diced pickles). Mix to combine.
- Then sprinkle in ¼ cup of shredded cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted.
- Spoon the ground beef mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Finish by adding the frozen tater tots in a single layer on top.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown.
- Cool for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Equipment
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- I love my Caraway products and use this large skillet all the time.
- you'll need a large casserole dish
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FAQ's
You can purchase burger sauce at your local grocery store in the condiment aisle, or you can make your own homemade burger sauce.
No, thousand island is not the exact same as the special sauce but it does taste similar.
Yes, instead of ground beef you could also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
Deb's best tips
- I like to use freshly shredded cheese instead of the pre-shredded stuff because I find that a block of cheese that's been shredded melts better.
- You can use any type of cheese that melts well, however I recommend that you use a cheese that has some flavor instead of a cheese like mozzarella.
- If you want extra crispy tater tots on the top, you can bake them slightly first. However, if you leave the casserole in the oven for the full cooking time you should have tater tots with a crispy tots.
- Garnish the casserole with shredded iceberg lettuce, sesame seeds, and chopped dill pickles if desired. However, I recommend that you add them to individual servings and not to the top of the casserole.
- To make a keto big mac casserole leave the tater tots off the top, you could add cauliflower rice instead or just leave them out all together.
- If you are using lean ground beef, you may not have any excess grease to drain. If you are beef is sticking, add a small amount of oil to skillet to prevent it from sticking.
- If you are using relish instead of pickles, make sure that you use dill pickle relish instead of sweet pickle relish.
Variations
- If you don't care for tater tots, you can use any type of potato that roasts well in an oven. You could also try using hash browns or frozen French fries.
- You could also add some diced bell peppers, mushrooms or carrots to the casserole before baking.
- For a spicier version, add ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the ground beef mixture.
- You can also switch up the cheese or use a combination of cheeses. Some good combinations include cheddar and monterey jack, or colby jack and american cheese.
- For an added layer of flavor, you can add some diced jalapeños to the casserole before baking.
- I like to use yellow onions in casseroles like these, but you could also use a sweet onion instead.
- If you want to add some more flavor to your ground beef mixture you can add some Italian seasoning. You could also sprinkle the top of the casserole with parmesan cheese.
Storage
Refrigerate - Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer - You can freeze this casserole for up to 3 months in an airtight container. To defrost, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating - You can either reheat individual portions in the microwave, or you can reheat the entire casserole in a 350°F/177°C oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Related recipes
- The next time you crave a burger but need an easy dinner recipe, pop these Frozen Hamburgers in the Oven and get ready to enjoy a meal the whole family will love!
- Do you love melty cheese? Then you will want to try this Cowboy Tater Tot Casserole recipe.
- The Chicken Tater Tot Casserole is a recipe you'll want to put into your weekly rotation.
- Are you in the market for a new easy, comforting, delicious recipe? This French Onion Salisbury Steak is a classic meal staple on our table!
Serve with
- I love to serve this big mac tater tot casserole with a fresh green salad like this Outback Wedge Salad.
- If you love pairing a hearty casserole like this big mac casserole recipe with a healthy yet tasty side dish, try these Steamed Brussel Sprouts.
- My family loves when I end a filling and hearty meal like one with a light sweet treat like this Butterscotch Pudding Dessert.
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If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!
Big Mac Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 pounds ground chuck
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup burger sauce
- ¼ cup Dill relish If you want more tang, use ¼ cup of diced pickles.
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 32 ounce bag of tater tots
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spritz baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat pour the oil and add the onion. Cook until the onions are translucent.
- Add the ground beef. Break the meat into smaller pieces Add the seasonings and cook until the ground beef is browned and there is no more pink.
- Drain the majority of fat from the pan.
- Add the burger sauce and the dill relish (or diced pickles). Mix to combine.
- Next sprinkle in ¼ cup of shredded cheese. Mix until the cheese is melted.
- Pour the ground beef mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Finish by adding the frozen tater tots in a single layer on top.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown.
- Cool for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Lacey
The recipe is great! However in the instructions there is nothing saying when to add in the seasoning! Just finished cooking everything and saw the seasonings were still sitting outside of my food! I forgot to add it and the instructions never say anything either!!
Bowl Me Over
Well now I just feel silly Lacey, thanks for the heads up! I'm glad you enjoyed the Big Mac Casserole, that is one yummy meal!
Lynn
What burger sauce do you use?
Bowl Me Over
I use smash-burger sauce Lynn - it's the best! You can find it here - https://bowl-me-over.com/burger-sauce/ if you dont' have time to make it, you can substitute with Thousand Island salad dressing.