My Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole is filled with crispy tater tots, juicy ground beef, melty cheese, sweet pickle relish, and a copycat big mac sauce that seals the deal and makes it one of the huge hits at my Super Bowl party every year.
This easy recipe is not only great for a party but makes a family-friendly meal, with a classic flavor that the whole family will love.
Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
As far as delicious recipes go, it’s hard to find an easy dinner recipe that is as good as this cheeseburger casserole!
With such a simple recipe, I was surprised the first time I made it at how big of a hit it was, and it quickly became a classic comfort food for us.
When you’re craving fast food, this big mac casserole recipe is the perfect low carb, easy meal to make in a pinch.
Love budget friendly ground beef recipes? Check out this Simple Ground Beef Casserole, this Philly Steak Tater Tot Casserole, or this Big Boy Bake!
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Ingredients Needed
- Ground beef – Can substitute lean ground beef for ground turkey to make this recipe healthier.
- Yellow onion – Replace with white onions if you don’t have yellow.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – If you don’t like cheddar, try swapping out different kinds of cheese like American cheese or Swiss cheese.
- Dill pickle – Can’t find dill pickles? Try using another variety like Gherkin mini pickles.
- Thousand island dressing – If you can’t find this dressing, I highly recommend looking up recipes to make it at home.
- Mayo – Swap out the half cup mayo with sour cream if necessary.
- Frozen tater tots – Tater tots are the potato of choice for this recipe, so make sure you have these on hand! If not, you can replace with french fries.
- Shredded lettuce – Iceberg lettuce is best, but you can use romaine if needed.
- Tomatoes – If you’re not a tomato fan, try replacing them with bell peppers.
- Spices – Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
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How to Make Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
- Preheat oven to 400F. Spray large casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet or large saute pan, add ground beef and spice on medium heat to medium-high heat.
- Cook until there is no pink in the beef, and drain excess grease. Add in onion, pickle, dressing, mayo, and half of shredded cheese.
- Spread ground beef mixture in baking dish. On top of the beef, add a single layer of extra cheese and extra tots.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until base of ground beef is bubbly and tater tots on top of the casserole are golden brown. Make sure internal temp is 165F.
- Remove from oven. On top of the cheese, spread lettuce, tomatoes, mini pickle slices, and remaining dressing. Serve cheeseburger tots warm.
For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Serving Suggestions
For this Big Mac casserole, I highly recommend pairing it with some cooked vegetables, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, or green beans.
More Big Mac Recipes
How long does it last?
Because of the special sauce and triple cheddar cheese blend in this casserole, it will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days, as long as it’s stored in an airtight container.
How do I reheat it?
Tater tot casserole is super easy to reheat, whether in the oven, the microwave, or air fryer. All you need to do is pop it in the oven and follow the baking instructions.
For the microwave, heat in 2-3 minute intervals until warm all the way through. If you notice that it’s a little dry, add in some chicken broth or cream of mushroom soup to help rehydrate.
Tips for the Best Casserole
- If you like a crunchier casserole, I recommend cooking your tater tots for a little bit longer than package instructions and adding a little extra oil, until you get that nice, crispy browning. Pat excess oil with paper towels before topping your casserole.
- During your prep time, make sure to set aside 15 minutes to dice your vegetables to bite-sized pieces.
- Want to slow cook this casserole instead? You can break out the crock pot for this one, as long as you cook until ingredients are heated thoroughly and reach the temperature listed in the recipe.
- I recommend making your own Thousand Island dressing for this, because you can adjust the ratios to your liking (looking at you, my Worcestershire sauce lovers!)
- Use the leftovers of this casserole to create “beef patties”, enjoy a scoop of casserole onto a sesame seed bun and enjoy!
If you love this recipe as much as I do, pin this to your favorite casserole Pinterest board and share it on your favorite social media channels!
This tater tot casserole recipe featuring my homemade burger sauce has quickly became one of my favorite recipes to make when we’re craving some southern style home cooking! It would be hard to find a better hamburger casserole with such an easy recipe, and that will be as big of a hit at a party or for a quiet night in with the family.
Big Mac Tater Tot Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups cheddar cheese 8 ounces, shredded yourself or cubed small – divided
- 1 cup diced dill pickles
- 1 ¼ cup 1000 island dressing divided
- ½ cup mayo
- 24 ounces frozen tater tots you might only be able to find 24 or 32 ounces *just use what fits dish*
Garnishes
- 1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles
- 1/4 cup 1000 island dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the ground beef and spices. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain excess fat if desired.
- Add the diced onion, diced pickle, 1 cup 1000 island dressing, mayo, and half the cheese.
- Spread into the prepared dish. Top with remaining cheese. Cover with tater tots.
- Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes or until the beef mixture is bubbling and the tater tots are crispy and golden brown. Check to see if the internal temp is 165F.
- Remove from the oven.
- Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and remaining dressing.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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