If you’re a fan of the iconic Big Mac from your favorite fast-food joint but want to enjoy those irresistible flavors in the comfort of your own kitchen, then this Big Mac Casserole recipe is a game-changer. This healthy twist on a classic burger takes all the elements you love and transforms them into a hearty, family-friendly casserole that’s sure to satisfy your cravings.
Making healthier fast food meals at home offers a surprising degree of ease and accessibility. In today’s fast-paced world, you may find yourself seeking the convenience of fast food. The good news is that you can now create all your fast food favorites at home without sacrificing time or flavor.
By incorporating fresh ingredients, lean proteins and easy cooking methods, you can recreate all the flavors while also customizing the meal to cater to dietary preferences and needs.
You will find a wealth of quick, flavorful and nutritious recipes that will satisfy your fast food cravings on our site. From this big mac casserole recipe to Crunch Wrap Supreme Recipe and Loaded Nacho Fries. These are all recipes that the whole family can get behind. The kids will request again and again while parents embrace that these recipes save time and money.
Get started on this fast food copycat recipe by gathering the equipment and ingredients. Don’t forget to check out all our expert tips, helpful tricks and frequently asked questions!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup thousand island dressing
- 3 tablespoon french dressing
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups frozen cubed potatoes
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 small onion minced
- 1/4 cup pickles, chopped
- 1 Roma tomato, diced
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
- sesame seeds, optional
PRO TIP: A single batch of big mac casserole makes up to 8 servings – adjust the ingredients if needing to feed a larger family or group.
Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. This oven temperature helps to defrost and cook the hashbrowns while allowing all the flavors to combine. Cooking at a higher temperature could result in the top layer of cheese burning so it is best to cook casseroles at a lower temperature.
Brown the ground beef and blend the sauce. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. To brown the ground beef, carefully add to a hot sauté pan. Break into large chunks then let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Continue to break and cook until the meat is no longer pink.
In a small mixing bowl combine the Thousand Island dressing and the French dressing. Mixing these two ingredients creates the popular and irresistible big mac sauce.
Combine the ingredients. To the cooked beef add the onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Add the cubed potatoes, 1/2 of the shredded cheese, and 3/4 of the blended dressing mixture. Stir until well combined.
Top with the rest of the shredded cheese. Place into the baking dish and cover with foil. Covering the casserole helps to thoroughly cook all the ingredients without burning the top layer of cheese. It is helpful to spray the aluminum foil with non-stick cooking spray before covering the dish to prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil.
Bake. Bake the covered casserole for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. All casseroles, regardless of ingredients, should be cooked until the internal temperature has reached 165°F on a kitchen thermometer.
Garnish. Garnish with the onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot.
Expert Tips & Helpful Tricks
- Choose the right size dish: There is an array of casserole dishes, but it is important to find a dish that is appropriately sized. We use a 9×13 baking dish for this recipe with success. If you only have smaller dishes, then make half a batch or split the recipe between two dishes.
- Make ingredient swaps: The ground beef can be swapped with ground turkey or chicken while the diced potatoes can be swapped with shredded hashbrowns or tater tots.
- Keep it cheesy: When adding cheese to a casserole, mix it into the meat mixture and layer on top to ensure you get the cheesy flavor with each bite.
- Precook the beef: Precooking ingredients like ground beef helps to speed up the cooking process but also ensure these ingredients are fully cooked when the casserole is done baking. Specifically for ground beef, cooking ahead of time also helps the meat to have an appetizing texture.
- Let it rest: Always allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld together and makes it easier to scoop and serve.
- Customize the toppings: For the classic flavor, sprinkle the top with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and sesame seeds. To create your own version, add any other burger topping such as avocado, hot sauce, crumbled bacon or caramelized mushrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gather all the ingredients and equipment needed for this easy casserole. Then, follow the recipe instructions to assemble the casserole in a baking dish. Instead of baking, cover the casserole with aluminum foil and store in the fridge overnight. Set the chilled burger toppings (onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and sesame seeds) to the side. When ready to serve, preheat the oven and remove the casserole from the refrigerator. If able, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes or increase the total cooking time by 5-7 minutes. Bake as directed. To check the doneness, use a kitchen thermometer to ensure the casserole has reached 165°F and is safe to eat.
Cooked hamburger when stored properly in the fridge will last for about 3-4 days. This is another easy way to meal prep. Cook a large batch of ground beef at the start of the week then use in several recipes, like this one. Other delicious ground beef recipes include Creamy Pasta Recipe With Ground Beef, Taco Dip with Ground Beef, and Ground Beef and Bean Burrito.
The main reason that this big mac casserole recipe would be mushy is due to using a higher fat ground beef. We recommend lean ground beef to prevent excess grease. If using a higher fat ground meat, be sure to drain prior to mixing with the other ingredients.
No, simply pour the potatoes from the bag into the sauté pan straight from the freezer. The potatoes will defrost and cook to perfection in the oven when combined with the other ingredients.
Every casserole differs in total cooking time depending on the ingredients. For our big mac casserole recipe, we had success cooking for 30 minutes then finishing it off with an additional 5 minutes uncovered to melt the top layer of cheese. Always read the recipe card before getting started to know how long to plan for cooking.
What to Serve with our Big Mac Casserole Recipe?
When serving this casserole, you can complement it with a variety of sides to create a satisfying meal. You can also serve this hearty dish, as is, without any sides if preferred.
Here are some popular sides to consider:
- Crispy French fries or Gluten Free Sweet Potato Fries
- Onion rings
- Side salad or Fruit Salad With Watermelon
- Corn on the Cob
- Roasted Frozen Vegetables or steamed veggies
Feel free to mix and match any of these sides to create a meal that suits all preferences and dietary needs.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Allow this Big Mac recipe to cool to room temperature before storing. If you still have a large batch left, consider diving it into smaller portions. This prevents the entire casserole from being reheated multiple times.
- It is also best to remove any burger toppings like the lettuce and tomato that were added before freezing. These ingredients, when frozen, can have an unappetizing flavor and texture upon reheating.
- Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container(s). You can also cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil if you plan to consume it within 1-2 days.
- Store Big Mac potato casserole in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- If you want to freeze this casserole, wrap the casserole or divided portions in plastic wrap then place in a resealable freezer bag or container. Store frozen casseroles for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, place in a preheated 350°F oven until it’s heated through, and the internal temperature is 165°F. It is best to cover with foil when reheating in the oven.
- You can also microwave in 30-second increments until hot.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- When making a copycat fast food recipe at home, always gather the ingredients and equipment then start to measure.
- You will be adding a lot of ingredients to the sauté pan after the meat is browned such as potatoes, cheese and dressing. Pick a pan that is large enough to fit all these ingredients. If you are unsure, ask a kitchen helper to help you find the best pan.
- Be creative with the casserole toppings by thinking about the toppings you like to add to your burgers. Can you think of another ingredient to add other than onion, lettuce, tomato and pickles? Share your idea with your kitchen helper!
More Casserole Dinner Ideas
- Kid-Friendly Tater Tot Casserole
- Homestyle Ground Beef Casserole
- Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole
- Healthy Taco Casserole
- Gluten Free Tuna Casserole
- Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Big Mac Casserole Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup thousand island dressing
- 3 tablespoon french dressing
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups frozen cubed potatoes
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 1/2 small onion minced
- 1/4 cup pickles chopped
- 1 roma tomato diced
- 1/2 cup shredded lettuce
- sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Brown the ground beef and blend the sauce. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. In a small mixing bowl combine the Thousand Island dressing and the French dressing.1 pound lean ground beef, 3/4 cup thousand island dressing, 3 tablespoon french dressing
- Combine the ingredients. To the cooked beef add the onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir well. Add the cubed potatoes, 1/2 of the shredded cheese, and 3/4 of the blended dressing mixture. Stir until well combined. Top with the rest of the shredded cheese. Place into the baking dish and cover with foil.1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 3 cups frozen cubed potatoes, 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Bake. Bake the covered casserole for 30 minutes. Remove the foil then bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish. Garnish with the onions, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot.1/2 small onion, 1/4 cup pickles, 1 roma tomato, 1/2 cup shredded lettuce, sesame seeds
Notes
- Choose the right size dish: There is an array of casserole dishes, but it is important to find a dish that is appropriately sized. We use a 9×13 baking dish for this recipe with success. If you only have smaller dishes, then make half a batch or split the recipe between two dishes.
- Make ingredient swaps: The ground beef can be swapped with ground turkey or chicken while the diced potatoes can be swapped with shredded hashbrowns or tater tots.
- Keep it cheesy: When adding cheese to a casserole, mix it into the meat mixture and layer on top to ensure you get the cheesy flavor with each bite.
- Precook the beef: Precooking ingredients like ground beef helps to speed up the cooking process but also ensure these ingredients are fully cooked when the casserole is done baking. Specifically for ground beef, cooking ahead of time also helps the meat to have an appetizing texture.
- Let it rest: Always allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld together and makes it easier to scoop and serve.
- Customize the toppings: For the classic flavor, sprinkle the top with onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and sesame seeds. To create your own version, add any other burger topping such as avocado, hot sauce, crumbled bacon or caramelized mushrooms.
Nutrition
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