With a homemade Big Mac sauce that tastes exactly like the real deal and a swap of the burger bun for crisp tater tots, this Big Mac casserole will be a major hit with the family!
Heat oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Add chopped onions and fry until soft and translucent (about three minutes). Make sure the onions do not brown.
Add the ground beef, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
Add the granulated onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook until the meat is no longer pink.
Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine.
Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the beef to cool while you prepare the Big Mac sauce.
In a small mixing bowl combine, the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, vinegar, paprika, granulated onion, and garlic powder.
Add ½ cup of the Big Mac sauce to the cooled beef mixture and fold in 1/3 cup shredded cheese.
Transfer the beef to a 13x9 casserole dish and spread evenly.
Sprinkle with the remaining 1 2/3 cup shredded cheese.
Place frozen tater tots in neat rows over the top of the cheese layer.
Place the uncovered casserole dish on the center rack in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes (or until the tops of the tater tots are golden brown).
Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before garnishing with dill pickle slices, shredded lettuce, and sesame seeds. For a pop of color and freshness, add chopped tomatoes.
Notes
You get more flavor by using fattier ground beef such as 85% lean. Since beef is the main ingredient, you really want that flavor to come through. If you choose to use leaner ground beef, you will need to lightly grease your casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil before adding the beef layer.
It is best to use an orange-colored cheese. Instead of shredded cheese, you can substitute with American cheese slices to get that true Big Mac experience. Simply chop 4 slices of the cheese to add to the beef mixture in the skillet and then layer 8 slices over the beef mixture once it’s in the casserole dish.
Use dill pickles that are not sweetened. I like to buy whole dill pickles and slice them myself on a mandolin, it is more cost effective to do so and you also get a nice thin slice that is more like those found in a Big Mac.
Make sure to use a good quality mayonnaise when making your Big Mac sauce such as Hellman’s or Best Foods. Any other mayonnaise will affect the taste of your Big Mac sauce.