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Move over, McDonald’s, this Big Mac Casserole has all the flavors of a classic Big Mac baked into one yummy 30-minute dinner! Packed with lean ground beef, potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and a drizzle of copycat Big Mac Sauce. It’s an easy, kid-friendly recipe to make on repeat!

big mac bowl topped with special big mac sauce with a fork resting on the side.

Why You’ll Love This Big Mac Casserole Recipe

A bunless, gluten-free, McDonald's Big Mac in casserole form! This Big Mac in a bowl features ground beef and potatoes topped with all of your favorite burger toppings and that special Big Mac sauce! All of the classic flavors of your favorite burger and fries in one dish. 

This easy dinner recipe is prepped and cooked in just 30 minutes. It's just as tasty as its fast food counterpart, without all the preservatives and junk. If your family loves burger bowls as much as mine, add my bacon cheeseburger bowls to your rotation next.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

flat lay of ingredients for big mac casserole
  • Russet potatoes: Some versions of this casserole call for crispy tater tots, but I prefer diced potatoes as they are healthier and fresher and still have the "french fry" feel. You can try sweet potatoes or gold potatoes, but whichever you use, dice them small so they cook evenly!
  • Lean ground beef: Use ground beef for the classic burger feel, or substitute ground turkey for a leaner burger swap.
  • Seasonings: Just classic burger seasoning here: onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  • Shredded cheddar cheese: Use pre-shredded cheddar or grate from a block of cheese. You can swap for another type of cheese, but full-fat cheddar is my go-to.
  • Cherry tomatoes: Big Macs don't typically feature tomatoes, so omit if needed. I like the extra veggies.   
  • Classic Big Mac toppings: shredded lettuce, dill pickle chips, and white onion.
  • Big Mac sauce: This special sauce is made of Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, yellow mustard, pickle relish, ketchup, coconut aminos, salt, and paprika. 

How To Make Big Mac Casserole

the first four steps for making big mac casserole

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions & garlic and stir for 2-3 mins.

Step 2: Add onions & garlic and stir for 2-3 mins. Then, add diced potatoes and spices. Finally, add chicken broth. Cook for 10-15 mins, stirring often, until browned and softened.

Step 3: Add the onions and garlic to the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish. 

Step 4: Next, cook the ground beef & spices until cooked through. Drain the excess grease. Pour the ground beef mixture into the baking dish on top of the potatoes. 

steps five through eight for making big mac casserole

Step 5: Add the shredded cheese on top and bake for 15 minutes until the top of the casserole is golden brown.  While it's baking, make your Big Mac sauce

Step 6: Top the casserole with shredded lettuce.

Step 7: Next, add the tomatoes, pickles, and chopped onion.

Step 8: Lastly, add a drizzle of the Big Mac Sauce and enjoy!

a finished big mac casserole with potatoes, ground beef, cheese, big mac sauce, and toppings

Recipe Tips

  • To save time, you can cook the potatoes and ground beef at the same time using 2 different pans, OR follow the steps in my air fryer home fries recipe to make them in the air fryer.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven and serve warm. 
  • I don't recommend freezing these Big Mac bowls, as the fresh veggies will not hold up well in the freezer. You can freeze the sauce or the ground beef and potato mixture for later use. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and use when ready to make your casserole. 
big mac casserole portioned out into 2 bowls

Recipe FAQs

What is Big Mac sauce made of? 

In my high protein version, I use Greek yogurt, yellow mustard, pickle relish, ketchup, coconut aminos, salt, and paprika. If desired, you can use Worcestershire sauce instead of coconut aminos, but keep in mind that it's not gluten-free, so you'll need to find a gluten-free version. 

What are the ingredients in a Big Mac? 

A Big Mac features a bun topped with sesame seeds, shredded iceberg lettuce, dill pickles, Big Mac sauce, white onion, cheese, two burger patties, and an extra bun in the middle. It does not have tomatoes, but I added them to these Big Mac bowls because I like tomatoes with my burgers! 

a close-up of Big Mac bowls with special sauce in a bowl with lettuce and tomato

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5 from 9 votes

Big Mac Casserole Recipe

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 people
Move over, McDonald's, this Big Mac casserole has all the flavors of a classic Big Mac baked into one yummy 30-minute dinner! Packed with lean ground beef, potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and a drizzle of copycat Big Mac Sauce. It's an easy, kid-friendly recipe to make on repeat!
Save this recipe!
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Ingredients 

For the potatoes:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced small
  • ½ white onion, diced
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • ½ tsp paprika

For the Burger Meat:

  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper

Remaining Ingredients

  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1.5 cups shredded lettuce
  • ½ cup dill pickle chips
  • ½ cup diced white onion
  • 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
  • 1 batch Big Mac Sauce, click for recipe

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375. Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium high.
  • Add onions & garlic and stir for 2-3 mins. Add diced potatoes and spices. Add chicken broth. Cook for 10-15 mins, stirring often, until browned and softened. Add them to the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
  • Next, cook the ground beef & spices until cooked through. Add it on top of the potatoes.
  • Add the cheese on top and bake for 15 mins.
  • While it's baking, make your big mac sauce.
  • Top the casserole with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and chopped onion and a drizzle of big mac sauce!

Notes

  • Nutrition facts do not include Big Mac Sauce or optional cooked bacon. 
  • To save time, you can cook the potatoes and ground beef at the same time using 2 different pans, OR air fry the potatoes tossed with oil and spices for 15 mins at 400, tossing often, while you cook the beef.
  • Use this Big Mac Sauce to make my high-protein version. Ingredients include Greek yogurt or mayo, yellow mustard, pickle relish, ketchup, coconut aminos, salt, and paprika.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven and serve warm. 
I don't recommend freezing, as the fresh veggies will not hold up well in the freezer. You can freeze the Big Mac Sauce or the ground beef and potato mixture for later use. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and use when ready to make your casserole. 

Nutrition

Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 1314mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 464IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 5mg

All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.

Did you make this?Rate & comment below, and tag me on Instagram @maryswholelife

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18 Comments

  1. Cavan says:

    Amazing! We love, love, love this recipe! I made it exactly as written except used Yukon Golds rather than russets (personal preference). Thank you Mary! All of your recipes are wonderful!

  2. Rachel Delcoco says:

    Every recipe Mary puts out is amazing! This recipe earned the biggest seal of approval there is – all 4 of my children ate it for dinner! Loved how quick this was to make, macros friendly, and the portions were generous. We had leftovers which hardly happens anymore with 4 kids and 2 adults. Will definitely make this again!

  3. Cavan says:

    This recipe is amazing! It absolutely tastes like a Big Mac (except with quality ingredients). I made it exactly as directed (with Big Mac sauce and bacon) and it was a huge family favorite. We will be making this again, early and often!