Description
A comfort food casserole combining all the flavors of a Big Mac—juicy ground beef, pickles, and special sauce—with crispy tater tots and melted cheese in one hearty baked dish.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 1¼ cups Thousand Island dressing (divide: 1 cup for filling + ¼ cup for topping)
- ¾ cup chopped dill pickles
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups freshly shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 32‑ounce package frozen tater tots
- 1½ cups thinly shredded lettuce
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Lightly grease a 9×13‑inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet over medium‑high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion until the beef is no longer pink (about 6‑8 minutes). Drain excess grease.
- Add in 1 cup Thousand Island dressing, chopped pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Spread the meat mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the meat layer.
- Arrange the frozen tater tots in a single layer on top of the cheese. Bake uncovered for 25‑30 minutes or until the tater tots are golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.
- Let the casserole rest for a few minutes. Then top with shredded lettuce, drizzle the remaining ¼ cup Thousand Island dressing, and sprinkle sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Notes
- Make ahead: assemble up to 24 hours in advance; refrigerate and bake when ready (add 5‑10 min if baking from cold).
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Freeze: assemble unbaked, cover tightly, freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight before baking and add 10‑15 min to bake time.
- To avoid soggy tots, bake tater tots in a single layer and optionally prebake them for 10 minutes.
- Let rest 5 minutes after baking so layers hold together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole
- Calories: 689 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1630 mg
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 32 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 111 mg
