Description
This delicious cheeseburger casserole has all the classic Big Mac-inspired flavors, including my easy homemade Greek yogurt Big Mac burger sauce, in a balanced and nourishing meal you’ll crave on repeat! Just 15 minutes of hands-on prep before the oven does the rest, it’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want something easy, flavorful, and family-approved!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs yellow potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 5 cups)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper (any color), diced
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
- 1 batch Greek Yogurt Big Mac Sauce (you’ll use ⅓ cup at this step + more for topping
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Toppings:
- Shredded lettuce (I used iceberg)
- Diced tomato
- Diced pickles
- Toasted sesame seeds
- More Big Mac sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a 9” x 13” baking dish with parchment paper.
- To the prepared baking dish, add potatoes, onion, peppers, 1 ½ tablespoons oil, garlic powder, paprika and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, and toss to coat evenly. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until starting to brown
- Heat remaining ½ tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef to the pan in a single layer, it should sizzle when it hits the pan. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook without stirring, until the bottom is browned, about 5-6 minutes. Flip, breaking the meat into smaller pieces, and cook another 3-4 minutes, without stirring, until mostly cooked through. Drain off any excess fat and remove from heat.
- Make the big mac sauce and prep your toppings if you haven’t already.
- After 40 minutes, remove the potato mixture from the oven. Add the browned beef and ⅓ cup of the Big Mac sauce to the baking dish and stir to combine. Top with shredded cheese and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender and cheese is melted.
- Top with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, sesame seeds and more big mac sauce then dish up and enjoy!
Notes
Speeding up the cook time:
Although this recipe is mostly hands off once you get it in the oven, it does have a longer cook time than my usual recipes. Here are a few tips to speed things up!
- Cook at a higher heat: If you have an enameled cast iron baking dish or other baking dish that can withstand a higher heat, spray or brush the baking dish with avocado oil (or another high heat cooking oil) and cook the casserole at 475F . Cook the potatoes for 30 minutes before adding then beef, sauce and cheese, then another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Pre-cook the potatoes: cover and cook the potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes (stirring halfway), or add to a large skillet, cover with water, and boil for 5-7 minute before adding to the casseroled dish. Both of these methods will reduce the cook time by about 10-15 minutes
- Cut the potatoes smaller: The smaller you cut the potatoes the quicker they’ll cook!
- Prep ahead: The potato mixture can be roasted, and the beef cooked ahead of time for easy assembly and quick cooking on the night of. If prepped ahead, it will likely need about 25-30 minutes at 425F to heat through.
Cooking the ground beef: If using a stainless steel or cast-iron pan, you can skip the oil. Heat the pan first so it’s hot before adding the beef. The initial sear will prevent sticking as the fat renders.
Do not over-stir the beef! We want the beef browned, not steamed. I know it’s tempting, but let it cook undisturbed to create that golden brown crust (it will be so much more flavorful!). If you don’t have a large frying pan, I recommend cooking the beef in a couple batches.