This Big Mac Salad captures the familiar flavors of a classic Big Mac while offering a lighter, low-carb, and gluten-free alternative. Bright, satisfying, and quick to prepare, it’s a great option when you want burger flavor without the bun.
Big Mac Salad Recipe
If you miss the flavor of a Big Mac but want a healthier meal, this Big Mac Salad delivers. It keeps the signature combination of savory beef, tangy pickles and dressing, and melty cheese, while using fresh greens and leaner ingredients. The result is a satisfying, family-friendly salad that’s simple to make and easy to customize.
Why You Should Make This Salad Recipe
- Nostalgic flavor: All the elements that make a Big Mac memorable—recreated in a fresher, lighter format.
- Better-for-you ingredients: Lean ground beef (or a substitute), fresh vegetables, and a balanced dressing make this a more wholesome choice.
- Customizable: Add more pickles, extra cheese, or a spicier dressing to suit your taste.
- Nutritious: Protein from the beef, vitamins from the greens and tomatoes, and controlled indulgence from the cheese and dressing.
- Quick and easy: Ready in about 25 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients For A Big Mac Salad
- Ground beef: Use your preferred grind; ground turkey or bison work too.
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder: Adds quick, reliable flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: A small amount goes a long way.
- Lettuce: Chopped—use a mix of iceberg and romaine for crunch and color.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halved.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar is classic here.
- Pickles: Sliced dill pickles add authentic tang.
- Red onion: Thinly sliced for bite and color.
- Sesame seeds: Optional garnish for a nod to the sesame bun.
Ingredients For the Dressing
- Mayonnaise: Your favorite variety—avoid overly sweet sandwich spreads if you want a closer match to Big Mac sauce.
- Ketchup: Use regular ketchup; add a touch more sweetener if yours is unsweetened.
- Relish: Sweet pickle relish or finely diced sweet pickles.
- Vinegar: Plain white vinegar is fine; apple cider or rice vinegar also work.
- Honey: Or brown sugar or maple syrup to balance acidity.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Sesame seeds: Optional garnish.
Is Thousand Island Dressing the Same as Big Mac Sauce?
Thousand Island dressing is similar but not identical to Big Mac sauce. This dressing recipe is designed to mimic the taste of Big Mac sauce more closely, but using Thousand Island as a shortcut will still yield a tasty result.
What Kind of Lettuce Is Used on a Big Mac?
A Big Mac uses iceberg lettuce. For this salad, mixing iceberg with romaine adds texture, color, and better mouthfeel, but you can use any greens you prefer.
How to Make a Big Mac Salad
This salad comes together in a few straightforward steps: cook and cool the beef, prepare the greens and toppings, whisk the dressing, then combine. The full recipe quantities and timing are provided below.
- Cook the beef: Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, seasoning with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until no longer pink, then remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine chopped lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, shredded cheddar, sliced pickles, and thinly sliced red onion.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper until smooth and balanced to taste.
- Finish: Add the cooled beef to the salad, drizzle with dressing, and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve: Garnish with sesame seeds and extra pickles if desired. Serve immediately.
Tips for Making A Big Mac Salad
Follow these tips for the best results.
- Taste the dressing: The dressing defines the salad—adjust sweetness, acidity, and seasoning to your preference.
- Cool the beef: Let the cooked beef cool slightly before adding it to the greens to avoid wilting.
- Sesame seeds: A small sprinkle adds a familiar, toasty note.
- Add croutons if desired: If you miss the bun, croutons or small toasted bread pieces bring back that textural contrast.
What to Serve with This Salad
The salad is hearty enough to be a main course, but these sides complement it well:
- Fries: Classic fries pair well if you want a nostalgic side.
- Baked potatoes: A simple baked potato offers a comforting option.
- Roasted vegetables: Lightly roasted asparagus or broccoli provide a lower-carb accompaniment.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store salad and dressing separately in airtight containers for up to two days. Dress just before serving for the best texture.
- Do not freeze the salad: The lettuce will become mushy after freezing. You can freeze the cooked beef separately for up to three months—cool, bag, label, and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Salad Recipes
- Steak Salad
- Grilled Salmon Salad
- Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Salad
- Italian Antipasto Salad
More Ground Beef Recipes
- Sheet Pan Totchos
- Chili Cheese Fries
- Easy Ground Beef Tacos
- Baked Mostaccioli
Big Mac Salad
Nostalgic Big Mac flavors updated with wholesome ingredients. Low-carb and gluten-free.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 pound ground beef
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 cups chopped lettuce (use a mix of iceberg and romaine)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup sliced dill pickles
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
For the dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, diced
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, pickles, and sliced red onions.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, honey, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
- Add the cooled ground beef to the salad bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Gently toss everything together until well combined and evenly coated.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds over the salad for garnish and add additional pickles just before serving, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Taste and adjust the dressing until you reach the balance of tangy, sweet, and savory you prefer.
- Let the beef cool slightly before adding to the greens to prevent wilting.
- Sesame seeds add a toasty, familiar touch—optional but recommended.
- Store salad and dressing separately. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Nutrition
Calories: 358 kcal | Carbohydrates: 10 g | Protein: 22 g | Fat: 25 g | Saturated Fat: 8 g. Nutritional values are estimates and may vary.
More Satisfying Main Course Salads
- Easy Steak Salad with Spinach and Mushrooms
- Shrimp Salad with Avocados
- Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad