Big Mac in a Bowl (Hamburger Salad)
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Big Mac in a bowl is a delicious salad that tastes like a fast food classic Big Mac without the bun, drizzled in a special sauce and loaded with dill pickles, tomatoes, onions, and cheese.
Even though this is considered a low-carb salad, burger bowls are the perfect solution when you are craving a McDonald’s Big Mac. You might miss the sesame seed bun, but if you need a little bread you can always add croutons to satisfy your craving.
We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
Not only does this make a great lunch, it’s also becoming one of our favorite meals during the week. I like to make a double batch of the ground meat on Sunday so we have it to meal prep through the week. I also do this with my breakfast burritos, to make the mornings less stressful.
If you love the traditional Big Mac check out these easy recipes – Big Mac Sliders and Big Mac Sloppy Joes. My entire family loves them! They are budget friendly, healthier than the drive through, and still have that same great taste of your favorite fast food burgers.
Ingredients Needed
- ground beef – we used a lean 93/7% beef.
- salt & black pepper – to season the meat (you can add more if needed when serving).
- fresh lettuce – iceberg lettuce tastes the closest to the real deal. However romaine or a spring mix will offer more nutrition.
- cherry tomatoes – we like to add these even though the classic Big Mac doesn’t have tomatoes.
- red onion – adds a lot of flavor, but other onion varieties can be used.
- pickles – we prefer dill in this salad.
- cheddar cheese – even though Big Mac’s come with American cheese, I think cheddar tastes better on cheeseburger salads.
- Big Mac sauce – my homemade burger sauce that tastes like the classic McDonald’s sauce.
- croutons – optional but adds a nice crunch.
- sesame seeds – sprinkling seeds in your salad is a great way for added nutrition, but the taste is similar with or without them.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How to Make Big Mac in a Bowl
Brown a pound of ground beef over Medium heat in a large skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until it’s no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a ChopStir or wooden spoon. Drain the grease if needed and set aside.
Add the chopped lettuce to a large salad bowl, or divide equally into 4 smaller bowls.
Assemble the cheeseburger salad by topping the lettuce with the cooked ground beef, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and cheese.
Drizzle the Big Mac sauce dressing on top.
If desired, top with croutons and sesame seeds.
Tips for Making
- Freshly shredded cheese is creamier and will add more flavor than pre-shredded cheese.
- If you don’t want to chop pickles, use dill relish. We recommend a savory pickle since the secret sauce is on the sweeter side.
- This salad can be served with warm or cold ground beef.
Substitutions and Variations
- Protein – feel free to use a beef alternative such as ground turkey or ground chicken. It won’t have the exact flavors of a Big Mac, but those who are following other diets can still enjoy it.
- Tomatoes – can be omitted or you can use roma tomatoes, diced beefsteak or heirloom, or grape tomatoes.
- Dressing – instead of our homemade sauce recipe, use thousand island dressing or creamy French.
- Leftover burger patty – if you have leftover hamburgers, you can chop those up to make Big Mac bowls easier.
Can You Make a Big Mac Salad Bowl Ahead of Time?
Prep the ground beef and refrigerate it in an airtight container after it has cooled. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days. Then all you need to do is put the salad together.
How to Store
We recommend storing the Big Mac salad ingredients in separate containers from the ground beef and dressing. These can be kept for several days as long as they are stored in airtight containers.
MORE EASY
Recipes for Salad Lovers
**Save the Big Mac in a Bowl Recipe for Later**
Big Mac in a Bowl
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce, rinsed, dried and chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 small red onion, diced
- ¼ cup chopped pickles
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup Big Mac sauce
- croutons, optional
- sesame seeds, optional
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it up with a ChopStir or spoon as it cooks.
- Season with salt & pepper and sauté until the beef is completely browned and cooked through.
- Drain any excess fat and set aside.
- Prep the vegetables while the ground beef is cooking and set aside.
- Add the lettuce to a large serving bowl, or divide it into four individual salad bowls.
- Top with the cooked ground beef, tomatoes, red onion, chopped pickles, and cheese.
- Drizzle the Big Mac sauce over the assembled salad.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds over the dressing and add a handful of croutons, if desired, before serving.
Notes
- We used a very lean 93/7% ground beef to cut down on fat and calories.
- Freshly grated cheese is creamier than store-bough pre-shredded cheese.
- Use Thousand Island or creamy French Dressing in place of the Big Mac sauce if preferred.
- Salad can be made with warm or chilled ground beef.
- If you have leftovers, we recommend storing undressed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
