Big Mac Salad – turn the classic Big Mac sandwich into a quick and easy homemade salad that’s actually pretty good for you and downright delicious!
When I was growing up, McDonald’s wasn’t really a “thing” in our house. We had fast food, but my dad was always affiliated with either Hardee’s or Burger King, so we went there. But McDonald’s was so iconic that everyone knew the song and what a Big Mac was.
And let’s just say, after I left the house, McDonald’s became a lot more common.
Big Mac Salad
Everyone knows what a Big Mac is, they are known all over the world. Some people love them, some people aren’t big fans. But you make it at home, and it’s a game changer! You can control the quality of the ingredients, no fillers, anything you want to put in. And it’s so much better than anything you’ll find out.
And even if you’re trying to eat better or eat less crab, you can still get all the flavor of a classic in no time. Complete with a homemade dressing. And yes, you can just use purchased Thousand Island if you want, almost exactly the same.
Why you will love this
- A low carb version of a fast food favorite! You can definitely control the carbs in this recipe by making your own dressing and tweaking these ingredients a bit. But no bun and lots of veggies make for a low-carb meal with flavors you love.
- You can use homemade “special sauce” or store-bought Thousand Island dressing, both work great however much work you are willing to put in.
- It’s great to prep all the pieces in advance and then just throw them together on a busy evening. You can have the dressing and meat made the day before, so dinner can be on the table in minutes!
what you will need
- ground beef
- Worcester sauce
- garlic powder
- salt pepper
- lettuce
- Onion
- Cheddar cheese
- pickles
- tomatoes (optional)
You know that song… “Two All Beef Patties, Special Sauce, Salat, Cheese, Pickles, Onions, on a Sesame Seed Bun” Tomatoes aren’t in the song, I know. But I think it’s the only thing missing from a Big Mac, so I add them to my salad when I make it. You must not.
Big Mac special sauce
We all know that “special sauce” is essentially Thousand Island Dressing. So by all means do it and use a bottle from the store if you want. But I love a good homemade salad dressing, it’s so easy to make and control what’s in it.
- mayo
- Grated onion
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Sweet cucumber relish
- white wine vinegar
- paprika
There’s a million versions out there claiming to be the one. I make no claims. It just tastes similar, it’s a homemade thousand island, and we like it!
How to make a Big Mac Salad
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for measurements and full instructions!
- When making the homemade dressing, beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a large skillet, sear the ground beef over medium-high heat and break into small pieces. Drain all fat once cooked.
- Season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Stir until everything is well mixed. Let cool while you prepare the salads.
- That makes enough for 4 salads, so you can arrange the salad in 4 bowls and then evenly distribute the onions, cheddar cheese, pickles, and tomatoes over the salads.
- Top each salad with meat and then pour the dressing over them. Swirl to combine and serve. If you want to go all out, you can sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top before serving.
Get ahead
This Big Mac Salad is one of those salads that you really want to put together right before you eat. You can definitely make portions of the salad to make dinner or lunch quick and easy. Cook the meat and divide into airtight containers and store in the fridge or even freeze until ready to use. Thaw on the stovetop or in the microwave and heat until just warmed through.
The dressing will keep in the fridge for about a week, just give it a good stir before using. And you can cut the vegetables and wait in the fridge. So it’s mealtime and it’s really just Mondays. But you don’t want to mix everything together and refrigerate, it gets mushy and not very good.
Recipe Substitutions
- lettuce – Iceberg lettuce is used here because that’s what’s used on the original sandwich, but you can use romaine lettuce or any leafy lettuce you have.
- The meat – Of course, “all beef patties” means that I used ground beef for the recipe. But ground turkey works great, or you could even use a meat substitute if you want to make this vegetarian dish.
- toppings – what makes a salad good for me are the toppings! I love homemade croutons or pumpkin seeds. Make this salad your own. I always add avocado to hamburgers, so not on the original Big Mac, it would still be delicious here. Top with everything you like.
- store bought Thousand Island Dressing works great in place of this homemade version. I just love homemade dressings, so I’ll add a super easy version.
Yield: 4
Big Mac Salad
Big Mac Salad – turn the classic Big Mac sandwich into a quick and easy homemade salad that’s actually pretty good for you and downright delicious!
preparation time 15 minutes
cooking time 15 minutes
total time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 8 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup sliced onion
- 1/2 cup pickles
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Homemade dressing (optional)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sweet cucumber relish
- 2 teaspoons mustard
- 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
instructions
- When making the homemade dressing, beat all the ingredients together until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat and break into small pieces. Drain all fat once cooked.
- Season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Stir until everything is well mixed. Set aside to cool while you prepare the salads.
- That makes enough for 4 salads, so you can arrange the salad in 4 bowls and then evenly distribute the onions, cheddar cheese, pickles, and tomatoes over the salads.
- Top each salad with meat, then pour the dressing over them. Swirl to combine and serve. If you want to go all out, you can sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top before serving.
Remarks
You can use store-bought Thousand Island Dressing if you don’t want to make your own.
Nutritional Information
yield
4
serving size
1
amount per serving calories 615total fat 44gSaturated Fatty Acids 14gtrans fat 1gunsaturated fat 26gcholesterol 140mgsodium 1290mgcarbohydrates 13gfiber 3gSugar 8gprotein 41g
Nutritional Disclaimer: All information on this website is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should be used as a general guide only.
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Welcome to Dinners, Dishes & Desserts, where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I’m a casual cook who loves to feed people. This blog has hundreds of quick and easy recipes, mostly made from scratch. I spend my days in the kitchen creating new recipes to share with family and friends.
