This Big Mac Salad, sometimes called Big Mac Burger Bowls, is a delicious, nutritious, and low-carb alternative to the classic fast-food burger. Made with lean ground beef, chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, diced pickles, and thousand island dressing. The result is a mouth-watering salad that captures the flavors of a Big Mac while keeping things light and healthy. It’s perfect for those who are watching their carbs but still want to indulge in a satisfying meal. Serve it up and enjoy the taste of a fast-food favorite without any of the guilt!
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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card or tap “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Indulging in fast food is fun, but it often leaves you feeling bloated and sluggish. However, with this recipe, you can satisfy your fast food cravings and enjoy a healthy twist on a fast-food classic, the Big Mac Salad. This salad is perfect for those who want to keep their carb intake low while still enjoying the delicious flavors of a Big Mac.
The salad is packed with fresh greens, juicy tomatoes, and lean ground beef, all tossed together with a creamy Thousand Island dressing. It’s a simple yet satisfying dish that’s sure to please any crowd, whether you’re serving it at a family gathering or bringing it to a potluck.
The best part about this salad is that it’s effortless to make, and you can have it on your table in no time. With its low-carb ingredients, it’s a guilt-free meal that will leave you feeling energized and satisfied. Give this Big Mac Salad a try and discover how delicious healthy eating can be!
How to Order a Low Carb Big Mac at McDonald’s
When I was following the Keto diet, I found out that instead of a traditional Big Mac, you could order a Bic Mac without the bun. Basically, McDonald’s will put your two hamburger patties in a container with the lettuce and special sauce. That’s when I decided that I wanted to make my own low carb Big Mac salad recipe at home!
How to Make a Chopped Salad
I am not a big fan of eating salad with giant pieces of lettuce. There is really no way to eat it and look classy.
I guess you could use a knife and fork, but that seems like a lot of work for a salad.
That is why I almost always chop up my salads. Making a chopped salad is really pretty simple. Just chop your ingredients up so that they are relatively the same size.
Another way to make a chopped salad great is to toss the ingredients with the dressing. That is what I did in this recipe and it makes a huge difference.
Ingredients
*Ingredient amounts are located in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Ground Beef: You want ground beef that is labeled 85% lean/15% fat. This provides the perfect balance of flavor and moisture. Ground turkey may be substituted.
Season Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder: This combo adds the classic Big Mac flavor to the ground beef.
Ketchup & Yellow Mustard: Also used to flavor the ground beef.
Lettuce: I used crisp Romaine lettuce, but you could also use iceberg lettuce or spring mix if desired.
Tomatoes: Use ripe Roma tomatoes for the best flavor. Cherry tomatoes or Grape tomatoes are a good alternative.
Pickles: I used dill pickles, but you could also use sweet relish or chopped pickles.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Adds a nice cheesy flavor to the salad.
Thousand Island Salad Dressing: For that classic Big Mac flavor. Thousand Island dressing adds a delicious creaminess and sweetness to the salad.
How to Make a Big Mac Salad
[1] Begin by spraying a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the ground beef to the pan, break it up with a spatula and cook over medium-high heat.
[2] As the meat is cooking in the large skillet, sprinkle it with garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt.
[3] When the ground beef is fully cooked, stir in the ketchup and mustard. Set the meat aside.
[4] Wash and chop the romaine lettuce, as well as the fresh tomatoes and pickles.
[5] Add the lettuce to a large bowl and pour the Thousand Island dressing over the top.
[6] Place a lid on the bowl and shake to coat the lettuce with the dressing.
[7] Add the lettuce to the serving bowls and top with the ground beef mixture, chopped tomatoes, pickles, and shredded cheese. Drizzle with more dressing, if desired.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Store Leftovers
If you plan to have leftovers for this salad, store the ingredients in separate containers during storage and assemble them when you plan to serve it. Add the dressing when you serve the salad as well.
How to Layer Big Mac Salad in a Mason Jar
Start with the dressing and add the following ingredients on top in the Mason jar.
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Shredded Cheese
- Seasoned Ground Beef
- Pickles
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can definitely switch out the romaine lettuce for iceberg or spring mix.
I would not recommend making this salad too far in advance as the lettuce will become soggy and wilted. Assemble the salad shortly before serving.
This salad is very versatile and you can get creative with the toppings. Some ideas are croutons, shredded carrots, or even bacon bits!
Yes, absolutely. This Big Mac Salad is a great option for those looking to reduce their carb intake. It’s packed with protein and can easily be served as a main dish.
No, Thousand Island dressing is not exactly the same as Big Mac sauce, but it is similar. It’s a creamy and slightly sweet condiment that adds flavor to this salad.
Big Mac sauce is a combination of mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. It’s a flavor-packed condiment that’s perfect for adding depth to the Big Mac Salad.
A Big Mac consists of two all-beef patties, lettuce, American cheese, pickles, onions, and a special sauce served on a toasted sesame seed bun.
Final Thoughts
This Keto Big Mac Salad is sure to satisfy your cravings for fast food without any of the guilt! Enjoy all the flavors of a classic Big Mac in a healthier, low-carb form.
With its juicy ground beef, crisp lettuce, and creamy Thousand Island dressing, this salad is sure to be a hit with everyone. Give it a try today and enjoy all the deliciousness of a Big Mac without the carbs!
Other Recipes You Will Love:
- Low Carb Keto Pizza
- Cafe Zupas California Protein Cobb Salad
- Honeycrisp Harvest Salad
- The Best BBQ Chicken Salad
Big Mac Chopped Salad
A lightened up version of a fast food favorite! This Big Mac Chopped Salad is packed full of low carb goodness and is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 1 Teaspoon Season Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Cup Ketchup
- 1/2 Tablespoon Yellow Mustard
- 8 Cups Romain Lettuce, chopped
- 2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped
- 6 Pickle Spears, chopped
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Thousand Island Dressing
Instructions
- Begin by spraying a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the ground beef to the pan and break it up with a spatula.
- As the meat is cooking, sprinkle it with garlic powder, onion powder, and seasoned salt.
- When the ground beef is fully cooked, stir in the ketchup and mustard. Set the meat aside.
- Wash and chop the romaine lettuce, as well as the tomatoes and pickles.
- Add the lettuce to a large bowl and pour the Thousand island dressing over the top.
- Place a lid on the bowl and shake to coat the lettuce with the dressing.
- Add the lettuce to the serving bowls and top with ground beef and shredded cheese.
- Drizzle with more Thousand Island dressing, if desired.6
Recommended Products
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Cuisinart CTG-00-SAS Salad Spinner, Green and White
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Gorilla Grip Original Reversible Cutting Board (3-Piece) BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe, Juice Grooves, Larger Thicker Boards, Easy Grip Handle, Non Porous, Extra Large, Kitchen (Set of Three: Black)
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imarku Chef Knife - Pro Kitchen Knife 8 Inch Chefs knife High Carbon German Stainless Steel Sharp paring knife with Ergonomic Handle
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Silicone Spatula 3-piece Set, High Heat-Resistant Good Grips Spatulas, Non-stick Rubber Spatulas with Stainless Steel Core, Black
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Utopia Kitchen Nonstick Frying Pan Set - 3 Piece Induction Bottom - 8 Inches, 9.5 Inches and 11 Inches
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 354Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 1077mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 2gSugar: 7gProtein: 24g