Big Mac Salad – Turn the classic Big Mac sandwich into a quick and easy homemade salad that’s actually good enough for you and just plain delicious!
When I was a kid, McDonald’s wasn’t really a “thing” in our house. We had fast food, but my dad was always associated with Hardee’s or Burger King, so that’s where we went. But McDonald’s was so iconic that everyone knew the song and what a Big Mac was.
And let’s just say that after I was no longer in the house, McDonald’s came around much more frequently.
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 do it at home, and that’s a game-changer! You control the quality of the ingredients, no fillers, whatever you want to put in it. And it’s so much better than anything you’ll find.
Plus, even if you try to eat better or eat fewer crabs, you can get all the flavor of a classic in no time. Serve with a homemade vinaigrette. And yes, you can just use store-bought Thousand Island if you want, almost the exact same thing.
Why you will love this
- A low carb version of a fast food favourite! You can definitely control the carbs in this recipe by making your own dressing and tweaking these ingredients a bit. But no bread and lots of veggies for a low carb meal with flavors you love.
- You can use a homemade “special sauce” or a store bought thousand island dressing, either works great, how much work do you want to put into it.
- It’s great to have all the pieces prepared in advance and then put them together on a busy night. You can have the dressing prepared and the meat cooked the night before so dinner is on the table in minutes!
What you will need
- Ground beef
- Worcestershire Sauce
- garlic powder
- Salt pepper
- Lettuce
- Onion
- cheddar cheese
- Pickles
- Tomatoes (optional)
You know the song… “Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun” Tomatoes are not in the song, I know. But I think that’s the only thing missing from a Big Mac, so I add them to my salad when I make it. You do not have to.
Big Mac Special Sauce
We all know that “special sauce” is basically a thousand island dressing. So go ahead and use a bottle from the store if you want. But I love good homemade dressings, they’re so easy to make and control what’s in them.
- mayo
- grated onion
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- White vinegar
- Paprika
There are a million versions out there claiming they are the right one. I make no complaints. It just tastes the same, it’s a thousand island home, and we love it!
How to Make a Big Mac Salad
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for full measurements and instructions!
- If you are making the homemade dressing, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until use.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Drain off any fat once it’s cooked.
- Season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a pinch of Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well blended. Let cool while you prepare the salads.
- This makes enough for 4 salads, so you can arrange the lettuce in 4 bowls, then divide the onions, cheddar cheese, pickles and tomatoes evenly over the salads.
- Top each salad with meat, then pour over the dressing. Stir to combine and serve. If you want to go all out, you can sprinkle some sesame seeds before serving.
get ahead
This Big Mac salad is one of those salads that you really want to put together by the time you go to eat it. You can certainly make portions of the salad to prepare dinner or lunch quickly and easily. Cook the meat and portion it into airtight containers and store it in the fridge or even freeze it until ready to use. Thaw and heat on the stove or in the microwave until just warm.
The dressing will last about a week in the refrigerator, just stir well before using. And you can chop the vegetables and have them in the fridge waiting for you. So mealtime and really just assembly. But you don’t want to mix it all up and store in the fridge, it will get soggy and won’t taste 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.
- Meat – obviously “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 wanted to make it a vegetarian dish.
- Toppings – what makes a salad good for me is the toppings! I love homemade croutons or pumpkin seeds. Personalize this salad. I always add avocado to burgers, so not on the original Big Mac, it would still be delicious here. Garnish with whatever you like.
- Shop bought Thousand Islands dressing works great in place of this homemade version. I just love homemade dressings, so I’m including a super simple 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 good enough for you and just plain 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
House dressing (optional)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle
- 2 teaspoons of mustard
- 1 teaspoon of white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- If you are making the homemade dressing, whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. Store in the refrigerator until use.
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces. Drain off any fat once it’s cooked.
- Season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder and a pinch of Worcestershire sauce. Stir until well blended. Let cool while you prepare the salads.
- This makes enough for 4 salads, so you can arrange the lettuce in 4 bowls, then divide the onions, cheddar cheese, pickles and tomatoes evenly over the salads.
- Top each salad with meat, then pour over the dressing. Stir to combine and serve. If you want to go all out, you can sprinkle some sesame seeds before serving.
Remarks
You can use store-bought Thousand Island dressing if you don’t want to make your own.
Nutrition information
Yield
4
Portion
1
Amount per serving calories 615Total fat 44gSaturated fat 14gtrans fat 1gUnsaturated fats 26gCholesterol 140mgSodium 1290mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 3gSugar 8gProtein 41g
Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on dinnersdishesanddesserts.com should only be used as a guideline.
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Welcome to Dinners, Mains & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and I am an occasional home cook who enjoys feeding people. On this blog you will find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with my family and friends.
