Name: Big Mac Salad
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef thawed; salt and pepper to taste; ½ teaspoon onion powder; 1 cup red onion thinly sliced; 1 head romaine lettuce chopped; ½ head iceburg lettuce chopped; 1 cup dill pickles sliced or chopped; 1 cup cheddar cheese grated; 1 cup tomatoes diced; ½ cup mayonnaise; ½ cup sour cream; 3 Tablespoons ketchup; ⅛ cup sweet pickle relish; 2 teaspoons yellow mustard; 1 Tablespoon onion finely minced; 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be substituted; 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon paprika; ¼ teaspoon garlic powder; 1 Tablespoon red onion finely minced

Big Mac Salad

With all the classic fixin’s like ground beef, onions, lettuce, pickles, cheese, and the addition of juicy chopped tomatoes, this Big Mac Salad is a low-carb version of your favorite drive-through burger!

Total 30 minutes

Serves 8 servings

Dinner, Lunch

American

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Why this recipe works

Skip the drive-through and make yourself a healthier alternative, a Big Mac salad! This low-carb, keto-friendly cheeseburger salad is loaded with the same ingredients as it’s burger cousin and is just as satisfying with a copycat Big Mac sauce as the dressing.

Finding new ways to replace a bun when it comes to burgers isn’t difficult, take our zucchini sliders and cloud bread as examples of tasty low-carb alternatives. We’re letting the veggies shine with this salad, plus a little sprinkle of cheese, because who can resist?

This is one of my favorite low carb weeknight dinners. You’ll find it featured in my 30 ground beef dinners ready in 30 minutes roundup along with 29 more quick weeknight recipes.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SALAD – A traditional big mac has pickles, shredded lettuce, chopped onion, and American cheese plus the big mac sauce and the patties. To beef up this salad a bit we subbed in cheddar cheese for the American and added diced tomatoes to the mix which can be omitted if you prefer. Ground turkey can be substituted for the ground beef for a lower fat percentage, I like to use lean ground beef here.

DRESSING – We’ve provided a recipe for a copycat Big Mac sauce to toss into this salad, which really ties the whole salad together and tastes just like the real deal. However, you can substitute the homemade dressing with bottled thousand island dressing, they are very similar in taste. The homemade sauce will develop its flavors overnight and can be made in advance, but can also be mixed and used right away.

How to Make Big Mac Salad

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Crumble ground beef into a skillet and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Brown over medium heat until no pink remains. Drain excess fat and set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together Big Mac sauce ingredients until fully combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to toss with salad.
In a large salad bowl, mix together cooled ground beef, red onion, lettuce, pickles, cheese, and tomatoes.
Drizzle Big Mac sauce over the salad and toss everything to combine.
Serve immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

How do I store Big Mac salad?

Store this salad in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The lettuce will wilt after being tossed with the dressing, so keep it on the side if you think you’ll have leftovers.

Can I make it in advance?

Yes, you can prepare this Big Mac salad in advance and take it for lunch the following day or two. The ground beef can be cooked up to 2 days ahead of time. The vegetables can be chopped a day ahead of time and the sauce can be prepared up to 5 days in advance. I would recommend keeping your sauce, vegetables, and ground beef in separate containers kept in the fridge. Then assemble it when you’re ready to eat, or a few hours before.

Serving Suggestions

Big Mac salad is satisfying and filling on its own thanks to the ground beef and vegetables, so it makes a great lunch or dinner option. Enjoy chilled.

More Salad Recipes

Looking for more ground beef ideas? See our collection of 90 best ground beef recipes here.

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