Free: Healthy Freezer Meal Recipes eBook
This post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. (full disclosure)
these 20 minutes Big Mac Salad Recipe (or a simple cheeseburger salad) will convince you to skip the drive-thru! This dish captures the satisfying flavor of a cheeseburger with the crisp freshness of a salad.It’s also given a classic McDonald’s upgrade with knockoff Big Mac sauce — like casserole version this burger.
The burger salad was inspired by my childhood memories of rare stops at McDonald’s after gymnastics practice.We rarely ate out growing up (my parents preferred home-cooked meals), so even though I love the food my mom makes, those unexpected stops fast food What a treat. Now that I try to avoid all those processed ingredients myself, with this Tomato Jumbo Salad recipe, I can enjoy the same taste at home, all the time –you can also!
Why You’ll Love This Big Mac Salad Recipe
- tastes like a big mac in salad form
- Crispy, meaty, fresh texture
- sweet creamy sauce
- Simple, Natural Ingredients
- Ready in 20 minutes
- Healthy, Low Carb, Keto Friendly & Gluten Free
- simple healthy dinner idea
Let’s be real – the key to this cheeseburger salad is the Big Mac dressing!Fast food place sauces are sweetened, but I use Besti powder instead. It’s just as sweet, with no aftertaste, but has 0 net carbs, 0 calories, and unlike most sweeteners, it dissolves easily and has a smooth texture. try it!
Ingredients and Substitutes
This section explains how to choose the best Big Mac salad ingredients, what each ingredient does in the recipe, and substitution options.For measurements, see recipe card below.
Cheeseburger Salad:
The main ingredients for this salad are very similar to what you’d find in a Big Mac:
- Ground beef – Use a classic style burger (I usually use 85/15 lean ground beef), but you can use ground turkey or chicken instead if you prefer.
- sea ​​salt & Black pepper
- lettuce – Shredded iceberg lettuce, arugula, or spinach leaves also work.
- tomato – I used chopped Roma tomatoes, but you can also use cherry or grape tomatoes if you prefer. You can also omit them if you want, since traditional Big Macs don’t.
- cheddar cheese – The Big Mac sandwich traditionally includes a slice of processed cheese, but we used shredded cheddar. You can omit to make a dairy-free and paleo-friendly salad if desired.
- Pickle – Dice some dill pickles and add to salads for a pleasing crunch and extra flavor. You can also add diced or sliced ​​red onions for extra crunch!
- sesame seeds – Instead of sesame bread, garnish with sesame seeds for the same taste!
Big Mac Sauce:
The dressing for this burger salad is similar to mine Sugar Free Thousand Island Dressing:
- mayonnaise – I use my own homemade Avocado Oil Mayonnaisebut store purchases are also available (this is my favourite Store-bought brands when I don’t have time to make my own).
- Pickle – Use diced dill pickles for a special sauce. You can also substitute sweet pickle vinaigrette, but be aware that this will add sugar or corn syrup.
- mustard – I used classic yellow mustard, but you can substitute Dijon, or even Keto Honey Mustard If you like extra sweetness.
- vinegar – Add soup flavor to the dressing.i used white vinegarBut apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar can all be substituted.
- smoked paprika – adds a subtle smokiness to the condiment and is responsible for its signature color. Regular sweet paprika works too.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I use this instead of tomato paste to add natural sweetness to the dressing as it dissolves better than others sugar substitute. You can also use Zero Sugar Honey or Sugar Free Ketchup. From a recipe standpoint, regular powdered sugar would work, but I wouldn’t recommend it because the whole point of this giant mac salad is to make it healthier!
How to Make a Big Mac Salad
This section shows how to make a cheeseburger salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique to help you visualize how to make it.For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see recipe card below.
- Sear the meat. add ground beef large frying pan. separated by a spatula Season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink.
- Mix in the Big Mac salad dressing. Combine mayonnaise, pickles, mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika and Besti powder blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust sweetener to taste. Refrigerate until use.
Tip: Need a thinner sauce?
If the dressing is thicker than you like, you can thin it with water or oil before pureeing it.
- Serve with cheeseburger salad. Add lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and pickles to a salad bowl.
- Add beef and seasoning. Top with ground beef mince, then drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
- decorate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
storage instructions
- shop: Store leftover Big Mac Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and store the dressing in a separate container. If you have already added a dressing, use it for 1 day only.
- Meal Prep: Chop the pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce, precook the ground beef, and make the sauce. Store in individual containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Gather before meals.
More Meal-Worthy Salad Recipes
In a lot of ways, this low-carb Whopper Salad reminds me of my pop Taco Salad.It’s yet another shift from the carb-heavy classic to a lighter offering healthy salad It’s still packed with flavor and hearty enough to be a meal on its own. If that’s your thing, you’ll love these other salads that can be served for dinner with very little cooking:
Disclaimer: Big Mac may be a registered trademark. This recipe is my interpretation of a similar dish, but should not be construed as an endorsement by, or has been endorsed by, the company. I have no affiliation with the company. Trademarks remain the property of their owners and are used here only to describe products.
Big Mac Salad (Cheeseburger Salad)
This Whopper Salad recipe (Cheeseburger Salad) makes an easy, healthy, low-carb lunch or dinner with simple ingredients in just 20 minutes.
Prepare: 10 minute
chef: 10 minute
all: 20 minute
Serving Size: 6 (adjust according to recipe)
recipe video
Click on the image below to watch the video.
Like this video? SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE COOKING CHANNEL Healthy Recipes of the Week! (Click the bell icon to be notified when I post a new video.)
raw material
Click on the underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn off Safari reader mode to view ingredients.
instruct
Click a time in the instructions below to start the kitchen timer while you cook.
-
add ground beef large frying pan over medium heat. (You can add a little more oil if desired.) Use spatula Season with salt and pepper.Cook 8-10 minutesstirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and the water evaporates.
-
Meanwhile, puree all dressing ingredients into a paste blender. If the dressing is thicker than you like, thin with water or oil before pureeing. Adjust sweetener to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
-
In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and pickles.
-
Add ground beef. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Throw on the coat.
-
Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
Last Step: Leave a Rating!
Share your recipe image by tagging @wholesomeyum and tag it with #wholesomeyum exist instagram – I would love to see it!
recipe notes
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
nutrient content
Amount per serving. Serving sizes in recipe instructions above.
calories 368
fat 31 grams
protein 18 grams
total carbohydrates 3 grams
net carbs 2 grams
fiber 1 g
sugar 1 g
Nutrition facts are provided politely. Questions about calculations or why are you getting different results?Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please do not screenshot or copy/paste the recipe to social media or websites. We would love for you to share a link with a photo. 🙂