Easy Big Mac Salad
This Big Mac salad recipe is a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy ALL the classic flavors of the beloved fast food burger. Crisp lettuce, sweet tomatoes, onion, savory ground beef, and shredded cheddar cheese are all topped with a homemade dressing – it’s a fun way to enjoy fast food-inspired flavors in a salad form. Enjoy this burger salad with a side of French fries for a familiar and satisfying combo. You’re going to love this delicious salad!
Burger x Salad. 😍😍😍
I fell in love with burger salads in LA. Not surprisingly, almost every burger joint in LA has a salad option – and they are good salads. (I definitely miss LA salads!!!)
This salad hits every nostalgic note of a Big Mac but with a balanced, veggie-forward approach. It’s one of my favorite ways to turn a takeout craving into a satisfying, weeknight-friendly dinner that still feels fun. It’s…
🍔 Crave-worthy flavor: All the Big Mac burger vibes in salad form!
🥗 Fresh & hearty: Feels indulgent but is still light and fresh.
🥒 Flavorful: This salad has so much flavor! Savory ground beef, creamy and tangy dressing, and major crunch in every bite.
🥄 Quick prep: With a little prep and a little cooking, you’ll be ready to build your bowls in no time at all.
🍽️ Meal prep friendly: Great for make-ahead lunches or prep things ahead for a super-speedy dinner.
🧡 Family approved: This is a great “gateway” salad to get your family onboard to meal salads. It’s a salad, but doesn’t feel like a salad…you know?!
If you love main dinner salads like we do, be sure to try our salmon Caesar salad, chicken Caesar pasta salad, or fresh and modern Southwest salad next time.
New favorite in our house. –Lisa
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this burger salad to the table: ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle relish, cheddar cheese, and sesame seeds.
- Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is the way to go here for a super-crunchy salad. You could also use crisp romaine lettuce hearts if you prefer. And if you don’t care about crunch or the classic flavors, you could also use salad greens.
- Dill Pickles: Look for kosher dill pickle “chips” or slices. You will also need some of the pickle juice from the jar for the dressing.
- Cheese: I recommend shredding your own sharp cheddar. I love and rely on shredded cheese, but this is an instance where shredding your own will result in the best flavor and texture. If you can’t, no worries, but it is recommended!
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Pre-shredded cheese is a wonderful shortcut, but if you can spend a few minutes and shred your own sharp cheddar here, it is SO worth it! The flavor and texture of the cheese is better and makes the salad even more delicious!
- Feeding kids without pressure: I would recommend serving the salad components separately so everyone can build their own perfect salad. It’s ok if everyone’s look a little different and because teaching kids how to eat healthy is all about the long game, don’t be alarmed if it takes a bit of time for kids to put veggies in their salad! 🙂 Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter.
- Additions: Buttered and toasted buns could be delicious “croutons” but I also love serving this salad with some fries or tater tots for some carbs and crunch.
Easy Big Mac Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
You’ll love this satisfying Big Mac salad recipe! My burger salad has crunchy iceberg, ground beef, cheddar cheese, and of course, the sauce!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- 16 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 white onion
- 1/2 cup sliced pickles (or more!)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish
- 1 Tbsp. pickle juice (from jar)
- 2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef to pan and season with salt and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for about 7-9 minutes, or until meat is browned and cooked through. Drain grease if necessary.
- While beef is cooking, prepare other ingredients:
Wash and thinly slice lettuce.
Wash and cut tomatoes in half.
Thinly slice onion. (Or chop, whatever you prefer)
Mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle relish, and pickle juice.
Shred cheddar if necessary.
- In a large bowl or plate, layer lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Top with beef mixture. Drizzle with dressing and top with sliced pickles and cheddar cheese. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
- Shortcut: Use pre-shredded cheese. It’s not my favorite in this salad, but it will save some time.
- Servings: You might be able to get more than 4 servings from this salad, but I like to allot for some extra, as we always seem to eat a lot of it!
- Storage: Store leftover salad components in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat ground beef in the microwave or a hot skillet until heated through.
- Ingredient notes: Use high-quality beef for the best flavor.
- Prep ahead: Mix the dressing a day or two in advance.
- Special tools: This $5 tray is not fancy, but it’s perfect for meal salads and letting everyone make their own perfect salad (the key to serving salad to kids!).
- Serve with: French fries, fruit, garlic bread.
Looking for more dinner ideas? Check out Everyday Weeknight Dinners for everything you need to simplify mealtimes.
Serving Suggestions
This salad is designed to be a full meal salad, but I also like to serve a few sides along with it, especially when I’m feeding this to the whole family (see below!). Here are a few ideas:
- French fries or tater tots (frozen or homemade)
- Breadsticks or garlic bread
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Fresh fruit
FAQs
Big Mac sauce is similar to Thousand Island, but it’s not exactly the same. Big Mac sauce is made up of mayonnaise, sweet relish, various spices, vinegar, sugar, and plenty of preservatives.
For this healthy Big Mac salad, we’re using our own similar sauce made with ketchup, mayonnaise, and sweet pickle relish. Many copycat special sauce recipes also include white vinegar, yellow mustard, and sugar. Feel free to add any of those additions to your sauce.
You can find the full nutrition stats below the recipe card, but this salad is naturally gluten-free and fairly low-carb – it will of course, depend on your own nutrition needs as there are carbs in foods like tomatoes, onions, and ketchup.
More Recipes
If you like this burger salad recipe, you might also like these other recipes with ground beef:
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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New favorite in our house
YESSSS!!! Love this salad so much.