Quick and easy, this Big Mac Salad is big on taste and easy on prep! Lettuce is topped with a spiced ground beef, all the burger toppings you love, and an easy, homemade burger sauce dressing.
If you want something a little more hearty, try these Burger Bowls or these Big Mac Sloppy Joes.
I love a good dinner salad. One that is hearty enough to fill me up.
Make it taste like a burger in salad form? Of course I’m game!
Now – don’t come after me because there are a few difference between this Big Mac Salad and an actual Big Mac. Besides the lack of a bun.
Big Macs don’t have tomatoes. But they work so well in the salad, I had to have them. And my burger sauce dressing is not exactly the same as Big Mac sauce. But trust me when I say this sauce turned dressing is so much better.
So maybe we should call it the Better Than a Big Mac Salad?
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise: I use full fat mayonnaise, but low fat would work. Or if you aren’t a mayo fan, you can sub in sour cream or Greek yogurt, although the flavor will be a little different.
- Pickles: You need sliced pickles for the salad, but you’ll also need some minced pickles for the dressing. You can sub in relish for the minced pickles, if desired.
- Ketchup & Mustard: Both of these are just basic ketchup and mustard.
- Vinegar: White vinegar will work the best here. But if you need a substitute, you can use apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice.
- Spices: You need onion powder and garlic powder for both the dressing and the meat mixture. You will also want to make sure you season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ground Beef: I like to use something fairly lean so that I don’t have to worry about draining off any fat.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This will just add in some depth to the flavor.
- Veggies: These are all for assembling your salad. I use romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and diced onion.
- Cheese: I use shredded cheddar cheese, and I think that freshly grated cheese is always the best!
- Sesame Seeds: These are optional, but they add to that “burger” feel.
How to Make Big Mac Salad
STEP 1: Make your sauce first by whisking together all of the dressing ingredients. I like to do this first so that the flavors have a little bit of time to mingle together.
STEP 2: Cook the ground beef in a skillet. Once browned, add in the Worcestershire sauce, and season with the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
STEP 3: Now it’s time to assemble the salad! Add some lettuce to your bowl, then top with some of the meat mixture.
STEP 4: Next, add some cheese, along with some tomatoes.
STEP 5: Top with lots of pickles, as well as some onion.
STEP 6: Last, drizzle with the prepared dressing. Then, if desired, sprinkle on some sesame seeds. Done!
Tips and Tricks
I like to prepare all of the components and let everyone assemble their own salad. That way, people can choose to add what they like and skip what they don’t like.
I like to add the ground beef when it is still hot. I love the contrast of hot and cold. But you can always let the beef cool down a bit, or even add it when it’s almost room temperature.
If storing leftovers, I like to store the beef separately from the vegetables. If meal prepping, you can combine all of your vegetables for each serving, then store the beef in a separate container. That way, you can heat up the beef.
More Dinner Salads
Cobb Salad
Taco Salad
Southwest Chicken Salad
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Big Mac Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons minced pickles
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup pickle slices
- 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced onions
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, minced pickles, mustard, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, then cover and refrigerate until needed.1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons minced pickles, 2 teaspoons yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, Salt and pepper
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up as it cooks, until browned. Add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.1 pound ground beef, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, Salt and pepper
- To assemble the salads, layer lettuce, some of the beef mixture, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and onions. Drizzle with the prepared dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.8 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup pickle slices, 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes, 1/4 cup diced onions, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Leave a Comment...