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This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.

Big Mac Salad – Cheeseburger Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free)

This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.

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My low carb Big Mac salad recipe is like a healthier version of rare childhood memories stopping at McDonald’s. That’s probably not much of an impression for most people, but we very rarely ate out when I was growing up. This included everything from gourmet restaurants to fast food, my parents much preferring home cooked meals.

For the most part, I loved my mom’s home cooked food, too. I won’t lie, though – as a kid, those rare occasions that I got to have “fast food” were a treat. I’d beg my dad to take me to Burger King or McDonald’s after gymnastics practice, hoping for that rare “yes”. It only came a few times a year, making it all the more special.

I can’t say I blame my parents for leaving the fast food joints to rare occasions, especially knowing what I know now about fast food. My two-year-old has yet to try any, and I hope to keep it that way for as long as possible. There’s nothing wrong with a rare exception for most people, but I think the majority would agree that frequent fast food is far from ideal.

All that being said, there’s no reason you can’t make your own healthier, low carb fast food version at home! This low carb Big Mac salad recipe (or simply, cheeseburger salad recipe) is just that.

This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.

What healthier way to enjoy a homemade Big Mac than as a big ol’ salad, right? Seriously, I don’t even miss the bread when I make this one. It’s the classic combination of smoky ground beef, crisp romaine lettuce, juicy tomatoes, rich shredded cheese, and salty pickles… all finished with a creamy-sweet Big Mac copycat dressing.

Oh, and it happens to be sugar-free, low carb, and gluten-free! Yesssss.

I used powdered erythritol to sweeten the dressing, but you can absolutely use any sweetener you like. This recipe isn’t fussy at all, so seriously any sweetener you like will work, whether it’s liquid or granulated. Just adjust to taste until you reach your desired sweetness.

This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.

As usual, I kept the entire recipe under 10 ingredients total. (Granted, one is repeated in both the salad and the dressing, and I’m not counting salt and pepper.) That can be a challenge with salads, since the dressing in itself is often quite a few ingredients, but I managed to keep this one simple enough. And to me, it still tastes just like the famous sauce on a Big Mac… minus any weird ingredients, of course!

In many ways, this low carb Big Mac salad reminds me of my popular healthy taco salad. It’s another transformation of a carb-heavy classic into a lighter salad that’s still packed with flavor and hearty enough to be a meal on its own. With summer approaching, you’ll want to have meal salad recipes like these on hand. It’s the perfect way to serve dinner with minimal cooking!

 

This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.

Big Mac Salad Recipe – Cheeseburger Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free):
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Big Mac Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free)
Big Mac Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free)
This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.
Servings Prep Time Cook Time
servings 10 minutes 10 minutes
Big Mac Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free)
Big Mac Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free)
This easy low carb Big Mac salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes! A gluten-free, keto cheeseburger salad like this makes a healthy lunch or dinner.
Servings Prep Time Cook Time
servings 10 minutes 10 minutes
Ingredients
Salad
  • 1 lb Ground beef
  • 1 tsp Sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper
  • 8 oz Romaine lettuce (or iceberg if desired)
  • 1 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
  • 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese (shredded)
  • 1/2 cup Pickles (diced)
Dressing
Instructions
  1. Cook ground beef in a skillet over high heat. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Stir fry, breaking up the pieces with a spatula, for about 7-10 minutes, until the beef is browned and moisture has evaporated.
  2. Meanwhile, puree all the dressing ingredients in a blender. If dressing is thicker than you like, thin out with water or oil and puree again. Adjust sweetener to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Combine the remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the ground beef. Toss with dressing.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 368 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 31g 48%
Total Carbohydrates 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 18g 36%
Vitamin A 53%
Vitamin C 22%
Calcium 13%
Iron 13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Net carbs per serving: 2g

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Healthy Taco Salad (Low Carb, Gluten-free)
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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Hi Carrie, This recipe uses dill pickles since I’m not a fan of the added sugar in sweet pickles, but you can use whichever you like better! You may need less sweetener in the dressing (or even omit it, to taste) if you use sweet pickles in there.

      Reply

  4. A Big Mac consists of “two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun”. With the exception of the bun, this salad is missing cheese, onion and sesame seeds. Also, Big Macs don’t have tomatoes. For an authentic Big Mac salad you should consider adjusting your recipe accordingly. 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Leslie, The recipe does have cheese. 🙂 You’re right, though – I used tomatoes instead of onions, and of course as a salad it’s missing a sesame seed bun. You can certainly add in onions and/or omit the tomatoes if you prefer.

      Reply

  5. Wondering if I could use pickle relish instead of having to dice up pickles? This recipe looks awesome and I love that it’s healthy.

    Reply

  8. I’m sorry if I missed it somewhere, what is the serving size for this?? Making it now for lunches this week!

    Reply

  10. I would like to make for my weeks work lunches. Would this hold up all week with the lettuce and tomatoes?

    Reply

    • Hi Sharon, If you’re meal prepping for the week, keep the dressing separate until right before eating. Other than that, store the salad with the lettuce on top. The tomatoes are better cut fresh, but should be okay if you store it with the tomatoes on the bottom.

      Reply

  11. I made this for dinner tonight and it is absolutely amazing! I literally felt like I was eating a Big Mac with the roll. Hubby liked it as well. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks for posting!

    Reply

  12. Made this tonight and it was super good. Used ground turkey because that was what was on hand and it worked great. Used some Montreal seasoning to make it more “beef” like. I will definitely be making this again.

    Reply

  13. Trying this tonight. I saw the nutritional info but I’m wondering if you know how much of the 31g of fat is considered Saturated Fat? I’m trying to calculate the Weight Watchers Smart Point value for this dish. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Thank you, Pam! Like you saw, I have the nutrition label posted below the recipe, but don’t have a breakdown of saturated fat. (The link between saturated fat and heart disease was actually disproven – source.) You’d have to enter the ingredients into an online nutrition calculator to get additional info.

      Reply

  15. Just made this yummy salad! Thanks for the awesome recipe! I did a few little tweaks of my own to appease my family’s likes and dislikes. It is a very easy and versatile dish. I love it!

    Reply

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