Name: Big Mac Salad (Cheeseburger Salad)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb Ground beef; 1 tsp Sea salt; 1/4 tsp Black pepper; 8 oz Romaine lettuce ((chopped; or iceberg lettuce if desired)); 1 cup Tomatoes ((chopped)); 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese ((shredded)); 1/2 cup Pickles ((diced)); Sesame seeds ((optional, for garnish)); 1/2 cup Mayonnaise; 2 tbsp Pickles ((diced)); 2 tsp Mustard; 1 tsp White vinegar; 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika; 1 1/2 tbsp Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend

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This 20-minute Big Mac salad recipe (or simply cheeseburger salad) will convince you to skip the drive-through! This dish captures the satisfying taste of a cheeseburger with all the crisp freshness of a salad. It also gets a classic McDonald’s upgrade with copycat Big Mac sauce — just like the casserole version of this burger.

The inspiration for a hamburger salad came from my childhood memories of rare stops at McDonald’s after gymnastics practice. We seldom ate out when I was growing up (my parents much preferring home cooked meals), so even though I loved my mom’s food, those unexpected stops for fast food were such a treat. Now I try to avoid all those processed ingredients myself, and with this keto Big Mac salad recipe, I can enjoy the same flavors at home, all the time — and so can you!

Why You’ll Love This Big Mac Salad Recipe

Tastes like a Big Mac in salad form
Crisp, meaty, and fresh textures
Sweet, creamy dressing
Simple, natural ingredients
Ready in 20 minutes
Healthy, low carb, keto friendly, and gluten-free
Easy healthy dinner idea

Big Mac salad in a bowl with serving spoons.

Let’s be real — the key to this cheeseburger salad is the Big Mac salad dressing! The sauce at the fast food joint is loaded with sugar, but I sweeten mine with Besti powdered instead. It’s just as sweet and has no aftertaste, but has 0 net carbs, 0 calories, and unlike most sweeteners, dissolves easily for a smooth texture. Try it out and see for yourself!

Get Besti Powdered Here

Cheeseburger salad with Besti next to it.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best Big mac salad ingredients, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the 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 hamburger for classic flavor (I usually use 85/15 lean ground beef), but if you like, you can use ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
Sea Salt & Black Pepper
Romaine Lettuce – Chopped iceberg lettuce, arugula, or spinach leaves would also work.
Tomatoes – I used chopped Roma tomatoes, but you could use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes if you prefer. You can also omit them if you want to, as a traditional Big Mac doesn’t have any.
Cheddar Cheese – The Big Mac sandwich traditionally includes a slice of processed cheese, but we’re using shredded cheddar. You can omit to make the salad dairy-free and paleo-friendly if needed.
Pickles – Dice up some dill pickles and add them to the salad for a delightful crunch and an extra layer of flavor. You can also add diced or sliced red onions for even more crunch!
Sesame Seeds – Instead of a sesame seed bun, garnish with sesame seeds for the same flavor!

Big Mac Sauce:

The dressing for this hamburger salad is very similar to my sugar-free Thousand Island dressing:

Mayonnaise – I used my own homemade avocado oil mayonnaise, but store-bought would work as well (this is my favorite store-bought brand when I don’t have time to make my own).
Pickles – Use dill pickles and dice finely for the special sauce. You can also use sweet pickle relish instead, but beware that this will have added sugar or corn syrup.
Mustard – I used classic yellow mustard, but you could use Dijon instead, or even keto honey mustard if you like extra sweetness.
Vinegar – Adds tang to the dressing. I used white vinegar, but apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar can all work instead.
Smoked Paprika – Adds a subtle smokiness to the dressing, and is responsible for its signature color. Regular sweet paprika would also work.
Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – I used this instead of ketchup to add natural sweetness to the dressing, as it dissolves better than other sugar substitutes. You could also use zero sugar honey or sugar free ketchup. Regular powdered sugar works from a recipe standpoint, but I can’t recommend it because the whole point of this Big Mac salad is to make it healthier!

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How To Make Big Mac Salad

This section shows how to make cheeseburger salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Brown the meat. Add the ground beef to a large skillet. Break apart with a spatula and season with salt and pepper. Cook until no longer pink.
Blend the Big Mac salad dressing. Combine the mayo, pickles, mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika, and powdered Besti in a blender. Puree until smooth. Adjust sweetener to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

TIP: Need thinner sauce?

If the dressing is thicker than you like, you can thin it out with water or oil and puree again.

Plate the cheeseburger salad. Add lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and pickles to a salad bowl.
Add the beef and dressing. Top with ground beef crumbles, then drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
Garnish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Hamburger salad in a bowl without dressing.

Big Mac salad in a bowl with dressing drizzled on top.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep leftover Big Mac Salad in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days, with the dressing stored in a separate container. If you already added the dressing, it will only be good for 1 day.
Meal prep: Chop the pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce, precook the ground beef, and make the sauce. Store in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Assemble just before eating.

More Meal-Worthy Salad Recipes

In many ways, this low carb Big Mac salad reminds me of my popular taco salad. It’s another transformation of a carb-heavy classic into a lighter healthy salad that’s still packed with flavor and hearty enough to be a meal on its own. If that’s your thing, you’ll like these other salads that serve up dinner with minimal cooking:

Cobb Salad

Green Goddess Salad

Steak Salad

BLT Salad

Disclaimer: Big Mac may be a registered trademark. This recipe is my interpretation of a similar dish, but is not to be construed as an endorsement of the company or having been endorsed by the company. There is no affiliation between myself and the company. Trademark remains the property of its owner and is used here only to describe the product.

Tools To Make Big Mac Salad

Large Skillet – One of my faves! It has lasted for years and browns ground beef without sticking.
Blender – This high-powered blender is one of my go-to kitchen appliances. It will puree the salad dressing ingredients perfectly.

Big Mac Salad Recipe

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387 Comments

Christina
1 July 31, 2022Reply

I randomly came across this recipe over a year ago, and since then it has been a favourite in our house. I make it at least once a month, sometimes more. My kids literally cheer and dance when I say we are having this for dinner, lol. Thank you for such an easy, quick, and delicious recipe!!
Liz
0 November 20, 2023Reply

Delicious. Thanks for sharing. We made this recipe a couple of times now. Easy-breezy for those busy nights and way more nutritious than a big Mac:)
Allison Byczynski
0 October 29, 2023Reply

Love this recipe! I built it a little more like a burger, doing smashed patties on my grill pan. No tomatoes, added onion, to mimic the original. Other than that, same recipe and it was wonderful! Thank you!
Leah
0 September 23, 2023Reply

This salad is amazing! I just wish there were less ads on this site. Made it impossible to print off a recipe due to the immense amount of ads cutting up the recipes. 34 pages for 1 recipe with important parts of the recipe on more than half the pages.
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 September 25, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Leah, There is a print button at the top of the recipe card that will solve this problem.
Julie
0 September 9, 2023Reply

Really delicious! I think it tastes better than a Big Mac, you don’t miss the bun at all. I added appx. 1-2 TB. Avocado Oil to the dressing just to thin it out a bit. I’m definitely making this again!
W
0 August 29, 2023Reply

I’ve made this a few times, and have taken it to pool parties etc. The last time I made it, I doubled the recipe like this: 3 lbs ground beef. 2 cups + a little tomatoes (Roma), approx. 6 med-sz, diced, 1 brimming cup of pickles, 2 cups colby jack cheese – shredded, 1/2 cup Mexican Blend cheese – shredded, 2 cloves of garlic minced and also added some granulated onion. 2 fair sized heads of Romaine = about 2 qts of lettuce. The erythritol in the dressing for me, is to taste, and that can be determined by what kind of mood I’m in. One time I doubled the recipe and put in 4 tsp. The first time I made the recipe(as is) I put in 1 tsp of erythritol. So I guess it just depends on the day. Nonetheless, this is a great recipe
Katrina Miller
0 August 10, 2023Reply

Oh em gee! This is my FAVORITE! I have to admit I sometimes cheat and buy a thousand island dressing though. But the one in this recipe is delicious and keeps it low carb!
Kathleen Rankin
0 July 24, 2023Reply

It is really good. I didn’t have any plain sesame seeds so I used Everything but the Bagel. I will definitely be making this again.
Jessica
0 July 5, 2023Reply

The flavors in this salad bring back many happy childhood memories going through the McD’s drive through! It’s great being able to enjoy these flavors as often as I want, guilt-free.
Jenn
0 July 5, 2023Reply

I was getting tired of normal salads with chicken, and I wanted to switch it up. This recipe was so good, and did just that! I will be making it more in the future for my work lunches!
Shelby
0 July 5, 2023Reply

I love the comfort food flavor but the lightness of this salad, the perfect combo!
Sara
0 July 5, 2023Reply

Absolutely delicious!! And very easy to make. The dressing was amazing!
Lindsey
0 July 5, 2023Reply

This salad was super easy and delicious. I was looking for a fun, new way to use ground beef and this was a huge hit!
N
0 June 25, 2023Reply

This was delicious, I added a bit of onion powder and garlic powder when cooking the mince. The rest as documented. Thank you!
Garry Webb
0 June 15, 2023Reply

Amazing salad… great cure for junk food cravings…
Monique Roby
0 May 20, 2023Reply

It was missing something…so I added 1/8 tsp of Garlic Powder and 1/8 tsp Onion Powder. I also added salt to taste. Much Better!!!
Suzanne
0 May 14, 2023Reply

Very good! I did add about 1/4 cup sugar-free ketchup in the dressing, and abount 1/4 cup chopped onions to the salad. Very tasty, will be making again!