Big Mac Bowl
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Save time and money by making a Big Mac bowl for dinner. This wholesome meal is like a healthy version of a McDonald’s burger with toppings and special sauce, but no bun!
It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a traditional McDonald’s Big Mac sandwich, but that nostalgic flavor is unforgettable. There’s a reason those flavors are so popular! This burger bowl recipe replicates the taste of a classic Big Mac but it’s healthier.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This Big Mac salad recipe is a healthier alternative to fast food burgers, yet it lacks nothing in the flavor department.
From the flavorful hamburger meat and tart dill pickles to the homemade special sauce, this easy recipe is a winner through and through. This family-friendly dish that is fabulous for a quick lunch or dinner, especially when I want to get everyone to eat more veggies.
Better yet, you can have this meal ready in just a half hour! No more worrying about how to get dinner on the table on busy weeknights.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Wow this is really tasty. Made it last night for my mom who is kinda picky and my husband that grew up eating Big Mac’s. They both loved it. Thanks for the great recipe.
–Joi
For busy moms, one of the biggest benefits of this Big Mac salad recipe is that it’s meal prep friendly! Simply cook the meat and prep the veggies on Sunday afternoon, then store them in the fridge to build out the bowls later in the week!
Serve this Big Mac bowl with homemade fries or frozen French fries cooked in the air fryer and you’ll think you’re digging into that classic McDonald’s meal. The difference is, you won’t regret the calorie count later!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are the important, mom-tested cooking tips for making the burger bowls. I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Use lean ground sirloin to prevent the salad from being greasy.
- Season the ground beef well when cooking, so that every single bite has flavor.
- Add dressing to each burger bowl at the dinner table. This will prevent any leftover salad from becoming soggy in the fridge.
Ingredients
You will notice that some of these ingredients aren’t part of a McDonald’s Big Mac—this is why I call it a Big Mac salad bowl! The air fryer bacon adds extra protein, and avocado is a common salad ingredient that adds healthy fat to the meal.
Ingredient Substitutions and Big Mac Bowl Variations
Lean ground sirloin: I suggest using a 90/10 or 85/15 blend of hamburger meat. Good substitutes are ground turkey or ground chicken.
Romaine lettuce: Use any kind of lettuce that you enjoy! Mixed greens, baby spinach, or even iceberg lettuce.
Mayo: Homemade avocado mayo will add a lot of extra flavor to the special sauce.
While it’s quicker to use thousand island dressing instead of making the Big Mac special sauce, trust me, it’s worth the time to make it! The flavor is much better than thousand island dressing, and it truly completes the dish.
Shredded cheddar cheese: Feel free to use a different type of cheese, or omit it altogether to make your big mac bowls dairy-free.
Bacon: Instead of pork bacon, you can cook turkey bacon in the air fryer, or to save time, use bacon bits.
Customize the salad with the ingredients your family likes. There are an endless amount of delicious topping ideas.
How to Make a Big Mac Bowl
This is only a summary of the steps. For the full instructions, see the recipe card! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Then, drain off any excess grease.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy, or make air fryer bacon. Transfer it to a paper towel lined plate to remove some of the fat.
- Clean and prep the salad ingredients. If you won’t be serving the meal right away, refrigerate the ingredients in a meal prep container.
- Make the special sauce. Stir or whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Build the Big Mac Bowls. Divide the lettuce among four large bowls and top with beef and all the toppings, sprinkle with sesame seeds, add some secret sauce and enjoy!
Not a fan of salads? Serve this tasty burger bowl over rice or cauliflower rice instead. It would also be tasty over spaghetti squash!
How to Store Leftover Burger Bowls
For best results, store the ingredients separately. The salad greens can be stored with the other veggies, but keep the cooked meat and sauce in separate airtight containers. The cooked ground beef will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
The veggies usually keep well in the fridge for a few days.
Special sauce will last in the fridge for a few weeks. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container for the best results!
Big Mac Bowl Recipe FAQs
This recipe is low in carbs and high in protein, plus the benefits from all of the veggies. It is much healthier than a big mac burger from the drive-thru!
After you make it, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it went!
Big Mac Bowl
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 6 slices bacon optional
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ¼ large red onion
- ½ cup sliced pickles
- ½ cup diced tomatoes optional
- 1 avocado optional
- ½ cup Big Mac sauce or thousand island dressing
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking it apart and turning often as it cooks, until browned.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper and continue to cook until cooked through. Optionally, you can drain off some of the rendered fat.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate until you're ready to assemble the Big Mac bowls.
- Prep the salad ingredients: Chop the lettuce, cut the bacon into bite sized pieces, peel and and dice the onion. If using, dice the tomatoes and peel, pit and chop the avocado.
- Stir or whisk the Big Mac sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. ⅓ cup mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons pickle relish, 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes, and salt and pepper to your taste.
- Divide the lettuce among four large bowls. Top with beef and all other toppings. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition shown includes optional avocado, tomato, and bacon. Without those optional ingredients, one 3-cup serving of the burger salad has approximately 335 calories.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
While this hamburger salad is a meal all on its own. I do love to pair it with some yummy side dishes. Air fryer potato slices and roasted air fryer baby potatoes are the perfect side dish.
Or, go the French fry route with some sweet potato fries or potato wedges! And since this is the perfect summer time meal, I like to serve it with an ice cold glass of peach lemonade.
Wow this is really tasty. Made it last night for my mom who is kinda picky and my husband that grew up eating Big Mac’s. They both loved it. Thanks for the great recipe.