This tasty Big Mac Salad combines all the flavors of the iconic burger in salad form, with seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, onion, cheddar cheese, pickles, and special sauce dressing. It’s so tasty that you won’t even miss the bun.
You are going to love this easy and filling salad. It will remind you of everything you love about the Big Mac, right down to its classic sauce. It’s perfect for a hot summer night or a pool party. If carbs are not an issue, serve with loaded baked potatoes, sweet potato fries, or air-fryer potato wedges.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Ground beef: Use ground beef with a little fat. Fat is what gives the beef flavor.
- Lettuce: I use a combination of romaine (because it is sturdy and healthy) and iceberg lettuce, because it is the traditional lettuce on the Big Mac.
- Tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half. But you can use any sun-ripened, meaty tomato.
- Onion: Red onion or sweet yellow onion.
- Cheddar cheese: Use any cheddar, such as mild, sharp, or extra sharp.
- Pickles: Any type of pickle will work, but dill pickles are traditional.
- Sesame seeds: They are optional but recommended.
- White vinegar: You can substitute apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
How to Make Big Mac Salad
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
Stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, minced onion, yellow mustard, vinegar, and paprika in a medium bowl.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat and drain any excess fat. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. In a medium, dry skillet over medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and cook until golden brown and fragrant, shaking the skillet several times. Pour the sesame seeds into a small bowl to stop the cooking process.
Add the lettuce, ground beef mixture, tomatoes, red onion, cheddar cheese, and dill pickles to a large bowl. Sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.
Preparation Tips
- As you can see from the skillet, there is a little chopped onion in the ground beef. I had a little leftover from another recipe that I did not need, so I tossed it in there.
- Chop the lettuce into about 1/2 inch wide strips and then chop again in the other direction into large bite-sized pieces.
- If preparing ahead of time, use all Romaine lettuce (it will hold up better) and refrain from adding the dressing until ready to serve.
What to Serve With Big Mac Salad
- Soup: vegetable soup, minestrone soup, or potato leek soup.
- Sandwich: cucumber sandwich, tomato sandwich, or black bean burger
- Appetizer: potato skins, blooming onion, mozzarella sticks, or fried green beans
More Salad Recipes
Big Mac Salad
Ingredients
For the Big Mac Salad
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 medium head Romaine lettuce chopped
- ½ head iceberg lettuce chopped
- 1½ cups halved grape tomatoes
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
For the Secret Sauce Recipe
- ¾ cup mayonnise
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Stir the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, minced onion, yellow mustard, vinegar, and paprika in a medium bowl.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain any excess fat. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a medium, dry skillet over medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and cook until golden brown and fragrant, shaking the skillet several times. Pour the sesame seeds into a small bowl to stop the cooking process.
- Add the lettuce, ground beef mixture, tomatoes, red onion, cheddar cheese, and dill pickles to a large bowl. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to coat.
Notes
- As you can see from the skillet, there is a little chopped onion in the ground beef. I had a little leftover from another recipe that I did not need, so I tossed it in there.
- Chop the lettuce into about 1/2 inch wide strips and then chop again in the other direction into large bite-sized pieces.
- If preparing ahead of time, use all Romaine lettuce (it will hold up better) and refrain from adding the dressing until ready to serve.
Sonia S
This was so good! It’s like having a Big Mac without feeling heavy after. I’m all for anything that gives you those classic flavors in a fresh way. Adding this to my summer rotation list!