Big Mac Salad
The Big Mac’s creamy special sauce is the flavor that keeps people coming back to McDonald’s. This Big Mac Salad captures every element of the original burger: seasoned ground beef, crisp iceberg lettuce, tangy pickles, sharp onion, juicy tomatoes, and shredded cheese, all dressed in homemade special sauce. Making it at home costs less than the drive-through and gives you full control over every ingredient. It comes together in about 30 minutes of active time, making it an easy weeknight dinner or a fresh summer meal.
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Why this recipe is the perfect summer salad
You may not be able to order a Big Mac Burger Salad at your local McDonald’s, but you can turn everything people love about a Big Mac into a fork-friendly meal. This Big Mac Salad recipe combines savory ground beef, crisp iceberg lettuce, sharp diced onions, juicy tomatoes, tangy chopped pickles, and savory shredded cheese to capture the taste of the original burger. The creamy special sauce ties everything together and gives the salad that unmistakable fast-food flavor. The next time a burger craving hits, try this reduced-carb alternative instead.
Ingredients and their roles in this recipe
For the sauce for the Big Mac Salad Bowl recipe, you’ll need:
- Mayonnaise – the rich, creamy base of the Big Mac Sauce.
- Sweet pickle relish (Heinz India relish is preferred) – adds a sweet-tart kick and some texture to the sauce.
- Brown mustard (such as Guldens) – cuts through the richness of the mayo.
- White vinegar – boosts the sauce’s acidity to help balance the beef’s flavor.
- Sweet paprika – colors the sauce and gives it the instantly recognizable flavor.
- Onion powder – eliminates the sharpness of fresh onions without sacrificing the taste.
- Granulated garlic – once hydrated, the flavor of the granulated garlic becomes subtle but still present without overpowering the sauce.
- Ground white pepper – provides slight warmth without showing up in the sauce.
For this Big Mac Salad Bowl, you’ll need:
- Ground chuck, 80/20 works well here – this blend is inexpensive and delivers the ideal ratio of meat to fat to ensure the ground beef stays juicy.
- Salt – enhances the taste of the other ingredients.
- Ground black pepper – adds a slight warmth to the ground beef.
- Onion powder – provides the taste of onions without any of the sharpness.
- Garlic powder – gives the meat a savory depth.
- Iceberg lettuce, cut into strips – is the base of the salad and adds that extra crunch without much flavor. You can use any other type of lettuce if you prefer.
- Cheese, shredded – use American cheese for the authentic flavor, cheddar for a bite, or your favorite shredded cheese instead.
- Dill pickle, finely chopped – adds acidity that perks up the salad.
- White onion, finely chopped – provides a slight bite that helps balance the richness of the beef and the Big Mac sauce.
- Roma tomatoes, small-diced – add freshness and color to the salad.
- Big Mac sauce (see the included recipe) – dresses the salad with the secret burger sauce for that authentic flavor.
- Sesame seeds – replicate the bun’s flavor and add a slight nuttiness.
How to make a Big Mac Salad at home
To make the Big Mac sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until smooth.
- Stir until the sauce is smooth and well combined.
- Cover the bowl and chill for at least an hour to let the flavors come together and mellow.
To cook the ground beef:
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Crumble the ground beef into the skillet. Break up any large chunks with a cooking spoon.
- Sprinkle the beef with the salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Cook the beef until well browned, about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Pour off the grease, then spread the beef on a plate lined with a paper towel to cool for at least 10 minutes. While the beef cools, prepare the salad ingredients.
To finish the Big Mac Salad recipe:
- Fill the salad bowl halfway with the prepped iceberg lettuce.
- Spoon the cooled beef over the lettuce, and top with the remaining salad ingredients.
- Drizzle the Big Mac Sauce over the salad.
- Garnish with some sesame seeds and serve immediately.
What to serve with this dish
While this is a hearty salad, you may want to add a side dish or a refreshing drink to make it a complete meal. These are three options inspired by other fast food favorites.
Five Guys Cajun Fries – Five Guys’ fries are already legendary, but add Cajun seasoning, and you have something truly special. These fries are not super spicy, but they do have a bit of a spice kick, so they pair perfectly with a refreshing salad.
Homemade McDonald’s Sweet Tea – There’s nothing better when it is hot outside than a tall, ice-cold glass of Sweet Tea. This version from McDonald’s is easy to make and simple to customize to suit your taste.
Dirty Mountain Dew Baja Blast Dream Soda – Mountain Dew Baja Blast is already a favorite at Taco Bell, but making it “dirty” by adding a touch of cream, milk, and a dash of vanilla extract transforms it into a creamy, indulgent drink you’ll love.
Storing instructions
- Refrigerator Storage: Store each component separately in airtight containers. The chopped vegetables will stay fresh for up to 4 hours. The cooked ground beef keeps for up to 2 days. The Big Mac sauce keeps for up to 3 days. Do not store the assembled salad, as the sauce will saturate the lettuce and the vegetables will weep.
- Reheating Method: Reheat the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through. Assemble the salad fresh with cold vegetables and the reheated beef.
- Freezer Storage: Not recommended for assembled salad or fresh vegetables. The cooked beef can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The sauce should not be frozen, as the mayonnaise base will separate upon thawing.
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McDonald’s Big Mac Salad
Ingredients
Big Mac Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish Heinz India relish is preferred
- 2 tablespoons brown mustard such as Guldens
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Salad
- 1 pound 80/20 ground chuck
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 cups iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped dill pickles
- ¼ cup finely diced white onion
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- ½ cup Big Mac sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Big Mac Sauce at least 1 hour before serving for the best flavor.
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, brown mustard, white vinegar, paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, and ground white pepper.
- Season and brown the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound of 80/20 ground beef and break it into small crumbles. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Cook until browned with some crispy edges, about 7 to 8 minutes
- Drain excess grease and spread the meat on a plate to cool for 10 minutes — hot beef will wilt the lettuce.
- Prep the salad base: Add 8 cups of chopped iceberg lettuce to a large serving bowl, or divide among 4 individual bowls. The iceberg is key here — it gives you that signature Big Mac crunch and holds up under the warm beef.
- Layer the toppings: Arrange the cooled beef over the lettuce. Top with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup of chopped dill pickles, 1/4 cup of finely diced white onion, and 2 Roma tomatoes, diced. Keep the toppings in separate zones across the bowl for a classic deconstructed look.
- Drizzle 0.5 cups copycat Big Mac Sauce generously over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds to stand in for the sesame seed bun. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chilling the sauce for a full hour makes a noticeable difference. The onion powder and granulated garlic hydrate in the mayonnaise during that time, changing the flavor from sharp and distinct to smooth and blended. If you are pressed for time, 30 minutes is the minimum, but the result will not be quite as cohesive.
- Fully cooling the beef before assembly is what keeps the lettuce from wilting. The paper towel step removes excess grease, which would otherwise pool at the bottom of the bowl and make the salad heavy.
- If you want the cheese to melt onto the beef the way it does on the original burger, lay a slice of American cheese directly over the hot beef right after draining it from the skillet. The residual heat will melt it onto the meat, which you can then break apart and add to the salad.
REVEALED Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
yes, you CAN make it at home! I’ll show you how.