McDonald's Big Mac Salad
All the flavors of a classic Big Mac in a bowl: seasoned ground beef, iceberg lettuce, pickles, onion, tomatoes, cheese, and creamy homemade special sauce.
Servings 4
Calories 655kcal
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.
Recipe Tips
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 993mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1595IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 4mg
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