You know that craving. The one where you want a Big Mac... but you also want to feel like you made a responsible life choice. Enter the Big Mac salad burger bowl recipe! All the classic, iconic toppings, like savory seasoned ground beef and creamy homemade Big Mac sauce, are served over crisp iceberg lettuce instead of in a bun. It's basically fast food meets whole food choices that you don't have to feel guilty about.
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If you loved these Big Mac salad burger bowls, you'll probably want to try my other burger-inspired favorites, too! My Big Mac smash tacos bring that same saucy, nostalgic flavor all wrapped in a crispy tortilla, and my copycat Big Mac sauce is perfect for drizzling on everything from lettuce wraps to sweet potato fries. And if you love regular burgers, try these fully loaded deluxe beef burgers for another delicious option.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These Big Mac bowls are ready in 20 minutes or less, super easy to customize, and perfect for weekday meal prep!
- All the classic Big Mac flavors are packed into a burger bowl, without the bun, but don't forget the roasted sesame seeds for that iconic burger flavor.
- Big Mac salad is made with budget-friendly, pantry staple ingredients. Even the ingredients for the Big Mac sauce are all staple ingredients!
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What Is A Big Mac SaLad Bowl?
A Big Mac salad is inspired by the famous burger from the Golden Arches (you know the one!). These burger bowls are a bun-free version made with all the same iconic toppings, served over lettuce greens, complete with toasted sesame seeds and Big Mac sauce for the full, authentic experience.
This style of "burger bowl" has become especially popular for those looking for an easy meal prep option or simply a lighter way to enjoy comfort food flavors. While it is inspired by the original Big Mac, this version is completely homemade and easy to customize to your family's preferences.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Ground Beef - Ground beef can be substituted for ground chicken, ground turkey or crumbled sausage. No matter what you decide to use, use the same seasonings.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds - These are totally optional. They are sprinkled on top of the salad bowl at the end to give it that slight sesame taste and for authenticity, as if you were eating the true burger on a sesame seed bun.
- Big Mac Sauce - This is the iconic sauce that you know and love, and what truly makes it Big Mac style, but it can be substituted for any salad dressing of your choice.
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Easy Recipe Variations
- Add Roasted Broccoli - Add crispy roasted broccoli to these bowls for some extra toppings and to make these burger salad bowls more filling.
- Deluxe Salad Bowls - Add diced tomatoes, extra cheese, spinach, grilled shrimp, or shredded roast chicken.
- Make It Spicy - Make these Big Mac burger bowls spicy by adding sriracha, pickled jalapeños, or red chili flakes.
- Garlic Shrimp - Add some succulent garlic buttered shrimps to these salad bowls for a mouth-watering touch.
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Step-By-Step Instructions
Cook The Beef
In a large fry pan, add the ground beef and break it apart using a wooden spoon. Cook until the beef is fully browned. Drain any excess fat, and then stir in the Worchestershire sauce, cumin, onion powder, salt and pepper. Cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Let the beef cool slightly before adding it to the burger bowls.
Assemble The Bowls
In four large bowls, divide the lettuce, pickles, cooked ground beef, cheese and onions.
Adding The Toppings
Top each Big Mac burger bowl with Big Mac sauce and toasted sesame seeds.
Serve Big Mac burger salad bowls with a side of homemade garlic bread, baked sweet potato fries, or Gouda mac and cheese.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Let the ground beef cool for 5 minutes before adding it to the salad bowls to avoid the lettuce from getting warm and going soggy.
- Chop the lettuce very finely. This way, it is easier to stir the salad and get all of the ingredients distributed evenly.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for the best texture.
- If you're making these salads for meal prep, keep the Big Mac sauce on the side in a separate container.
How To Store Leftovers
Store leftover Big Mac salad separately from the sauce to prevent the lettuce from turning soggy.
Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days (with sauce on the side) or 24 hours (if the sauce is on the salad).
Frequently Asked Questions
You can buy toasted sesame seeds at some grocery stores, usually in the international aisle. Or, you can make your own toasted sesame seeds by adding regular sesame seeds to a small frying pan and toasting them over medium heat for around 5 minutes. They burn very easily, so you have to keep a close eye on them and remove them from the heat immediately, as soon as they turn golden brown.
Yes, yes, yes! These Big Mac salad bowls are the bomb for meal prep! All you have to do is make sure the beef is fully cooked and has cooled completely before building the burger bowls. Keep the sauce on the side. Stored correctly, these bowls will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, ground turkey is a leaner option.
More Salad Bowls
Looking for more salad bowl recipes like this? Try these:
If you made these Big Mac Salad Burger Bowls or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating, a 💬 comment and share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook!
📖 Recipe
Big Mac Salad Burger Bowl Recipe
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Frying Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
- 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 2 teaspoons Worchestershire Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 1 large head Iceburg Lettuce finely sliced
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- ½ medium White Onion finely diced
- 2-3 large Dill Pickles chopped
- 1 recipe Big Mac Sauce
- Toasted Sesame Seeds optional, for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned. Drain any excess grease, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce, cumin, onion powder, salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes, until the beef is fully cooked. Let the cooked beef cool slightly before adding it to the salads.
- To assemble the salads, divide the chopped lettuce between four bowls. Top with the ground beef, diced onions, pickles, shredded cheese and a generous drizzle of Big Mac sauce. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if using, and serve immediately.
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Notes
- Ground Beef: Can be substituted for ground chicken, ground turkey or crumbled sausage.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: Buy them at almost any grocery store or make your own by toasting plain sesame seeds in a frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes. They burn very easily, so keep a close eye on them as they toast.
- Big Mac Sauce: This is the iconic Big Mac sauce that you know and love, but any salad dressing can be used in its place, if you prefer.
- Use 2-4 Tablespoons of Big Mac salad dressing for each salad.
- More Addins: Include roasted broccoli, fresh tomatoes, extra cheese, spinach, grilled shrimp, shredded chicken or sriracha to make the bowls spicy.
- Let the ground beef cool slightly before adding it to the salad bowls to prevent the lettuce from going slimy. If you are meal prepping, make sure the beef has cooled completely before adding it.
- Use freshly shredded cheese for the best texture, as pre-shredded cheese tends to be grainy.
- Meal Prep: If you are meal prepping these burger bowls, make sure the ground beef has fully cooled before adding it to the salad and keep the sauce on the side.
- Store leftover Big Mac burger salad bowls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If the sauce has already been added to the salad, only store it for up to 24 hours, if the sauce is on the side, store the bowls for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Jessica says
Big Mac burger bowls, without the bun! These salads are so fun, and we all loved them. I hope that you like the recipe too!
Mimi B says
Made the Big Mac salad bowl for our Friday night dinner. It was fantastic! Made the recipe as is. Didn’t change a thing. Will definitely keep this recipe to make again. Thank you.
Jessica says
Yay! We are so happy that you loved the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!