Ever wish you could enjoy all the flavors of a Big Mac without the drive-thru (or the heavy feeling afterward)? This Big Mac bowl has everything you love about the classic burger, just lightened up and served as a fresh, protein-packed salad.
While I have nothing against an occasional drive-thru trip or homemade burger, a heavy, greasy dinner doesn’t always sit well with me. This healthy Big Mac bowl is my go-to when I’m craving a burger but want something quick, balanced, and energizing.
With seasoned lean ground beef, crisp romaine, tangy pickles, melty cheddar, and a creamy “special” cheeseburger salad dressing, I think this tastes better than the real deal, and it takes only 20 minutes to throw together.
A cheeseburger salad bowl is perfect for a weeknight dinner, meal prep lunch, or even a family-friendly meal everyone can customize.
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Why a Big Mac bowl is my favorite cheeseburger salad
- A veggie-packed meal: As a dietitian, I’m convinced that the one thing we could all use a little more of in our lives is veggies. This burger salad has plenty of leafy greens, tomatoes, and onions.
- Perfect for meal prep. Brown your burger, mix the dressing, and chop your veggies up to 3 days in advance to enjoy this burger salad in just minutes.
- Balanced and filling. With lean ground beef, cheese, and Greek yogurt-based dressing, each serving has 38 grams of protein to keep you full and satisfied.
- Customizable. Add or swap toppings to match your mood or what you have in the fridge. This can be a great “clean out the fridge” option to use up bits and pieces of foods like onions, bacon, tomatoes, pickles, peppers, and more.
- Low-carb dinner. If you’re looking for a low-carb burger salad or low-carb Big Mac bowl, this one has just 15 grams of carbohydrates without sacrificing taste. And if you like a little more carb with your meal (like I often do), just serve it with a side of fruit, glass of milk, or a little dessert afterward!
Key Ingredients
- Lean ground beef: I like 90% lean for plenty of flavor without too much grease, but use what you prefer. You can also use ground chicken or turkey if you’d like.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper: Simple seasonings that bring out that classic burger flavor.
- Romaine lettuce: Crisp, fresh, and perfect for holding all the toppings. I like romaine since it has a good crunch to it, but you can use any type of leafy green you’d like.
- Cheddar cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar gives you that melty, cheesy Big Mac vibe. I use pre-shredded to make things easy, but you can shred your own for an even creamier melt and flavor.
- Pickles: Diced pickles add the tangy crunch. I’m a big pickle fan, so we don’t skimp on these!
- Cherry tomatoes: A juicy, fresh twist that brightens up the bowl. I like cherry or grape since I can just halve them and toss them in, but use a garden tomato or roma tomato if that’s what you have.
- Onions: Diced raw onions really make this taste like a cheeseburger. You can skip them if you prefer or use red onion for a mild, sweeter flavor.
For the cheeseburger salad dressing:
- Greek yogurt: As a base, this adds creaminess and protein without the extra fat and calories that mayo has. If you want it a little richer, sub in a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise.
- Ketchup and yellow mustard: The classic combo that all burgers (salads, bowls, or in a bun) require.
- Minced pickles + pickle juice: Gives the dressing a tangy flavor.
- Onion powder + smoked paprika: Adds depth and a touch of smokiness.
- Sugar: Just a little to balance the tang and keep it true to the “special sauce” flavor.
How to make a Big Mac salad bowl
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper over medium heat (7–10 minutes). Drain excess grease if needed.
When beef is browning, make the dressing by whisking all the sauce ingredients together until smooth.
Divide the lettuce into bowls and top with cooked beef, cheese, pickles, onions, and tomatoes.
Spoon the cheeseburger salad dressing over the top before serving.
How to make this recipe even easier
Want to make this burger salad, but need it to be even easier? I got you! Here are some of my favorite time-saving tips:
- Use pre-shredded lettuce or a bagged salad mix.
- Swap diced pickles or pickle relish.
- Use a store-bought burger sauce.
- Batch cook ground beef for other recipes during the week.
- Prep all of the ingredients and serve them deconstructed out of the containers so that everyone can make their salad bowls exactly how they like them and save on dishes.
Variations
- Swap the meat: Instead of ground beef, use ground chicken, ground turkey, or make it a vegetarian burger bowl with a plant-based burger or black beans.
- Lower Carb Burger Bowl: An entire salad and serving of the dressing is just 15 grams of carbs, but you can cut that down by skipping the sugar in the dressing and using a sugar-free ketchup.
- Make it balanced: While this burger salad skips out on the bun, you can add plenty of satisfying complex carbs by serving it with homemade baked sweet potato or regular fries or a scoop of brown rice.
How to store this recipe
You can prep and store all of the ingredients up to 4 days ahead of time, just keep them separate in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
The dressing can be prepped ahead of time and kept for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
If you want your salad cold, simply add the cold, cooked ground beef and enjoy. Otherwise, add it to a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds or until warmed, then add it to your bowl.
What to serve with a Big Mac bowl
This burger salad bowl is a hearty meal all on its own, but you can round it out with any of these healthy sides:
- Crispy oven fries or sweet potato fries
- Roasted veggies like cauliflower and carrots
- A fresh fruit salad
- Apple slices
Recipe
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
For the Bowl
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bag 8-10 oz shredded romaine
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup diced pickles
- ½ cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup diced onions
For the Cheeseburger Salad Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons minced pickles
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper over medium heat (about 7-10 minutes). Drain excess grease if needed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad by dividing the lettuce into bowls and topping with the cooked ground beef, cheese, pickles, onions, and tomatoes.
- Drizzle the Cheeseburger Salad Dressing on top.
Nutrition
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