Whip up this simple keto ground beef cheeseburger salad when you crave a burger. It's called a Big Mac Salad because it was inspired by the popular fast-food hamburger. The taste is sure to satisfy any fast food cravings.
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Craving some keto McDonald’s foods? Why not try a ground beef salad instead. It’s an easy low carb meal idea that takes little time to prepare.
This Big Mac salad recipe starts with a garden salad base served with all your favorite burger add-ons. You'll find lean ground beef topped, chopped dill pickles, shredded cheddar cheese and a drizzling of Thousand Island style Big Mac sauce.
If you take away the sesame seed bun and special sauce, the burger patty sandwich is generally safe for a keto diet. I’m not sure how many carbs the Big Mac sauce adds. But it is a bit sweet so I’m sure there’s sugar in it. Here’s how to recreate the burger into a low-carb salad.
Ingredients
All of the ingredient amounts for my keto Big Mac salad recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
There are two parts to this recipe – the salad itself and the salad dressing. The surprising thing is that even with the huge list of ingredients in it, there are only 2 grams of net carbs in each serving of salad! This salad makes 8 servings, so it’s perfect for meal prep.
I used lots of the same ingredients that you might find on your favorite cheeseburger. There are dill pickles, sliced or diced onions, crisp iceberg lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, ground beef, and lots of spices.
Then, I made my own version of a McDonald’s Big Mac salad dressing. I used a combination of the following sauce ingredients:
- Tomato Paste
- Mayonnaise
- Sour Cream
- Spices - Sage, Oregano, Basil, Cayenne Pepper
- Sugar Substitute
- Salt and Pepper
Quick tips
- Sweetener is optional – I don’t care for sweet dressings so I didn’t add any sweetener to the sauce drizzled on this salad. But, you can add a bit of stevia and or monk fruit extract if you’d like.
- Add cayenne pepper for kick – I added some optional cayenne pepper to the dressing to spice it up a notch. It gives this Big Mac salad a nice kick. I also added some tomatoes for color.
Instructions
Other than cooking the ground beef mixture, the salad comes together quickly. It should take no more than twenty minutes to make the Big Mac dressing and assemble the whole low carb hamburger salad in a big salad bowl.
To start, ground beef is sautéed with onions and garlic in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Then the meat is seasoned with herbs and spices.
While the meat is cooking, I’ll whisk up the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. That way, the flavors have a chance to blend before drizzling over the salad.
I also get the Big Mac salad mixture ready in a large bowl or platter as the meat cooks. It’s just chopped greens and sliced tomato.
When the meat is cooked, it’s sprinkled over the salad. Then I add the toppings on top of the ground beef crumbles. These include pickles, freshly grated cheddar cheese, and red onions.
In the past, I would make my low carb hamburger salad by just placing a grilled burger on top. However, I like how the loose ground meat is spread throughout the dish.
Variations
The special sauce dressing that tops this keto Big Mac salad has great flavor. I prefer it over the special sauce that’s used for the original fast food hamburger. However, you can just use a regular Thousand Island dressing or a Russian Dressing if you prefer
I’m not an onion fan. But the original Big Mac calls for onions, I decided to add it. I used red onion on top and regular white in the meat mixture. But feel free to leave the onions out as they do add in some carbs. Or, you can use onion powder instead.
I top the low carb cheeseburger salad with freshly shredded cheddar cheese. McDonald's Big Mac uses American cheese which is a processed cheese and I avoid using it. However, you can top the salad off with any cheese you like.
FAQs
Before you get to the recipe further below, read through these common questions and see if it’s one you might have had too.
I prefer to use a liquid sweetener in the creamy Big Mac salad dressing because it mixes in better. Liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener are both my top choices.
My calculations of 2 grams net carbs per serving are based on using about 2 tablespoons of the Big Mac salad dressing per person.
Salads are an excellent choice for meal prepping and this recipe is no different. The best way to store it is in a sealed container and storing the dressing separately. The salad will last about 5 days in the refrigerator.
Related recipes
If you enjoy this Big Mac bowl recipe, you may want a few more ideas for low-carb salads? They are so easy to prepare and will keep you feeling full. These are some of my favorites.
- Cobb Salad made with chicken, bacon, and avocado tastes just like the one from your favorite restaurant.
- Taco Salad is a classic and this low-carb version will fulfill those cravings for spicy and salty foods.
- Sunomono Japanese Cucumber salad is light and tangy and a refreshing way to eat fresh cucumbers.
- Mock Low-Carb Potato Salad tastes just like your classic potato salad, but with a lot fewer carbs.
- Keto Broccoli Salad has the added bonus of bacon! Enjoy the creamy dressing on other salad ideas too.
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Recipe
Big Mac Salad
Video
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 ⅓ pounds ground beef about 600 grams
- ½ small onion chopped (optional)
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground oregano
- ¼ teaspoon marjoram
- ⅛ teaspoon chili pepper (optional)
- 12 ounces lettuce greens
- 2 spears dill pickles diced
- 3 small tomatoes sliced (optional)
- ¾ cup cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 small red onion sliced (optional)
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper to taste
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing
Dressing :
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons water
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup sour cream
- ⅛ teaspoon ground sage
- ⅛ teaspoon ground oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon dried basil
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- low carb sugar substitute (if desired)
- salt & ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Dressing:
- Dilute tomato paste in water and add some sweetener (if desired). Add mayonnaise and sour cream. Season with sage, oregano, basil, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- In a slightly greased skillet, sauté onions until translucent over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté for a few minutes without burning. Add lean ground meat then season with thyme, oregano and marjoram. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Add a little chili pepper for some heat. Thoroughly cook beef. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towel. Set aside.
Assemble Salad:
- Cover platter with greens. Layer cooked beef, chopped greens - lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, dill pickles and top with cheddar cheese. Drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
Updated on December 9, 2020, with additional recipe tips and clearer images. Originally published on May 5, 2017.
Traci K Stevenson
I sprinkle toasted sesame seed in the salad to mimic the bun.
Debra
This was REALLY good! I think if someone wanted to meal prep this would be a good mason jar meal prep recipe. From bottom to top layer dressing, tomatoes, pickles, onion, lettuce, seasoned meat and end with cheese. Thanks for a great recipe!
Anita Bell
I made the Big Mac Salad for dinner. And I was amazed at the flavor tasting some much like the Big Mac sandwich! I loved it and will make it again and again. Thank you Ms Lisa for a fabulous low carb salad recipe.????
Zsu
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It was so delicious, we loved that!
Dianne
So easy to make and my husband and I loved the taste. The dill pickles make it...
San
We enjoyed it! We didn’t have dill pickles so used relish! Was delicious! Definitely making again!
Kim
What is your fav really low carb dessert ? I have been doing the cake in a cup but it is so dry ! I’m a fan of fat bombs also but would love something new !
Lisa MarcAurele
I really like simple treats like keto chocolate mousse. One of the easiest and best tasting chocolate desserts.
Leslie Cain
OMG, why didnt I try this sooner!?
Its yummy and sure satisfies the tastes buds taste for a Big Mac.
I love the dressing.
It's the first time I've had burger meat in a long and I was wondering if you could use gr turkey with success.time
Lisa MarcAurele
Ground turkey is always an option.
Angie Peck
I have to say I just tried this and was awesome. I did not add the sweetener but the dressing was a huge success. Even my son how does not eat onions loved it.
Thanks for the recipe.
Monique
I am going to make this tonight but don't see and fiber count in the nutrition section. Did I miss it?
Lisa MarcAurele
The calculation showed zero so it won't show anything there.
Sandra
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I loved it!! Great recipe
Michele
The special sauce that McDonald's uses is nothing more than Thousand Island salad dressing.
Lisa
That's why this recipe is so much better!
Brandon Ramos
It's really not Thousand Island dressing though.
Lynne Crosby
Yum Yum Yum Thanks for the great recipe!!!
Lisa
You're welcome Lynne!
Rcab
This is a great recipe! Because we ate at different times i put the toppings in separate bowls and each person assembled thei own. If its your only course at dinner then i'd say it serves 5-6.
Rachelle
I just saw an actual McDonalds chef make a Big Mac at home. The sauce is actually made of mayo, yellow mustard, garlic powder and paprika. No sugar. I was surprised too.
Lisa
That is surprising. It's a sweet sauce so maybe they use a mayo that has added sugar.
Jalebi
No sugar, but they add sweet relish, which has a lot of sugar in it
Kris Ackerman
Loved this recipe!!! Thank you!
Lisa
You're welcome Kris!
Kris Ackerman
I had this for supper and since I’m doing 24 hour intermittent fasting, I had a larger portion than suggested. It was soooooo Good and filling as well! Thank you!
Kris
Lisa
Thanks for letting us know how much you enjoyed the salad! Good luck with the IF.
Carey
Can you refrigerate this sauce?
Lisa
I don't see why not.
Kim Jones
Is this good leftovet? I am trying to find new lunch options..
Lisa
You may want to keep the toppings separate to take to lunch.
Lisa
That looks awesome!
Michelle
Could you use Greek yogurt instead of the mayo?
Lisa
I think it would be okay.
Alicia
Delicious! Thanks ?
Lisa
You're welcome Alicia!