Easy Big Mac Bowl (Salad, Low Carb, Keto)

This mouthwatering recipe is sure to become a regular addition to your meal rotation: the Big Mac Bowl! Imagine all the delicious flavors of the iconic McDonald’s Big Mac, reimagined into a hearty, deconstructed bowl.

This recipe is perfect for meal prepping, a quick family dinner, or try doubling the recipe to make a unique salad bowl to bring to your next family gathering or cookout. This recipe combines seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, tangy pickles, shredded cheese, and our special homemade Big Mac sauce. It’s a low-carb, gluten-free alternative that doesn’t skimp on taste. Get ready to indulge in this easy to make Big Mac salad that’s just as satisfying as the burger but made right in your own kitchen!

Easy to make Big Mac Bowl

If you’re following a low carb or keto diet and missing fast food Big Macs then you will LOVE this Big Mac Bowl recipe. This recipe is so easy to make and it tastes exactly like the fast food burger minus the bun. We’ve even got a special sauce recipe that you can whip up to use as

The recipe is also perfect for meal prepping and freezer meals. While you can’t freeze the finished salad (lettuce and mayonnaise don’t do well in the freezer) the part of the meal that takes the longest to prepare, (the cooked ground beef) is perfect for prepped meals.

Ingredients for a Big Mac Bowl:

There’s a good chance you might have all these ingredients already in your kitchen.

• Ground beef – use lean ground beef for a traditional Big Mac Burger flavor. You can swap it out for ground chicken, ground turkey or your favorite type of ground meat.

• Lettuce – I’ve used Ice Berg lettuce for this recipe. It’s the same type used in the store bought burgers. You can swap it out for crisp Romaine lettuce if you prefer.

• Dill Pickles – if you want to keep this recipe low carb then choose a brand of sugarfree pickles.

• Onions – use white onion for their mild flavor. If preferred you can also use a sweet Vidalia onion or even a red onion.

• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese is my preferred type of cheese. If you want a milder cheese flavor try American cheese.

• Sesame Seeds – a sprinkle of sesame seeds will remind you of the traditional sesame seed bun used for the store bought burgers.

• Salt and Black Pepper – this adds flavor to the cooked ground beef.

The special sauce is also made from ingredients usually found in most refrigerators stocked with low carb friendly items:

• Mayonnaise – this is the base of the special sauce.

• Yellow Mustard – you’ll want to use yellow mustard over other types of mustard.

• Sugar free pickles – If you don’t have pickles to chop up for the special sauce then use your favorite sugarfree sweet pickle relish.

• Onions – the sauce uses a bit of finely diced white onion.

• White Vinegar – this adds some tang to the special sauce.

• Sugar free sweetener – the special sauce includes a bit of sweetener but you can leave this out if you use sweet pickle relish.

Optional ingredients: we sometimes like to include some other ingredients in this delicious bowl recipe making it more like cheeseburger salad bowl. One item we enjoy on our burgers are tomatoes. Try including diced fresh tomato or cherry tomatoes / grape tomatoes sliced in half in your bowl.

To make Big Mac Burger Bowls:

Prepare the ground beef. Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Use a spatula to break up the beef as it cooks. Add salt and black pepper to taste to the ground beef.

Prep the other ingredients for the salad. Cut the lettuce into thin shreds. Finely dice the onions and pickles.

Prepare the Big Mac special sauce (get the recipe here) in a small bowl.

Put the salad together by layering in a bowl in the following order: shredded lettuce, ground beef, diced onion, cheese, special sauce, pickles and sprinkle some sesame seeds over the top.

You can use shredded cheddar cheese or slices of American cheese. Both taste delicious on the salad.

Meal Prep and Freezer Tips for Keto Big Mac Salad

Meal Prep Tips:

This salad makes a tasty meal prep meal. Use your favorite meal prep container and start by layering the shredded lettuce in the container.

Top with the browned ground beef, diced onions and pickles. Add shredded cheese. Drizzle the special sauce over the top. Sprinkle with a bit of sesame seeds.

Cover and store the prepped salads in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezer Meal Tips:

You can’t freeze the whole salad but you can prep and freeze the most time consuming part of the meal….. the cooked ground beef.

Start by browning the beef in a skillet or large pot.

If I’m meal prepping multiple batches I will sometimes include the onion in the beef as I cook it. If you don’t care for the taste of raw onions but enjoy the flavor that it adds to food then this is a great way to include them with the meal.

In the picture above I’m cooking three pounds of ground beef and have included the onions. Two pounds will be meal prepped for Keto Big Mac salads and the third will be used for a different meal.

Once the beef is browned drain the excess fat off and allow to cool. Place the cooled, cooked meat into a freezer bag or container, seal and lay flat in the freezer.

TIP: don’t forget to mark your bag or container with the date and the name of what is in it. No one likes to be surprised by discovering mystery items in the freezer.

How to store this Big Mac Bowl:

You can store the ingredients for this recipe separately or as the already made bowl.

If storing separately the cooked ground beef should be kept in a airtight container for up to 5 days.

The special sauce can be stored in a separate container for up to two weeks. You can use it to top your burgers or on top of other salads.

Store the finished, made Big Mac Bowls for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You’ll want to eat it before the lettuce starts becoming soft and turning brown.

Is Big Mac Salad Keto?

Yes, this recipe and the special sauce recipe have been created to be low in carbs. This makes it a great meal for anyone following a keto or low carb diet.

Can I use store bought Thousand Island Dressing?

You can if you want to but it will contain more carbs then making your own special Big mac sauce. Always check the label to be sure of how many net carbs is in each serving. Not sure how to find the net carbs on the label? Then read this post about using the nutritional facts label to determine if something is keto friendly.

Is a Big Mac without the bun keto friendly?

Let’s face it. Fast food isn’t the best for you but sometimes you need something fast and quick. If you go the fast food route then there are a few things you can do to lower the carbs in your meal. First thing is to get rid of the bun. Most of the carbs in a Big Mac comes from the triple layered bun. What you’re left with is the two burger patties, lettuce, sauce, pickles and onions. The remaining carbs come from the sauce.

Here’s what the final nutritional count is for a Big Mac without the bun: 7g total carbs, 6g net carbs, 25g fat, 18g protein, and 330 calories.

Pass on the restaurant Big Mac (even if you remove the bun) and make your own. You’ll get more protein, a variety of veggies, no added sugars and you’ll have a meal that will keep you feeling full longer.

If you love burgers why not try this burger recipe (served over salad greens or wrapped in lettuce leaves instead of a bun):

Cilantro Lime Chicken Burgers

Here’s some other delicious Keto Burger Recipes that you’ll love!

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