If you’re following the keto diet and missing fast food Big Macs then you will LOVE this Keto Big Mac Salad 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 salad dressing.

What’s not to love?

You get all the flavors found in the burger without all the carbs in the bun.

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.

Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe

hands holding a bowl of big mac salad

Ingredients for Keto Big Mac Salad:

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

  • Ground beef
  • Lettuce
  • Sugar free pickles
  • Onions
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Sesame seeds
  • Salt and pepper

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

  • Mayonnaise
  • Mustard
  • Sugar free pickles
  • Onions
  • White Vinegar
  • Sugar free sweetener

If you’re missing fast food burgers then give this recipe a try.

Directions: to make Keto Big Mac Salad:

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

Cut the lettuce into thin shreds. Finely dice the onions and pickles.

Prepare the Big Mac special sauce (get the recipe here).

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.

bowl full of Big Mac Salad

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.

keto big mac salad in meal prep container

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 prepared 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.

ground beef being browned in pan

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.

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.

Try this recipe and love it? Review it by clicking the star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on the recipe card! This helps other readers to find this recipe since the recipe rating will encourage search engines, such as Google, to suggest it to others. This helps support Remake My Plate as we are a reader supported publication.

big mac salad

Big Mac Salad

If you're missing your favorite fast food burgers then you will LOVE this recipe!
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Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: big mac salad, Low carb hamburger salad
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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 691kcal

Ingredients

Salad

  • 16 ounces lean ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 8 cups lettuce, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 cup Onions
  • 1/3 cup sugar free pickles

Sauce / Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sugar free pickles
  • 4 teaspoons mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Onions
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoons erythritol
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

Make the sauce/dressing

  • Mix all of the sauce/dressing ingredients together.
  • Place in refrigerator for an hour to allow flavors to blend.

Prepare the beef

  • In a skillet, over medium heat, brown the ground beef.
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the salad

  • Prepare the salad ingredients by chopping the lettuce, finely slicing the onion and dicing the pickles.
  • When you are ready to prepare the salad start by placing the lettuce in the serving bowls.
  • Divide the onion and pickles between the bowls.
  • Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top.
  • Divide the browned beef between the bowls.
  • Drizzle 1/4 of the sauce/dressing over the top.
  • Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.

Notes

Lettuce – nutritional information was calculated using Iceberg but you can also use romaine lettuce as well.
Sweetener – I used Swerve but you can replace it with your choice of sugar free sweetener.

Nutrition

Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 58g | Fiber: 2g
Did you try this recipe?Before you go why not click the stars at the top of the recipe to rate it. This helps other readers to find this recipe since the recipe rating will encourage search engines, such as Google, to suggest it to others. Check out all the easy to make recipes at RemakeMyPlate.com!

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Big Mac Salad Pin 2

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