Big Mac in a Bowl (or Salad) - Recipe Diaries (2024)

Published: Apr 17, 2019 · Modified: Jul 7, 2023 by Jenna · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

Big Mac in a Bowl - all your favorite flavors of Mcdonald’s Big Mac burger combined into a salad. It is loaded with ground beef, tomatoes, pickles, cheese, onions, and topped off with some Light thousand island dressing. Low Carb and Weight Watcher friendly!

I’ve been seeing this recipe for Big Mac Salad pop up on Instagram a lot lately and had to try it for myself and it did not disappoint! The whole entire salad is only 5 smart points and can be easily meal prepped for lunches. Some sesame seed bun croutons would be really good on top of this salad but I didn’t have any. Noted for when I make this recipe again. 🙂

If you love salads for lunch try my recipe for Big Mac Tacos, Strawberry Poppyseed Salad or Dorito Taco Salad.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This Big Mac in a Bowl will be another salad recipe that I can add to my favorite salad list and it is delicious! I ate the whole entire salad including the lettuce. Usually, I like to eat everything but the lettuce in the salad or eat around it.

Ingredients for Big Mac in a Bowl

• Ground beef - Is considered better than higher fat options for several reasons. First, it has less saturated fat, which can contribute to heart disease and other health issues. Additionally, it tends to have fewer calories per serving, making it a good option for those watching their weight. The 96% lean ground beef from Aldi is my favorite.
• Onion powder is dehydrated, ground onion that is commonly used as a seasoning. Some people do not like the taste of freshly chopped onion so onion powder is a great substitute if you have a picky eater like that in your house.
• Garlic powder - is made from dehydrated garlic cloves and like the chili powder above it gets pulverized into a powder or flour consistency.
• Worcestershire sauce is a condiment that originated in Worcester, England. It is made from a blend of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, tamarind, onion, garlic, and other seasonings.Iiceberg lettuce, chopped - Romaine or iceberg lettuce can be used for this salad.
• Cherry tomatoes or roma tomatoes halved
• Diced pickles - Pickles are zero points on WW freestyle as long as they are unsweetened pickles.
• Cheese - Reduced-Fat Cheese has a lower calorie count and less saturated fat than regular cheese, but it may also have a different taste and texture. It also helps with keeping the calorie count pretty low for this recipe.
• Big Mac Sauce - The ingredients for big mac sauce are all pretty much found in your pantry. Mayonnaise, pickle relish, ketchup, and mustard. Sometimes I'll switch it up and use a store bought dressing like Thousand Island or French Dressing.
• French Dressing - Making homemade salad dressings really aren’t my favorite thing to make at home and that is why I like to use store bought dressings.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to make Big Mac in a Bowl

Step 1: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned and fully cooked. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce.

Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle relish, mustard, onion powder, and garlic powder. Set aside.

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Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, cherry tomatoes, diced pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese. .Add the cooked ground beef to the salad bowl and toss everything together.

Step 4: Drizzle the Thousand Island dressing mixture over the salad and toss to coat evenly.

Serve the Big Mac Salad immediately and enjoy!

Tips for Big Mac in a Bowl

The recipebelow is only meant for 4 servings. (updated) When I make this big mac in a bowl, I like to cook 1 pound of ground beef all at once. Then, I'll save it in a container in the fridge so it's easy to take out of my fridge to make other salads with. When I'm ready to eat my salads, I'll measure out 3 oz of ground beef for my salad. Which is what I used to figure out the points for the recipe.

Use croutons for the hamburger bun. Check your WW bar code scanner app for points. If you are low carb, do not use croutons.

If you're meal prepping these salads, store the dressing in 2 oz plastic containers.

Recipe FAQS

Other Great Recipes to Try

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