Big Mac Salad | Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe (2024)

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If you're keto and are missing Big Macs, have I got the perfect Big Mac Salad and Big Mac Sauce for you! Super easy and let me tell you--it tastes EXACTLY like the real thing.

Except, of course, this low carb hamburger salad is actually good for you. Homemade Keto Fast food is an excellent choice if you ask me.

Big Mac Salad | Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe (1)

Why You'll Love This Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe

  • Fast. Make a salad the whole family will love in less than 30 minutes.
  • Easy. Cook up your ground beef, slice up your lettuce, make your sauce, and toss.
  • Low Carb. Only 4 net carbs per serving.
  • Affordable. Take out not in your budget this week? Make this for a fraction of the price of hitting your nearby fast food drive thru.

What Is In Big Mac Sauce?

Well, now. Isn't that a huge secret?

Full disclosure--I used to have McDonalds (r) as a client. But they did not give me their secret recipe.

So I have no real idea what's in the McDonald's Sauce Recipe. But I can tell you that whatever it is I cobbled together tastes EXACTLY like McDonald's secret sauce!

Is Big Mac Sauce the Same as Thousand Island Dressing?

I know a lot of people wonder if McDonald's Big Mac Sauce is exactly like Thousand Island Dressing.

Based on my experiment, I don't think it is. This keto Big Mac Sauce has far fewer ingredients than Thousand Island, which is good. Less is better as far as I'm concerned.

What Does This Hamburger Salad Taste Like?

Like a big mac.

No, really! It does. It's been so long since I've had a Big Mac that I asked my friend Jennifer to taste test it. And then, hundreds and hundreds of people made it and they all agree--it tastes just like a Big Mac.

I mean, what's not to love? Not only does it taste just like a Big Mac, but it's homemade, low carb, keto--and best of all, the various components can be made ahead of time.

Anytime you can have homemade food that's essentially like Keto Fast food - I'm voting for that.

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Ingredients You'll Need

Trust me when I say that this secret sauce shouldn't be a secret at all. It's so simple to make, everyone loves it, and it's made with ingredients you likely already have in your fridge.

Here's what you'll need to make this tasty Big Mac Salad recipe:

Big Mac Sauce

Salad

How To Make This Big Mac Salad Recipe

  1. First, gather the ingredients for your hamburger salad.
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2. Get the ground beef browning. I used this Le Creuset tarte tatin pan.

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3. While the ground beef browns, put together the Big Mac Sauce. Start by mixing the mustard, mayo, and vinegar.

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4. Dice onions and pickles that will get added to the sauce.

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5. Season the ground beef.

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6. Assemble the Big Mac Salad. Start with lettuce at the bottom. Add cheese, then add ground beef. Top with onions and pickles. Put the dressing on.

At this point, you can either toss the hamburger salad (as in, MIX it, not toss it into the trash) or save it like this for a while. Since the dressing is sitting on top, it won't make your lettuce all soggy and wilt.

That's it! Eat. Enjoy.

Tips for Making Big Mac Salad

  • The sauce will keep for at least a week in the fridge so make double--or quadruple! Not only does it get better with time, but it also works well with a variety of salads and grilled meats. Great for dipping grilled chicken as well.
  • Use lean ground beef for this so you don't have a greasy mess in your salad.
  • I used plain yellow mustard for this.
  • You can make a layered salad in a mason jar, and take it to work.
  • Use a great nonstick pan to make clean up a breeze.

If you're struggling with missing that fast food, this Big Mac Salad with hit the spot and satisfy those cravings.

Watch How To Make Big Mac In A Bowl

Mason Jar Big Mac Salad

I ate this salad straight from the fridge. You would think cold ground beef wouldn't taste that good, right?

It was actually MOST EXCELLENT. So one thing you could do is turn this low carb Big Mac Salad into a Mason Jar Salad and take it for lunch.

The attached video shows you how to do this. But basically layer in exactly this order: Lettuce, Cheese, Ground Beef, Onions, Pickles, Big Mac Sauce Dressing

Then, when you're ready for your Keto Big Mac Salad, either shake up that jar well or just tip everything into a bowl, stir, and enjoy.

Can I Freeze This Big Mac Salad Recipe?

Nope, you can't. That lettuce would just absolutely die if you did that. You CAN, however, make up the meat and the dressing ahead of time.

The dressing will keep for a week in your refrigerator if you cover it well.

Other Keto Recipes to Consider

  • Beef Bulgogi Burgers - A burger with a Korean barbecue twist.
  • Keto Mushrooms and Bacon - a great keto side dish.
  • Keto Sushi- A delightfully low carb take on a Spicy Tuna Roll.
  • Antipasto Salad - A delightful Italian salad.
  • Here are all of my salad recipes. Including a Keto Tabouli
  • Keto Pound Cake - The perfect finishing touch to any meal.
  • Keto Peanut Butter Bars - Taste identical to peanut butter cups.
  • Instant Pot Butter Chicken - Trust the "Butter Chicken Lady".
  • French Garlic Chicken - Sauce so good you could eat it on a boot!
  • Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies - The perfect Keto treat!
  • Keto Bread - the perfect bread non-eggy bread solution!
  • Keto Fast Food - Stay Keto on the run.
  • Keto Cookies - are the best treat to beat your cookie cravings.
  • Keto Meatloaf- a great recipe without pork rinds.
  • 20+ Low Carb Salad Dressings - There's something for everyone in this list of 20+ keto dressings.
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Pin It!

If you love this Keto Big Mac Salad recipe as much as I do, make sure you share it with your friends on Facebook and Pinterest so they can make it too.

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Keto Big Mac Salad | Low Carb Hamburger Salad

I kid you not, this tastes JUST like a Big Mac, except it's low carb and you know exactly what went into it.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Course: Main Courses, Salads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: big mac salad, big mac sauce, low carb hamburger salad

Servings: 4

Calories: 625kcal

Author: URVASHI PITRE

Click on highlighted ingredients or Equipment to see exactly what I use to make this recipe

Ingredients

Big Mac Sauce

Salad

Instructions

  • Make the dressing. Mix mayo, diced pickles, mustard, vinegar, onion, paprika and Swerve. Set aside while you get the other ingredients together.

  • Heat a 10-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef, smash it to break up the clumps, and cook until it's almost cooked through. Add salt and pepper and finish cooking it all the way.

  • While the ground beef is browning, chop lettuce. Slice onions and then cut into half. Roughly chop pickles..

  • When you are ready to serve the salad, mix the lettuce, onions, pickles, and cheese. Put into four bowls. Add in ¼ of the ground beef mixture into each bowl. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

Watch The Video

  • The sauce will keep for at least a week in the fridge so make double--or quadruple! Not only does it get better with time, but it also works well with a variety of salads and grilled meats. Great for dipping grilled chicken as well.
  • Use lean ground beef for this so you don't have a greasy mess in your salad.
  • I used plain yellow mustard for this.
  • You can make a layered salad in a mason jar, and take it to work.

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Nutrition

Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 52g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g

Tried this recipe?Follow @twosleevers and Pin it!

Don't forget to check out my other Keto cookbooks.

Keto Instant Pot, Keto Fat Bombs, Sweets, & Treats, and Easy keto in 30 minutes.

Big Mac Salad | Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe (10)
Big Mac Salad | Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe (11)
Big Mac Salad | Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe (12)
Big Mac Salad | Keto Big Mac Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is Thousand Island dressing like Big Mac Sauce? ›

Is Big Mac Sauce the same as Thousand Island Dressing? The two are similar, but they have different ingredient ratios. Also, Thousand Island dressing is made with ketchup and diced onions. Big Mac sauce doesn't use either of these ingredients.

What's the closest thing to Big Mac Sauce? ›

According to a video posted by TikTok influencer Mike Haracz, a former McDonald's corporate chef, Great Value brand Secret Sauce is the closest thing you'll get to the fast food chain's Big Mac sauce.

What kind of lettuce is on a Big Mac? ›

The Big Mac is made with two 1.6 oz (45 g) beef patties, a "special sauce" (similar to Thousand Island dressing), shredded iceberg lettuce, one processed American cheese slice, two slices of dill pickle, and minced onions, served on a three slice sesame seed bun.

Why can't I order a salad on McDonald's app? ›

Our salads are highly perishable compared to other menu items. Our decision to remove the salad items from our delivery menu is to eliminate any risk that may result in food safety and hygiene issues during the delivery process. Our salads are still available in our restaurants for dine-in or takeaway.

Does the McDonald's salad have more calories than the Big Mac? ›

If you ever thought “healthy fast food” was actually healthy, think again. Though McDonald's may be on a health kick, some of its nutrient-enhanced meals are actually worse for you than junk food, according to CBC News.

Does McDonald's sell Big Mac sauce? ›

Available in restaurant, in Drive-Thru, via the My McDonald's App, and also via McDelivery, now is the time to try Big Mac® Special Sauce with any McDonald's menu items whether that's Chicken McNuggets, Veggie Dippers... or perhaps a Big MacFlurry…?

Is Chick Fil A sauce Thousand Island dressing? ›

As the company tweeted out in 2012, the Chick-fil-A sauce is just a mixture of honey mustard, barbecue sauce, and ranch dressing. Yes, that's it.

Is Hellmans burger sauce the same as Big Mac sauce? ›

This sauce is very comparable to big Mac sauce. It's great!

Can you ask for a side of Big Mac sauce at McDonalds? ›

Whether you're a longtime fan of the iconic Big Mac sandwich or curious to taste its signature sauce, Big Mac sauce is now available à la carte at McDonald's. Customers can order a dipping cup of the special sauce for 50 cents to accompany french fries or nuggets, but don't expect to ask for it at counter.

What is the Big Mac sauce dupe at the retail chain? ›

But ultimately, he made his decision. “The one that best replicated Big Mac sauce from McDonald's that you should go buy if you want it is… Great Value Secret Sauce,” he says, holding up a bottle of Walmart-brand liquid gold. “Look at the ingredients statement — it's almost identical,” Haracz adds.

Why is Big Mac sauce so good? ›

A combination of mayo, mustard, and relish give Big Mac sauce its signature creamy tang. Here's the easiest way to make it at home.

What is the only state capital without a McDonald's? ›

Montpelier, Vermont is the only U.S. state capital without a McDonalds.

What kind of pickle is on a Big Mac? ›

McDonald's uses dill pickles in their burgers including in the Big Mac®.

Does McDonald's wash their lettuce? ›

Q: Is there anything else in the water used to wash lettuce? A: The water used is the same as the water that comes out of your tap at home. Just as with tap water, a small amount of chlorine is added to the water to keep the water clean and remove any bacteria introduced by the dirt on the lettuce.

Is McDonald's back to selling salads? ›

Salads, which McDonald's first introduced decades ago and only made up a very small percentage of sales, are still available in certain local markets, but they're no longer listed on the McDonald's website. There are no plans to bring them back nationally right now.

Is a bunless Big Mac keto friendly? ›

9. Big Mac Without The Bun. Yup, you can still eat a Big Mac when you're on the keto diet, though it's definitely not the healthiest keto option on the menu. If you're looking for an indulgence that still falls in the keto range, this is it.

Can you ask for Big Mac sauce at McDonald's? ›

This creamy, tangy, slightly sweet and perfectly dippable sauce will be available at no extra charge with any purchase of Chicken McNuggets. It can also be ordered a la carte to pair with all your go-to McDonald's menu items, because let's be real... a sauce this iconic should go on everything.

Can you special order at McDonald's? ›

Yes. Like many fast-food eateries, McDonald's has a wealth of off-book meals and concoctions available from their vast array of menu options.

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