• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Happy Honey Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Tex-Mex Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Round-ups
  • About Me
  • Get the Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Tex-Mex Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Round-ups
    • About Me
    • Get the Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Low Carb Big Mac Salad

    Modified: Apr 19, 2023 · Published: Sep 13, 2021 by Angela Lietzke · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Love it? Share it!

    98 shares
    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    It's burger night - but let's make it a salad! This tasty low-carb Big Mac Salad packs all of the flavor you love into a much healthier, lower carb, and less processed version of the real deal.

    If you prefer a burger between two buns, you will love our famous burger recipe.

    Save this Recipe!

    I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

    My guilty pleasure is a Big Mac, but on days that I want to indulge without feeling guilty, I make this Big Mac bowl. This Big Mac bowl recipe is quick and easy to make and perfect for meal prepping.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make a Big Mac Salad
    • Hungry for More?
    • Low Carb Big Mac Salad

    Ingredients

    The seasoned ground beef and thousand island salad dressing makes this Big Mac bowl recipe truly taste like a Big Mac.

    • Ground Beef
    • Lettuce
    • Spices - Season the ground beef to transform the flavor into a burger patty.
    • Special Sauce - aka Thousand Island dressing
    • Toppings: pickles (my favorite!), tomatoes, red onion, cheese, and croutons

    How to Make a Big Mac Salad

    Skip the drive-thru! This Low-Carb Big Mac Salad is packed with flavor and is so simple to make! A cheeseburger salad with thousand island dressing will have you saying "this tastes like a healthy Big Mac!"

    First, brown the ground beef and season it to taste like the perfect burger patty. Cook the ground beef for 8 to 10 minutes or until no pink remains in the middle of the pieces. Ground beef is fully cooked at 160 ºF.

    While the beef is cooking, start cutting up your "burger" toppings. I load my real burgers up with pickles, so obviously I do the same with this salad.

    Trust me, pickles on a salad is a game-changer! I slice the pickles and cherry tomatoes in half and dice red onions. A true McDonald's Big Mac is made with white onions, but I prefer using red onions on this salad.

    Extra cheese please! Give your Big Mac in a bowl a cheeseburger vibe with plenty of shredded cheese. I use Cheddar or Colby Jack, but any cheese will do. After all your toppings are prepped and your beef is cooked, it's time to assemble your salad.

    In my opinion, this salad truly has a Big Mac flavor when you top it with Thousand Island dressing. Thousand Island is the perfect keto Big Mac sauce.

    Note: The lettuce will wilt and the cheese will melt if you add hot ground beef to the salad. I let the ground beef cool for a few minutes before adding it to the salad.

    Hungry for More?

    • Secret to the BEST Burger
    • Buffalo Chicken Bowl
    • Low-Carb Spicy Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
    • Air Fryer Cheez-It Crusted Chicken Tenders
    • Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Salad
    Big mac salad with pickles, tomatoes, onion, and thousand island dressing.

    Low Carb Big Mac Salad

    Angela Lietzke
    Low Carb Big Mac Salad is a healthier, lower carb, and less processed version of the real deal. Big Mac in a bowl will be your new craving!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Save this Recipe!

    I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salads
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 163 kcal

    Equipment

    • Skillet
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • Tablespoon brown sugar
    • Lettuce of choice I use romaine lettuce
    • Thousand Island salad dressing
    • Toppings: pickles, cherry tomatoes, red onion, shredded cheese, croutons

    Instructions
     

    • Add ground beef to a large skillet and cook on medium-high heat.
    • Mix all spices in with ground beef, stirring occasionally.
    • Cook the ground beef for 8 to 10 minutes or until no pink remains in the middle of the pieces. Ground beef is fully cooked at 160 ºF.
    • While the beef is cooking, prep the toppings ingredients. Slice pickles and cherry tomatoes in half and dice red onions.
    • When beef is fully cooked and the toppings are prepared, you can begin assembling the salad.

    Notes

  • The lettuce will wilt and the cheese will melt if you add hot ground beef to the salad. I like to let the ground beef cool for a few minutes before adding it to the salad.
  • I use shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese.
  • Nutrition

    Calories: 163kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 25gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 658mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 494IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Easy Lunch & Dinner Ideas

    • Cheesy taco pasta cooked in one pot being stirred with a wooden spoon.
      Cheesy Taco Pasta
    • Slow cooker chicken tacos with salsa, diced tomatoes, avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
      Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
    • Shredded salsa chicken in a crockpot.
      Crockpot Salsa Chicken
    • Pescado a la Veracruzana (Veracruz-Style Fish)

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey y'all! I'm Angela, the blogger, recipe developer, and foodie behind Happy Honey Kitchen! Born and raised in Texas, I have a passion for Tex-Mex food. Here you'll find easy, approachable Tex-Mex recipes that bring the bold flavors of Texas straight to your table!

    About me →

    Trending Now!

    • Chicken enchiladas with green sauce in a casserole dish topped with melted cheese and peppers.
      Green Chicken Enchiladas
    • Thinly sliced braised beef brisket on a cutting board.
      Dutch Oven Brisket (Tender Braised Beef)
    • Cheez-It chicken tenders on a baking sheet with a small bowl of ranch dipping sauce.
      Cheez-It Chicken (Easy Cheesy Chicken Tenders)
    • Cheesy Mexican chicken and rice in a skillet with diced avocado and lime wedge.
      Cheesy Mexican Chicken and Rice

    Reader Favorites

    • Minute Maid limeade margarita on a table with chips and guacamole.
      Frozen Minute Maid Limeade Margarita Recipe
    • Air fried Chilean sea bass fillet on a plate with lemon wedges.
      Air Fryer Chilean Sea Bass Recipe
    • Sausage Skillet with Onions, Peppers, and Potatoes in a cast iron skillet with wooden spoon.
      Smoked Sausage and Potatoes Skillet with Onions and Peppers
    • Caprese tortellini skewers with balsamic glaze on a serving platter. Cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a green kitchen towel surround the plate.
      Caprese Tortellini Skewers with Balsamic Glaze
    • Cinnamon roll overnight oats in a mason jar with two cinnamon sticks. Measuring spoons with brown sugar and cinnamon, and a bowl of oats are on the side.
      Cinnamon Roll Overnight Oats
    • Sides for Sandwiches roundup images that shows a variety of side dishes.
      21 of the Best Sides for Sandwiches

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • General Terms and Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Happy Honey Kitchen

    98 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.