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We’ve taken all the iconic flavors of a McDonald’s Big Mac and transformed them into a delicious Big Mac salad! Instead of a bun, crisp iceberg lettuce serves as the base, making this salad gluten-free, WW-friendly, keto-friendly, and low-carb. We’ve lightened it up with healthier ingredients without sacrificing the mouthwatering flavors of a Big Mac, and it’s tossed in our healthy Big Mac sauce.
If you love this, don’t miss our viral smash burger tacos for a fun taco twist or our healthy burger bowls for a protein-packed meal.
Why You Will Love This Big Mac Salad
- Lighter: It has the flavors of a McDonald’s Big Mac burger, in salad form.
- Flavorful: This cheeseburger salad is delicious while being lightened up.
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe is made with simple, healthy ingredients.
What Is Big Mac Salad?
Big Mac salad is a salad that features the ingredients you would find in a McDonald’s Big Mac burger. Iceberg lettuce is used as the base instead of a burger bun.
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Turkey: We used ground turkey breast to lighten up this recipe.
- Seasonings: Season the ground turkey with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Lettuce: Thinly slice the iceberg lettuce for the base of the salad.
- Onion: Finely dice a white or sweet onion.
- Tomatoes: Finely dice the tomatoes for a burst of flavor in each bite.
- Cheese: Use light shredded cheddar cheese or a light cheese blend.
- Special Sauce: Top this Big Mac salad with our homemade special sauce before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use Your Meat of Choice: We made this salad with ground turkey breast. If you prefer, you can use lean ground beef or ground chicken breast instead.
- Iceberg Lettuce Substitution: This salad uses iceberg lettuce as the base. If you don’t want to use iceberg lettuce, you can substitute it for chopped romaine.
- Onion Substitution: Use diced white, sweet, or red onion for this recipe.
- Make it Vegetarian: Swap the meat for air-fried chickpeas or a plant-based ground meat alternative.
How To Make Big Mac Salad
Step 1: Lightly spray a nonstick pan with oil. Then, add the ground turkey breast to the pan and season it with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook the ground turkey until browned and fully cooked, using a spatula to break it up.
Step 2: Thinly slice the iceberg lettuce, finely dice the onion, and finely dice the tomatoes.
Step 3: Evenly distribute the ingredients among four plates. Add the iceberg lettuce as the base of each salad. Then, add fully cooked ground turkey, onion, tomatoes, and light cheddar cheese. After that, pour the Big Mac sauce over top, and enjoy!
Shawna’s Expert Tips
- Prep the Ingredients: We don’t recommend storing this salad once it is assembled. However, you can prep the components beforehand and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator! Then, you can easily assemble this salad again.
- Thoroughly Mix the Sauce: Combine all of the ingredients to make the special sauce in a bowl. Thoroughly mix the sauce, add it to the salad, and enjoy!
- Add the Sauce When Serving: Keep the sauce separate until ready to serve to maintain freshness.
- Extra Crunch: Add sliced cucumbers or shredded carrots for more texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Mac Salad Healthy?
Yes, this Big Mac salad is healthy. It is gluten-free, low-carb, Weight Watchers-friendly, and keto-friendly.
What Does Big Mac Salad Taste Like?
Big Mac salad tastes like a Big Mac burger without the bun in salad form. Iceberg lettuce is the base instead of a burger bun.
More Healthy Salad Recipes To Try!
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Cottage Cheese Chicken Salad
- BBQ Chicken Salad
- High-Protein Italian Pasta Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Carrot Salad
- Healthy Tuna Salad
If you try this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating ★★★★★ letting us know how it turns out for you.
BIG MAC SALAD
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey breast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4-6 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce, about one head of iceberg lettuce
- 1/3 cup finely diced white onion or sweet onion
- 1 cup finely diced tomatoes, about 1 large tomato or 3-4 Roma tomatoes
- 1 cup light shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup Big Mac sauce
Instructions
- Lightly spray a nonstick pan with oil. Then, add the ground turkey breast to the pan and season it with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Cook the ground turkey until browned and fully cooked, using a spatula to break it up.
- Thinly slice the iceberg lettuce, finely dice the onion, and finely dice the tomatoes.
- Evenly distribute the ingredients among four plates. Add the iceberg lettuce as the base of each salad. Then, add fully cooked ground turkey, onion, tomatoes, and light cheddar cheese. After that, pour the Big Mac sauce over top, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Meat of Choice: We made this Big Mac salad with ground turkey breast. If you prefer, you can use lean ground beef or ground chicken breast instead.
- Iceberg Lettuce Substitution: You can substitute the iceberg lettuce with chopped romaine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
You’ve got to try this Big Mac Salad made with ground turkey it’s low-carb and packed with all the flavors you love, plus our secret sauce that’s lightened up but still delicious! It’s the perfect lighter version of your favorite classic, making it a satisfying meal you can enjoy anytime!