For the flavors of the much-loved fast-food favorite, give this Keto Big Mac Salad a try! It is a crowd-pleasing and filling salad that everyone loves. The star is the zippy dressing, which will have you turning to this easy weeknight meal again and again.
Although I have never been big on fast food, I confess that I love a good burger from time to time.
Although bunless burgers are great, sometimes I feel like I need to be getting a little more green in my diet.
That is when this Keto Big Mac Salad comes in! It is the perfect way to satisfy my cheeseburger cravings AND enjoy some of my favorite flavors.
I like to prep the components on the weekend for easy grab-and-go meals during the week.
Ingredients for Making Big Mac Salad Keto
- Mayonnaise: Make sure you read the label as some mayonnaise has sugar in it.
- Dill Pickles: Choose a sugar-free brand. I use Bubbies which has zero carbohydrates.
- Keto Ketchup: I like to make my own. If you choose to buy it, Primal Kitchen is a good option.
- Onion: If you don’t have fresh onion, ½ teaspoon onion powder is an option.
- Sweetener: I prefer the texture of confectioners sweetener in salad dressings, but you can use your preferred sweetener.
- Olive Oil: A good quality extra-virgin olive oil adds a depth of flavor, but any keto-friendly oil works here.
- Vinegar: I used red wine vinegar, but apple cider vinegar would work as well.
- Dry Mustard: I like the tang from dry mustard. If you don’t have it on hand, substitute a tablespoon of yellow mustard.
- Smoked Paprika: For an extra kick, look for hot smoked paprika.
- Salt and Pepper: Adjust the amounts to your liking.
- Ground Beef: If you have excess oil after cooking, make sure you drain it off. This is especially important if you think you will have leftovers.
- Romaine: To save time, you can buy pre-chopped. Iceberg lettuce will work as well.
- Cheddar: I like to shred my own to avoid unnecessary additives. (Plus, I think it tastes better!)
- Onion: The mild flavor of red onion works well in a salad. If you aren’t a fan of raw onion, just omit it. Alternatively, you can soak it in a little cold water for 30 minutes to further mellow the flavor.
- Optional Tomatoes: I love the addition of a few diced tomatoes or sliced tomatoes, but I know a lot of people really try to moderate them on keto. Feel free to add them if you like.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
- I recommend using lean ground beef for this recipe and draining it well. This is especially important if you plan on eating leftovers without reheating the meat.
- If you would like to make this with ground turkey, that works too!
- When cooking the ground beef, feel free to add additional seasonings. Garlic powder or onion powder are good options. For even more flavor, use the seasonings in the ground beef recipe from this Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza.
- Turn this into a Keto Big Mac Bowl by decreasing the amount of lettuce you use by half. You could also use cauliflower rice in place of the lettuce or in addition to it.
- For a fun finish, garnish with sesame seeds like you would find on a Mcdonald's bun!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Mac Sauce Keto?
Unfortunately, Big Mac Sauce is not keto-friendly. This is because it has sugar in it from the pickle relish used in the special sauce.
Rest assured that this Big Mac Sauce recipe is perfect for your keto diet! We use sugar-free dill pickles and sweeten the sauce with a keto-friendly sweetener.
Is Big Mac Dressing the Same As Thousand Island Dressing?
While they are similar, they are not the same.
Traditional big mac sauce does not have ketchup in it. I have included a touch of ketchup for both sweetest and to mimic the flavors of the sandwich.
What is the Best Keto Sweetener for Salad Dressings?
You can use whatever sweetener that you prefer, but I recommend using a powdered sweetener so that your dressing does not get grainy.
Swerve, allulose and monk fruit are some of my favorites.
Storage
You can store the components, including the salad dressing, individually in the refrigerator for up to five days.
The ingredients can be combined and left un-tossed for up to two days. However, I recommend waiting to toss this salad until just before serving.
How to Make Keto Big Mac Salad
First, start by making the dressing. To do this, combine the mayonnaise, dill pickle, ketchup, onion, sweetener, oil, vinegar, paprika, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Next, season the ground beef and cook it in a skillet over medium-high heat until it is browned.
Combine the lettuce, cheese, and red onion in a large bowl.
Toss with half of the dressing.
Divide into salad bowls. Top with the meat and dill pickles and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
More Keto Salad Recipes to Try:
- This Keto Spinach Salad is the perfect side salad!
- With crunchy cheese croutons and juicy chicken, this Keto Caesar Salad makes a delicious and satisfying meal.
- Like this cheeseburger salad, Keto Taco Salad is perfect for meal prepping!
- Enjoy this Low Carb Cobb Salad for a delicious summer meal.
Keto Big Mac Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup sugar-free mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill pickle
- 1 tablespoon keto ketchup
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 tablespoon Swerve confectioners
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Salad
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 ounces romaine lettuce chopped
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 4 dill pickles sliced
- Optional: Tomatoes
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, dill pickle, ketchup, onion, sweetener, oil, vinegar, paprika, mustard, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking it up with the back of a spoon until browned. Remove the meat from the skillet with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Combine the lettuce, cheese, and red onion in a large bowl. Toss with half of the dressing. Top with the meat and dill pickles and drizzle with the remaining sauce.
Cam says
I love how healthy this was and perfect for my diet! Thanks for sharing this!
EJ says
My kids are picky eaters, but they loved it when they tasted this recipe. I'll be sure to make more next time. Thanks!
Dana says
Oh this salad is perfection! Filling and delicious, it is everything I want in a Big Mac without the stuff I don't need. I'll definitely be making this salad many times.
Sharina says
This keto big mac salad is my new favorite! It was so delicious and satisfying, the zippy dressing is indeed a winner!