Published: Oct 9, 2023 Updated: Oct 9, 2023 By: Cassidy May contain affiliate links.

This cheeseburger bowl (or Big Mac salad) has all the delicious flavors of a cheeseburger but is made into a crisp salad, including a copycat Big Mac sauce!

It’s a delicious, filling, and easy recipe that can be made in only 20 minutes and will convince you to skip the drive-through!

Craving fast food? Try this ground beef cheeseburger bowl recipe instead! It’s a quick, easy, delicious, and low-carb salad with all your favorite cheeseburger toppings – including copycat Big Mac sauce!

A typical Big Mac is full of gluten and carbs, but since this recipe is made into a salad and uses a homemade sauce, it’s gluten-free and keto-friendly.

Even if you don’t follow any special diet, it tastes just like a Big Mac in salad form, and you won’t be disappointed!

Why You’ll Love This Cheeseburger Bowl Recipe: 1) Quick and easy to make, only taking 20 minutes! 2) Uses basic ingredients. 3) Tastes like a Big Mac Cheeseburger in salad form. 4) Hearty and filling. 5) Is gluten-free, low-carb, and keto-friendly.

If you’re looking for more filling salad recipes and wraps, be sure to check out this Keto Chicken Taco Salad, Keto Thai Chicken Salad, Keto Chicken Lettuce Wraps, and Turkey Lettuce Wraps recipes!

Big mac sauce

Whether you call this Big Mac sauce, burger sauce, special sauce, or any other name, this will be your new burger condiment!

It has all the classic flavors of Big Mac sauce and is creamy, easy to make, and keto-friendly!

I use low-carb ketchup and allulose to reduce the carbs in the sauce, but if you don’t watch carbs, feel free to use any ketchup and sweetener you prefer!

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Yellow Mustard: I like yellow mustard, but feel free to use Dijon if you prefer.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Adds depth of flavor and umami. If needed, you can replace it with Tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, or coconut aminos.
• Seasonings: These are a simple combination of sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Water: Add more as needed for blending.
• Mayonnaise: Be sure to use a mild-tasting mayo; otherwise, your sauce may have an aftertaste! Or make your own homemade mayo.
• Sriracha: Optional, adds a slight kick to the burger sauce.
• Dill Pickles:
• Low-Carb Ketchup: I like to use Primal Kitchen Ketchup (the sweetened variety has the same number of carbs as the unsweetened) because many sugar-free ketchup brands use artificial sweeteners, which I don’t recommend. If you’re not watching carbs, use any ketchup you prefer.
• Allulose Or Preferred Sweetener: Optional, adds sweetness. I use allulose because it has ZERO aftertaste, zero net carbs, and dissolves beautifully.

Ingredients

For the cheeseburger salad bowl, you will need:

• Lettuce: Use any lettuce you prefer. I like to use Romaine or Iceberg.
• Beef: I use beef for a classic cheeseburger flavor, but you also use ground chicken or turkey.
• Seasonings: A simple blend of sea salt, pepper, garlic, and onion to season the beef.
• Dill Pickles: These add crunch and flavor.
• Tomatoes: I like to use roma, cherry, or grape tomatoes. Smaller tomatoes are firmer and hold less water, which works better in salads!
• Onion: Use white, yellow, or red – whichever you prefer!
• Bacon: This is optional, but who doesn’t love bacon?! Make bacon in the oven or on the stovetop.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese: I recommend sharp cheddar, but use any variety you prefer.

Easy instructions

Step #1: Blend all of the sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Step #2: Brown the beef and seasonings on the stove. Drain the fat if desired, but do not rinse, and set aside.

Step #3: Assemble the salad!

Evenly divide the lettuce between 4 bowls. Then, top each bowl of lettuce with the beef, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, onion, and pickles, evenly dividing each topping.

Serving suggestions

Serve each salad drizzled with keto Big Mac sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds if desired.

It would also be great with some keto almond flour dinner rolls or keto drop biscuits for some (non!) carby goodness!

Storage

• Store: Keep each ingredient stored separately in the fridge for up to 4 days. If the salad is assembled with dressing, it will last about one day.
• Meal Prep: Prepare and store the beef in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.
• Reheat: When ready to eat, reheat the beef in the microwave or on the stovetop and assemble the salad as directed.

Substitutions

• If you don’t have ketchup, you can use tomato paste. However, if you make this substitution, be sure to taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings and sweetener as needed.
• You can replace the Worcestershire sauce with gluten-free soy sauce, Tamari, or coconut aminos.
• Replace the lettuce with leaves of iceberg or Romaine lettuce and serve them as lettuce wraps!
• Swap the protein with ground turkey or chicken.
• I prefer to use sharp cheddar cheese, but you can use any cheese you prefer.

Variations

Here are some variations to make this keto cheeseburger bowl fit more diets:

• Dairy-Free: Omit the cheese.
• Paleo: Omit the cheese and use Paleo-compliant mayonnaise and ketchup.
• Whole30: Omit the cheese, replace the Worcestershire sauce with coconut aminos, and use whole30-compliant mayonnaise, ketchup, and bacon.
• Vegetarian: Use meatless crumbles and omit the bacon.

Top tips

• Be sure to use a mild-tasting mayonnaise in the sauce! Otherwise, it may have an aftertaste. Or make homemade mayonnaise.
• Feel free to customize the salad toppings to your liking!
• I use low-carb ketchup and allulose to reduce the carbs in the sauce, but if you don’t watch carbs, feel free to use any ketchup and sweetener you prefer!

Have you tried this cheeseburger bowl recipe? If so, let me know what you think in the comments below

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