Big Mac Salad Bowl with Beef, Cheese, and Pickles (Print version)

A quick low-carb burger salad with warm seasoned beef, crisp lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion, sesame seeds, and tangy special sauce.

# Ingredients:

For the burger sauce

01 - 1/2 cup (120 g) mayonnaise
02 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
03 - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
04 - 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickles or dill relish
05 - 2-3 tablespoons pickle juice, plus more as needed
06 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
07 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

For the beef

10 - 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef, 90% lean preferred
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
14 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

For the bowls

16 - 8 cups (300 g) shredded iceberg lettuce, chilled and dry
17 - 1 cup (115 g) shredded cheddar cheese or chopped American cheese
18 - 1/2 cup (75 g) chopped dill pickles
19 - 1/3 cup (50 g) finely diced white onion
20 - 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
21 - Optional: 1 cup (150 g) diced tomato

# Instructions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickles, pickle juice, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth. Add more pickle juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, if you want a thinner dressing.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, mustard, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook for 7-9 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles, until browned and no pink remains.
03 - While the beef cooks, shred and dry the iceberg lettuce, chop the pickles, dice the onion, and grate the cheese. Keep the lettuce cold until serving.
04 - Divide the lettuce among 4 bowls. Top each with warm beef, cheese, pickles, onion, sesame seeds, and tomato if using. Let the cheese sit on the warm beef for a minute so it softens.
05 - Drizzle each bowl with the burger sauce right before serving. Add extra pickles or a little more sauce to taste.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served right after assembly while the lettuce is cold and the beef is warm.
02 - For meal prep, store the beef, sauce, lettuce, and toppings separately.
03 - Use low-sugar ketchup and dill relish to keep the carbs lower.

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