Big Mac Burger Bowl (Print Version)

A healthier, gluten-free deconstructed burger bowl with all the iconic Big Mac flavors and special sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1.1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
08 - 2 dill pickles, diced

→ Cheese

09 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

→ Special Sauce

10 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
11 - 1 tablespoon ketchup
12 - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
13 - 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
14 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
15 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
17 - 1/2 teaspoon paprika

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Cook while breaking up the beef until browned and cooked through, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - While the beef cooks, chop the lettuce, halve the tomatoes, slice the onion thinly, and dice the pickles.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, dill pickle relish, white vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika until smooth and well combined.
04 - Divide the chopped lettuce evenly among 4 bowls. Top each with ground beef, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese.
05 - Drizzle each bowl generously with the special sauce and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It delivers that nostalgic burger craving without the carb crash or the guilt that follows a drive-thru run.
  • The special sauce tastes so close to the original that my kids started dipping everything in it, even their carrot sticks.
  • You can have dinner on the table in under half an hour, which matters on nights when cooking feels like too much.
02 -
  • If you skip draining the beef, the bowl turns greasy and the sauce slides off instead of clinging to the ingredients.
  • The sauce tastes better after sitting for ten minutes, so I make it first now and let the flavors marry while I cook.
03 -
  • Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes and sprinkle them on top for that final Big Mac touch without needing a bun.
  • Use a cast iron skillet for the beef if you have one. The heat retention gives you better browning and those crispy bits that make all the difference.
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