Big Mac Salad

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: big mac salad, cheeseburger salad

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 303kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

This Big Mac Salad tastes like a fast-food burger without the bun! It's a delicious way to enjoy the comfort food flavors you love, with extra veggies in each bite.

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Ingredients

Big Mac Sauce

½ cup cashews (not roasted or salted)
½ cup water , plus more as needed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

Ground Beef Crumble

1 pound lean ground beef
1 (15 oz.) can cooked lentils , drained and rinsed
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salad Assembly

6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup cherry tomatoes , sliced
¼ cup diced pickles
¾ cup shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions

To prepare the sauce, combine the cashews, water, tomato paste, mustard, vinegar, maple syrup, onion powder, and salt in a high-speed blender. Secure the lid and blend until very smooth. Pour the sauce into an airtight container and set it aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. (This sauce will thicken as it sits; feel free to stir in another tablespoon or two of water later to help thin it out again.)
To prepare the burger crumble, add a drizzle of olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt, and continue breaking up the meat until it's no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
To the cooked ground beef, add in the drained lentils, onion powder, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir well, until the lentils are heated through and look like they blend in with the beef crumbles. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To assemble the salad, start with a bed of chopped romaine lettuce. (Or use iceberg lettuce if you prefer.) Spoon the warm burger crumble over the top, along with sliced tomatoes, diced pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese, if desired. Drizzle the sauce generously over the top, then the salad is ready to eat.
The components of this salad can be stored separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The dressing will thicken when chilled, but you can thin it out by adding a tablespoon of water and stirring well.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 6 servings, assuming you divide all of the crumble and dressing evenly between the portions. You should have roughly a 1/2 cup of crumble and 3 tablespoons of dressing for each portion. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Make it Vegan: Skip the ground beef and cut the crumble seasonings in half to make a lentil-based burger crumble, instead. You can add a 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans for extra texture. Omit the optional shredded cheese to keep it dairy-free.

Nutrition