Easy Big Mac in a Bowl (Printable)

A healthier deconstructed burger bowl with seasoned beef, crisp vegetables, and homemade special sauce. Ready in 25 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • All the Big Mac magic tastes exactly the same, but you actually feel good eating it.
  • Ready in 25 minutes, which means you can have this on a weeknight without stress.
  • It's gluten-free and low-carb without tasting like you're sacrificing anything at all.
02 -
  • The beef needs to actually brown, not just turn gray, or you'll lose that seared flavor that makes the whole thing feel like a real burger.
  • Don't assemble these bowls ahead—they get weepy and sad within 20 minutes, but they come together so fast it hardly matters.
03 -
  • Keep your skillet hot and your beef moving while it cooks—stagnant beef turns gray and loses that seared edge.
  • Slice that red onion as thin as your patience will allow, because thick pieces sit on your palate too long and turn sharp.
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