Easy Big Mac Bowl (Printable)

A healthier gluten-free deconstructed burger bowl with special sauce, seasoned beef, cheese, and crisp vegetables.

# Required Ingredients:

→ 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

→ 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

# Directions:

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 lettuce, halve tomatoes, slice onion thinly, and dice pickles. Set vegetables aside.
03 - In a small 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 bowls. Layer ground beef, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and shredded cheese on top of lettuce in each bowl.
05 - Drizzle each bowl generously with the special sauce. Serve immediately while beef is warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get that unmistakable Big Mac magic without needing to loosen your belt afterward.
  • Prep time is barely longer than a lunch break, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a project.
  • This works for meal prep because the components stay fresh separately, and you can assemble on the fly.
02 -
  • Don't drain all the fat from the beef if it's just a little, because some of that flavor carries the seasoning into every bite, and a completely dry bowl tastes like cardboard.
  • The special sauce needs a full minute of whisking to taste right, because rushing it means the vinegar and mustard never properly blend with the mayo base.
03 -
  • Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for one minute and sprinkle them on top for a textural surprise that feels intentional instead of random.
  • Make the sauce the night before so the flavors have time to marry together, which always tastes better than fresh sauce no matter what anyone says.
Go Back