These Big Mac salad bowls are irresistible! Bringing all the classic cheeseburger flavors with seasoned ground beef, life-changing crispy sesame potatoes and a creamy homemade Greek yogurt Big Mac sauce all piled on on a bed of crisp romaine, and your favorite burger toppings. This is a high protein, meal prep friendly, balanced meal that will leave you feeling full and satisfied after eating. 

A bowl filled with ground beef, roasted potatoes, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, lettuce, pickles, and a light dressing, garnished with sesame seeds. A fork rests in the bowl and a small dish of dressing is beside it.

Alright, I’m not the kind of dietitian who will ever tell you not to go for the burger, but I have to say, there is something so satisfying about the crunch and freshness of this Big Mac in a bowl situation. Crispy romaine, life-changing oven roasted sesame potatoes (total sesame bun meets golden fries vibes), perfectly browned and seasoned ground beef and all those crave-worthy burger fixings in one fun to eat deconstructed burger bowl.

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But here’s the best part: it’s not just delicious – it’s balanced and so satisfying! This high protein salad is also packed with fiber-rich veggies and complex carbs for that long lasting energy we love. 

Overhead view of bowls containing ground beef, chopped lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes, diced pickles, shredded cheddar cheese, cubed red potatoes, a creamy dressing, olive oil, sesame seeds, and salt, all on a pink surface.

Ingredient Highlights

Red potatoes: I tested this recipe with both russet and red, but red wins here by far. No peeling needed, plus they are less starchy resulting in a gorgeous golden crispy outside with a soft, tender center. Plus they balance our burger salad with complex carbs, our body’s preferred source of energy.

Sesame seeds: Do not skip these! This is where things get fun. One day while testing these burger bowls, I had this lightbulb moment: what if I added sesame seeds to the potatoes to mimic the sesame seed bun x french fry vibe of that classic fast food combo. Needless to say they turned out even better than I Imagined. My cousin was over and dubbed-them “life-changing”, so you’ll have to let us know in the comments if you agree. Haha

Avocado oil: Another key to getting the perfect golden crisp on the potatoes is roasting them at a high heat (which also cuts down the cook time), which means you need a high heat cooking oil. Avocado oil is my go-to for high heat cooking with a smoke point of 475 F, and a high monounsaturated fat content, thought to support heart health.

Romaine lettuce: I went with romaine instead of iceberg. It’s just as fresh and crisp but has more fiber and nutrients including antioxidant vitamins A and C.

Shredded cheddar: It’s not a cheeseburger salad without the cheese. I went for shredded cheese to distribute it throughout the bites. Timesaving hack: buy pre-shredded cheese or use your food processor to blitz up a whole block in 30 seconds flat!

Pickles: A must for that classic Big Mac flavor hit. The key here is dicing them – it adds that tang and crunch to every bite. You can use store-bought (I love zesty dill!) or try with my homemade ACV cucumber pickles. 

Greek yogurt Big Mac sauce: This Greek yogurt based sauce is soo dreamy and takes just 5 minutes to make. Made with Greek yogurt, mayo, ketchup, mustard and diced pickles it brings all your favorite burger condiments together in one simple dressing for this salad-like bowl!

Psst – if you love this sauce, you have to try my Quick Pan-Fried Smash Burger Tacos for another quick and easy dinner option. To save time, double the recipe so it’s ready to go for an extra speedy meal!

How To Make It 

Let’s walk through it, step by step! This bowl is super simple, but I tested it a few different ways to get everything just right. So here’s how it all came together (plus a few tips from behind the scenes).

Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) – Yes, 450! I know it sounds high, but trust me. I originally tested this at a lower temp (standard 400°F), and while the potatoes were fine… they didn’t quite crisp up the way I wanted. This high-heat method is the secret to crispy, golden roasted potatoes in just 30 minutes. No standing over the stove or fryer needed. 

Chopped green lettuce leaves spread out on a light wooden surface, showing a mix of dark and light green to pale white colors.

A note on cutting your lettuce – I like to thinly slice mine so it’s almost shredded. Thinly slice crosswise, then slice lengthwise 1-2 times depending on the size of your head of lettuce. 

A glass bowl filled with chopped red potatoes, seasoned with sesame seeds and herbs, ready for cooking.

In a big mixing bowl, toss together 6 cups of cubed red potatoes with skins on (no wasted time peeling here), 1 ½ tablespoons of avocado oil, 2 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, and ¾ teaspoon salt.

Chopped red potatoes with skins on, scattered on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkled with sesame seeds, ready for roasting.

Spread them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet (don’t crowd them! Space = crispiness!) and roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Ground beef is being cooked and browned in a stainless steel skillet on a stovetop. The meat is crumbled and sizzling, with some areas showing darker, crispy edges.

Brown your beef. Now, here’s the key: don’t stir right away. I know it’s tempting, but let that beef sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes. This is how you get those gorgeous crispy edges and build up flavor! After the first side is golden, flip it, break it up a bit, and cook for another 3 – 4 minutes. Then break into bite-sized crumbles and remove from heat.

A white bowl filled with creamy, light orange sauce with small green bits, sitting on a pink textured surface.

Make your big mac sauce. If you haven’t already whipped up your Greek Yogurt Big Mac Sauce, now’s the time. This sauce is everything: creamy, tangy, satisfying and made with Greek yogurt for a little protein boost! I love that it tastes just like the real thing. You’ll want to put it on everything, just warning you now.

A bowl filled with ground beef, sliced cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, diced pickles, roasted potatoes, and creamy sauce, topped with sesame seeds. A fork rests in the bowl, and a small dish of sauce is nearby.

Time to bring it all together! Start with a base of shredded romaine. Add halved cherry tomatoes, shredded cheddar, and diced pickles. Then pile on your sesame roasted potatoes and crumbled beef. Finish it off with a generous drizzle of that Greek yogurt Big Mac sauce. It might seem a little thick at first, but once you mix it in with everything it’s *chef’s kiss*. If you’re feeling it, sprinkle on more sesame seeds for good measure.

Watch How To Make It Here!

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A bowl filled with ground beef, roasted potatoes, cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots, lettuce, pickles, and a light dressing, garnished with sesame seeds. A fork rests in the bowl and a small dish of dressing is beside it.

Insanely Delicious Big Mac Salad Bowl

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Lindsay Pleskot, RD
  • Prep Time: 10 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dinner, meal prep recipes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

These Big Mac salad bowls are irresistible! Bringing all the classic cheeseburger flavors with seasoned beef, life-changing crispy sesame potatoes and a creamy homemade Greek yogurt Big Mac sauce all piled on on a bed of crisp romaine, and your favorite burger toppings. This is a high protein, meal prep friendly, balanced meal that will leave you feeling full and satisfied after eating. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½  lbs lean ground beef
  • 6 cups cubed red potatoes (1 x ½-inch pieces), patted dry 
  • 2 ½ Tbsp Avo oil 
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 head of romaine, shredded (thinly slice the head crosswise,  then cut lengthwise 1-2 times) 
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 x Greek Yogurt Big Mac Sauce
  • 3 pickles, diced (store bought or try these homemade ACV pickles)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
  2. To a large bowl, add the potatoes (make sure you’ve patted them dry for the crispiest result), 1 ½  tablespoon avocado oil, sesame seeds, and salt and toss to combine. Spread them out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef (it should sizzle when it hits the pan) season generously with salt and pepper and let it cook undisturbed until the first side is golden brown and slightly crispy, about 5 minutes. Flip, breaking up the pieces a bit and continue to cook undisturbed another 3-4 minutes until the second side is golden brown. Break it up into bite-sized crumbles and remove from heat. 
  4. If you haven’t already, make your big mac sauce and set aside.
  5. Make your bowls by dividing the chopped romaine, tomatoes, cheese as the base and pickles. Top with potatoes and ground beef. Drizzle with big mac sauce (it will appear thick but will mix in well when stirred in) Top with more sesame seeds if desired!

Notes

Storage: If using for meal prep, store the meat and potatoes separate from the veggies. When ready to eat you can either eat cold or reheat the meat and potatoes in the toaster oven or microwave, before adding to your salad bowl to enjoy!