How to make Cheeseburger Salad at home? (Full of Flavors)

This dish transforms a favorite cheeseburger into a delectable salad that rivals any drive-through!

With our own special sauce drizzled over it, this plate of crisp lettuce is topped with seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, pickles, onions, and sesame seed croutons.

The Best Cheeseburger Salad

• This is a dinner that can be prepared in a flash for a weeknight, much like a taco salad (but with different flavors).
• Even though this salad is considerably healthier (and fresher), it still contains all of your favorite fast food restaurant’s flavors.
• The dressing is a simple homemade thousand island style dressing, but if you’d rather, you may substitute store-bought.
• However, we prefer to make our own croutons from sesame seed buns. You can use prepackaged croutons.

Ingredients for Cheeseburger Salad

THE BEEF: For juicy burger flavor in every mouthful, lean ground beef is browned and spiced. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion powder, but you may also add steak seasoning if you’d like!

THE SALAD: To give this salad crispness it needs to hold up to the ground beef and pickles, iceberg, or romaine lettuce that has been chopped.

THE TOPPINGS: Our homemade giant mac sauce with pickles, onions, cheese, and croutons. On top, some toasted sesame seeds go nicely.

Other Additions

Anything goes on a hamburger, so add it!

• fried mushrooms, tomatoes, avocados, and caramelized onions
• one drop of barbecue sauce
• sweet pickles and spicy peppers
• Blue cheese with bacon crumbles

A quick word about the onions: I find that purchasing dehydrated onion flakes and rehydrating them gives them a terrific flavor and makes them taste like the onions on a Big Mac. If you’d prefer, use fresh onions.

Making a Big Cheeseburger Salad

1. Dressing mix. For best results, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make beef. Beef is seasoned and browned (per the recipe below).
3. Croutons baked. Burger buns should be cut into small croutons and baked until crispy (or use store bought croutons).
4. Prepare the salad.

How is Big Mac Sauce made?

This traditional sauce is made primarily of mayonnaise and ketchup. All you need are pickles (or pickle relish, if you’re short on time), onion flakes, a little vinegar, and milk to make it creamy.

How to Keep

For up to five days, store the extra dressing in a container with a tight-fitting lid. In a sealed container, Big Mac salad will remain fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator (store the meat separately so it can be headed and added).

Add fresh lettuce and grated cheddar cheese, then mix to refresh. Salad ingredients should be kept separate from the dressing.

Cheeseburger Salad (Big Mac Salad)

Make this Big Mac-inspired homemade salad instead of going through the drive-through!

Ingredients

• 2 sesame seed hamburger buns or 1 cup prepared croutons
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
• 1 head iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce washed and chopped
• 3 dill pickles sliced
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or cubed processed cheese
• ½ cup thinly sliced onion or 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes soaked in hot water to rehydrate*
• seasoned salt & pepper to taste

dressing

• 2 tablespoons dill pickle chopped
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons French dressing or Heinz Chili Sauce
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons dehydrated onion flakes
• 2-3 tablespoons of milk

Instructions for Cheeseburger Salad

1. In a small bowl, combine the dressing’s components. Keep cold for at least 20 minutes (so the dehydrated onion can soften).

sesame croutons

1. Turn on the 375°F oven.
2. Cut sesame seed buns into little rounds measuring 1″. (or cut into cubes). Cooking spray should be used sparingly, and seasoning salt should be used.
3. On a baking sheet, spread out the “croutons” and bake for about 8 minutes, or until crisp.

assembling a salad

1. Garlic powder, onion powder, and ground beef are browned until no pink is visible. Remove fat, then season to taste with seasoned salt and pepper.
2. Half the lettuce should be put in each bowl. Add cheese, croutons, pickles, onions, and beef on the top.
3. Add dressing and sesame seeds after drizzling.

Notes

Onions: I think that rehydrating dehydrated onion flakes gives them a terrific flavor and makes them taste like the onions on a Big Mac. If you’d prefer, you can add fresh onions (or a combination).

Additions are optional: Diced tomatoes, bacon, and barbecue sauce

Shortcut

• Buy washed lettuce and shredded cheese to reduce prep time.
• Regular croutons can be used in place of sesame seed ones.
• Bought Thousand Island. Instead of homemade dressing, you might use dressing.

Nutrition information

Calories: 557 | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 1076mg | Potassium: 804mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 332mg | Iron: 4mg