I don't know about you, but sometimes I just have to have a Big Mac. But at the same time, I really don't want to blow a day's worth of calories and Weight Watchers points on one burger.
That's why I created this healthy Big Mac Salad recipe -it's only 9 WW blue points. This Big Mac Salad is a great way to get your Big Mac fix in a healthy way, completely satisfying your craving. It's an economical and filling meal the whole family will enjoy and it's Weight Watchers friendly at only 9 WW points on blue.
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Considering a Big Mac is 22 Weight Watchers points on the blue plan, this salad is not only super filling, it's a darn good deal as far as calories, fat and WW points go! This Weight Watchers Big Mac Salad is unbelievably tasty and will completely satisfy your craving in a healthy way. It's also a quick and easy meal that the whole family can enjoy and no one will even suspect it's Weight Watchers friendly!
🥘 Ingredients
I LOVE Big Macs and periodically I get a pretty overwhelming craving for them. But then I also want fries with it and there goes a couple days worth of points. So, this is a really great alternative. This salad is seriously like a Big Mac in a bowl, but with a little extra lettuce and tomatoes added to the mix. Many of the recipes I've come across use Thousand Island Dressing but I prefer my special sauce with Light Catalina dressing. Try it and you'll see that it really does taste just like mac sauce!
For this recipe you'll need:
- light mayonnaise
- light Catalina dressing
- sweet relish
- ketchup
- white vinegar
- onion powder
- salt
- pickles
- onion
- iceberg lettuce
- tomatoes
- extra lean ground beef
- low-fat cheddar cheese
- thin buns
- sesame seed
Like I said, you don't have to be following the Weight Watchers program to love this salad. My teenage son thought it was 'amazing' and of course I never mentioned it was a WW Big Mac salad. I've seen a lot of this type of salad out there that are very low-carb (keto) - this is NOT that salad.
I still love and need my carbs so I added the 'mini buns' because not only are they cute, they really make you feel like you're still eating a Big Mac. Because what's a Big Mac without bun?! And it's still not a high carb salad. That's why I love the WW program- nothing is off limits- it's all about balance. So go ahead, eat some carbs and indulge guilt-free!
💭 Can I make this salad in advance?
YES! In fact, the 'burger' part of this recipe is best made in advance. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. The tomato and lettuce portion is best made just prior to serving, but can be made a day in advance.
💭 Storing
Ideally, you should store the meat mixture separately from the 'salad' part and not mix them together until you are ready to eat it. You can store this salad for up to 2 days in the fridge.
📖 Variations
- you can use dill or bread and butter pickles - they both work well
- you can use romaine or leaf lettuce instead of iceberg
- you can use a WW bread if you don't have thin buns
- French dressing can be substituted for Catalina
- use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef (although it won't taste quite as close to a big mac)
If you're looking for a quick and easy meal idea that's sure to be a keeper or simply need a healthy Big Mac fix, then give this recipe a go! You won't be disappointed!
⭐ REVIEWS
Here's what others are saying:
"So brilliant! I love the dressing and pickles, really tastes like the real thing! Thanks!."⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📋 Big Mac Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup light mayonnaise * I use Hellman's ½ the fat mayonnaise
- ¼ cup light Catalina dressing *I use Kraft ( light French dressing can be substituted)
- 2 tbsp sweet relish
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 3 choppped pickles
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 2 heads iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 3 cups cooked ground beef, extra lean * about 1 lb raw ground beef
Garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 4 tbsp low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 thin buns, cut into small circles * I use President's Choice thin buns (PC thins)
- additional chopped/sliced pickles and onions
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in frying pan, on stovetop, over medium heat until cooked through. Drain.
- Add chopped pickles, onions, light Catalina salad dressing, mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, onion powder, salt and vinegar to ground beef and stir until thoroughly combined. *It's ideal if you can let this sit in the fridge for at least a few hours, but it's not critical.
- Chop lettuce and tomatoes and add to large bowl, then add meat mixture.
- Sprinkle cheese over top of salad.
- Cut both thin buns into "mini buns" with a small round cookie cutter (you can even use the round side of a large icing tip or anything small and round) *You should get 6 mini buns from each larger bun.
Garnish
- Add buns to the top of the salad.
- Add additional chopped pickles and onions, as desired.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Or store meat and lettuce/tomato mixture separately until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
🍽️More Weight Watchers Dinner Recipes~!
- Grilled Steak Salad with Feta and Clamato Dressing (Moxie's copycat)
- Easy Greek Chicken Souvlaki - Weight Watchers friendly!
- Easy & Healthy Butter Chicken: Weight Watchers friendly & Gluten-free
- Healthy Classic Potato Salad- WW friendly
- Weight Watchers Pizza with 2 ingredient Weight Watchers Pizza Dough
- Healthy Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta - WW friendly!
Shailaja Desai
This looks like a delicious and hearty salad...Love the mini bun cut outs too!!
Sabrina
So brilliant! I love the dressing and pickles, really tastes like the real thing! Thanks!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Sabrina- glad you loved it!!
Ginni Kelley
The mini bun cut outs are a great idea! Loving the naughty named healthy recipe.
Terri Gilson
Thanks! I needed some kind of bun to make it truly big mac like 🙂
Bernice Hill
What a fun recipe! All the flavours you crave in a Big Mac in one bowl and so much healthier too.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Bernice! It really hits the spot!