This Big Mac Pizza is a healthier version of a typical Big Mac pizza, but it's still like eating a McDonald's Big Mac in pizza form. Made with a copycat special sauce, extra lean ground beef, lighter ingredients, 2 ingredient ww friendly dough, and fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles, this Big Mac Pizza will leave you begging for more. And the best part is no one will suspect it's good for you!
This recipe is popular all year round, ideal for pizza night and it makes a great Father's Day dinner or lunch. This was inspired by my other big mac recipe (Big Mac Salad) and pairs perfectly with my Weight Watchers Pizza with 2 ingredient Weight Watchers Pizza Dough on this site.
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And if you LOVE Big Mac things, check out my Big Mac Bites! They make a fantastic healthy game day appetizer!
🥘Ingredient Notes
Most Big Mac Pizza recipes use Thousand Island dressing, but I use Catalina dressing for my secret sauce :). I remember hearing from someone who worked at McDonald's that it's more authentic and tastes closer to the real thing than if you use the Thousand Island dressing.
You'll need the following simple ingredients for this Big Mac Pizza:
- Pizza dough (enough for a 14" pizza) * I use 2 ingredient WW pizza dough (see variations below)
- Light Mayonnaise * I use Hellman's ½ the fat mayonnaise.
- Light Catalina dressing. I use Kraft low-fat Catalina dressing.
- Pickles. I use dill pickles.
- Extra lean ground beef. It's important to use extra lean ground beef to keep this recipe light and prevent a greasy pizza.
- Cheddar Cheese. I use low-fat sharp cheddar cheese.
- Lettuce. You can use iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Lettuce - you can use another type of lettuce such as leaf lettuce.
- Catalina dressing- you can substitute light French dressing.
- Pizza crust - ww pizza crust has the least calories, fat, and lowest ww points, but you could use another homemade pizza dough like my bread machine pizza dough or my 15 minute pizza dough. Alternatively, you could use a store-bought pizza dough or pre-baked pizza crust. *NOTE: if you use a pre-baked pizza shell, it will need a lot less time to cook (about 10 minutes)
- Ground beef - you could substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for the ground beef
- Relish - you can substitute pickle relish for sweet relish
- Cheese - you can use American cheese slices or mozzarella cheese instead of shredded cheddar cheese if you prefer
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes and/or jalapenos
🔪How to Make a healthier version of Big Mac Pizza
Just follow these simple steps:
Prep: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) and spray a 14-inch perforated pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Brown ground beef with ½ the onion, in a medium skillet, on the stovetop, over medium-high heat until cooked through.
Prepare your pizza dough (see variations and substitutions)
Combine pizza sauce ingredients in a small bowl (for homemade Big Mac sauce): Catalina salad dressing, mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, onion powder, salt and vinegar. Mix well.
Spread ¾ of the pizza sauce on pizza dough and set aside the remaining sauce for garnish.
Spread meat mixture evenly over pizza sauce.
Sprinkle on half the chopped pickles
Add the shredded cheddar cheese to the top of the pizza
Bake for 20-25 minutes in a hot oven, or until crust is lightly browned and pizza is cooked through. Optional : (if it's not yet browned enough for you) Turn oven to broil (500 degrees F/260 degrees C) and cook for 2 minutes or until pizza browns and is bubbly.
*You need to watch it very closely
Once out of oven, add shredded lettuce, the remaining uncooked onion, pickles, tomatoes, and sesame seeds
Garnish: Drizzle on remaining sauce or serve with additional sauce
🥗 What to serve with Big Mac Pizza
I serve Big Mac pizza with Cucumber Kimchi (shown), Coleslaw or Spinach salad.
🌡️Storage
Store leftover cheeseburger pizza in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. If you are just storing it overnight, you can just cover it in plastic wrap.
If you are making it in advance, store the garnish (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles,, and onions in a separate container). The sesame seeds can be stored at room temperature.
This pizza can be made in advance and frozen for up to 2 months covered in Glad press n' seal (be sure to double it). When you want to serve it, defrost it, warm it, and then put the fresh toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions) on.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 12 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You will need additional pizza pans if you double or triple.
🔢WW Points
This recipe tastes like a Big Mac hamburger, but it's Weight Watchers friendly at 6 ww points per serving (1 piece) if you use the ww pizza dough and light ingredients.
Expert tips
- Make crispy pizza dough. The trick to keeping pizza dough crispy is to use a perforated pizza pan or bake it in a cast iron frying pan (affiliate links).
- Don’t Overload the Dough with Sauce. Use a light layer of sauce to avoid making the crust soggy. Reserve some sauce for drizzling on the top after baking for extra flavor without compromising texture.
- Chop Toppings Uniformly. Chop lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles into small, uniform pieces for even distribution across the pizza. This ensures every bite is balanced.
- Monitor Broiling Closely. If broiling the pizza for extra browning, keep a close eye on it, as it can burn quickly. Two minutes at 500°F (260°C) is typically sufficient.
- Let the Pizza Rest Before Slicing. Allow the pizza to cool for 3-5 minutes after baking to let the toppings settle. This prevents the cheese and sauce from sliding off when slicing.
❔ Recipe FAQ's
Most Big Mac Pizza recipes I have come across are about 400- 600 calories per slice. My lighter Healthier version of a Big Mac Pizza is 271 calories per slice.
Reheat slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes or until warmed through. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the crust soggy.
Let the pizza cool slightly after baking before slicing. Use a sharp pizza cutter or large chef's knife to make clean cuts. Adding fresh toppings (like lettuce and tomatoes) after slicing can also help.
So if you're looking to satisfy your Big Mac and pizza cravings in a healthy way, you’ll love this pizza! And don't be surprised if it becomes your family's favorite pizza. The best part is.. this is one guilty pleasure you don't have to feel guilty about.
🍕More Homemade Pizza Recipes
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📋 Healthy Big Mac Pizza Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 recipe for Pizza dough (enough for a 14" pizza) * I use 2 ingredient WW pizza dough
Pizza Sauce
- 1 cup light (low-fat) mayonnaise * I use Hellman's ½ the fat mayonnaise
- ½ cup light Catalina dressing *I use Kraft or light French dressing can be substituted
- 4 tablespoon sweet relish
- 4 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Toppings
- 3 pickles, chopped *I use dill pickles
- 1 whole onion
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef
- 3 cups low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Garnish:
- 1 ½ cups iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 whole tomatoes chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 14 inch pizza pan with non- stick cooking spray. .
- Brown ground beef with half the chopped onion, in a large skillet, on stovetop, over medium-high heat until cooked through.1 lb extra lean ground beef, 1 whole onion
- Prepare pizza dough1 recipe for Pizza dough (enough for a 14" pizza)
Pizza sauce:
- Combine Big Mac pizza sauce ingredients: Catalina salad dressing, mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, onion powder, salt and vinegar in a small bowl1 cup light (low-fat) mayonnaise, ½ cup light Catalina dressing, 4 tablespoon sweet relish, 4 tablespoon ketchup, 2 teaspoon white vinegar, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Spread ¾ of the pizza sauce on pizza dough and set aside the remaining sauce for garnish.
- Spread meat mixture evenly over pizza sauce.
- Add half the pickles to the ground beef3 pickles, chopped
- Sprinkle on the cheddar cheese3 cups low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned and cooked through. Optional : (if it's not yet browned enough for you) Turn oven to broil (500 degrees F) and cook for 2 minutes or until pizza browns and is bubbly. You need to watch it very closely
Garnish
- Once out of oven, add lettuce, the remaining raw onion and pickles, tomatoes, and sesame seeds. Drizzle on remaining sauce and/or reserve some to serve with pizza.1 ½ cups iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce, 1 ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
Notes
-
- Make crispy pizza dough. The trick to keeping pizza dough crispy is to use a perforated pizza pan or bake it in a cast iron frying pan (affiliate links).
-
- Don’t Overload the Dough with Sauce. Use a light layer of sauce to avoid making the crust soggy. Reserve some sauce for drizzling on top after baking for extra flavor without compromising texture.
-
- Chop Toppings Uniformly. Chop lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles into small, uniform pieces for even distribution across the pizza. This ensures every bite is balanced.
-
- Monitor Broiling Closely. If broiling the pizza for extra browning, keep a close eye on it, as it can burn quickly. Two minutes at 500°F (260°C) is typically sufficient.
-
- Let the Pizza Rest Before Slicing. Allow the pizza to cool for 3-5 minutes after baking to let the toppings settle. This prevents the cheese and sauce from sliding off when slicing.
Terri Gilson
My teenage son called this "genius!"and said it was one of the best pizzas he's ever had. I didn't tell him it was WW friendly 🙂