Easy Big Mac in a Bowl (Printable Version)

Healthier gluten-free deconstructed burger bowl with all the iconic flavors, ready in 25 minutes.

# Needed 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

# Preparation Steps:

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 as needed.
02 - While the beef cooks, chop the lettuce, halve the tomatoes, thinly slice the onion, and dice the pickles. Set aside until ready to assemble.
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 fully combined.
04 - Divide chopped lettuce evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each with cooked ground beef, tomatoes, sliced onion, diced pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese.
05 - Drizzle each bowl generously with the special sauce. Serve immediately while the beef is still warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • All the Big Mac magic happens in 25 minutes, and most of that is just chopping vegetables while the beef browns.
  • That special sauce is genuinely addictive, and once you make it, you'll find yourself drizzling it on salads, wraps, and leftover chicken.
  • It's gluten-free and low-carb without tasting like a compromise, which honestly still surprises me every time.
02 -
  • If you drain all the fat from the beef, it can dry out, so only drain if there's genuinely a pool of grease sitting on top.
  • Make the special sauce first and let it sit while you prep vegetables, because the flavors meld and taste more intentional, less like you just mixed condiments together.
03 -
  • Brown the beef in a dry pan first without stirring for 2 minutes, then break it up, because you'll get flavor from the surface contact that you'll miss if you break it up immediately.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, set out bowls with lettuce already divided and let people add their own toppings and sauce, which takes pressure off you and makes it feel like a build-your-own experience.
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