Big Mac Bowl
Level
Easy
Time
45 Min
Serves
4
Published December 11, 2023 by Dr. Stephanie Gray, DC
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I can’t wait for you to try my BIG MAC BOWL. This might be my favorite recipe of all time!
Roasted cauliflower serves as the base for this bowl. It’s then topped with ground beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. A super tasty Big Mac inspired dressing tops the bowl. This bowl has all the flavours of your favourite fast food restaurant without the bun and more vegetables. The magic of this salad is the signature dressing that takes less than 5 minutes to make.
I’ve served this bowl for company and every time I am sending them home with the recipe for the sauce. Everybody loves it!
Gluten free, grain free, nut free, dairy free option (simply omit cheese), paleo and keto friendly.
Why you will LOVE this Big Mac Bowl!
- A quick, super easy dinner idea, no drive-thru required!
- Very healthy meal: no refined carbohydrates, high in protein
- This bowl is all about the dressing: SO GOOD!
- Gluten free, grain free, dairy free option (omit cheese), nut free
- It’s paleo and keto friendly
- A family favorite! Pre-roast the cauliflower and dinner can be ready in 15 minutes.
Commentary on Key Ingredients & Substitutions:
- Cauliflower – Roasted cauliflower was chosen as the base for this bowl. Or you could steam the cauliflower instead. Either works. Cauliflower is obviously very good for you and makes this recipe more nutrient dense.
- Beef– I’ve done the beef part 2 ways. Either I’ve used ground beef (as per the recipe) or I’ve barbequed hamburgers and then sliced them up for the salad. Both ways work great. If you choose to go the hamburger route, I encourage you to read labels before buying. Store bought hamburgers are notorius for having unhealthy ingredients like bread crumbs, soybean/canola oil and other questionable ingredients. Hamburgers taste best when they are beef only. Costco and Superstore have great beef only burgers.
- Tomatoes –I used cherry tomatoes but a regular tomato could also be used.
- Pickles- Any pickle finely diced will work. I’ve used dill, gherkin, sweet. Read labels to be aware of the sugar content.
- Spinach– I used spinach for this recipe but you could also use romaine lettuce.
- Onion– A small white onion works best for this recipe but red onion would also work. If you don’t like raw onion, simply cook the onion in the same pan with the beef. Reserve a tablespoon of onion for the Big Mac sauce.
- Cheese- I used cheddar cheese but mozzarella would also work. Use any cheese that you would put on a hamburger. Omit cheese to make dairy free or use dairy free/lactose free cheese.
- Sesame seeds (optional)– I sometimes garnish this bowl with white sesame seeds to represent the bun. Omit if you don’t have any. It won’t affect the overall taste of the salad.
- Mayonnaise- use avocado mayonnaise if you can find it/afford it. Mayonnaise made from avocado oil is a healthier option. Costco sometimes carries an excellent avocado mayonnaise that is a reasonable price.
- Ketchup– the downside of conventional ketcup is that it has sugar. Use sugar-free ketchup if you’re observing the paleo/keto diets.
- Monk fruit sweetener– monk fruit is a calorie free, gut bacteria friendly sweetener. It is popular in keto/paleo/sugar free circles. It was used to add just a touch of sweetness to the dressing. It’s ok to use any other sweetener (coconut sugar, Swerve, table sugar) or simply omit. The dressing tastes good without sweetener.
How to Store Leftover Big Mac Bowl
Store leftovers and dressing separately in an airtight glass containers. Refrigerate. Eat the beef within 5 days. The dressing will be ok in the fridge for 7 days.
Do not freeze.
Big Mac Bowl
This Big Mac Bowl has all the flavours of your favourite fast food burger, without the bun. Beef, lettuce, pickles, onions, cheese and that special sauce on a bed of roasted cauliflower.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 468kcal
Equipment
- 1 Large baking sheet
- 1 Frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower chopped into florets
- 500 grams ground beef
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1 cup dill pickles diced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 small white onion finely diced; reserve 1 tbsp for the sauce
- white sesame seeds optional
For the Big Mac Sauce
- 3/4 cup avocado mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
- 1 tbsp white onion finely diced
- 1 dill pickle finely diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Arrange cauliflower florets on a large baking sheet. Roast about 30 minutes. Edges of cauliflower should be brown.
- Add 1 tbsp oil and ground beef to frying pan. Brown beef over medium heat.
Big Mac Sauce
- In a small bowl add mayo, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, monk fruit, white onion and dill pickle. Stir with a spoon. Set aside.
How to assemble the bowl
- Divide the roasted cauliflower between 4 bowls. Top with cooked ground beef, some spinach, cherry tomatoes, dill pickles, white onions, shredded cheddar cheese. Pour the Big Mac Sauce over each bowl. Garnish with white sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
If you hate raw onions, cook the diced onion with the beef.
Substitute romaine lettuce for spinach.
Substitute romaine lettuce for roasted cauliflower and make it a Big Mac Salad!
Substitute any sweetener (coconut sugar, Swerve or table sugar) for monk fruit sweetener.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.8g | Protein: 33.9g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13.8g | Sodium: 613.6mg | Potassium: 491.2mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 3.8g
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