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GET IT NOWSkip the Drive-Thru With My Big Mac Bowl Recipe
I’ve been on a serious burger kick lately, and this Big Mac bowl is my latest favorite. I based the recipe on my Big Mac salad, but this time I used a different, heartier base, and left out the tomatoes because the real McDonald’s burger doesn’t have any. Here’s why it’s everything you love about the classic, but better:
- Tastes like a Big Mac – Thanks to my copycat Big Mac sauce and all the classic toppings, this is quite literally like a Big Mac in a bowl.
- It’s NOT a salad bowl – While I love my greens, for this recipe I wanted a heartier bowl meal and not a salad! I opted for crispy roasted potatoes as the base, so you get that “fries on the side” vibe… except they catch that creamy, dreamy sauce instead. And don’t worry if you prefer something lighter — I’ve got alternatives to the spuds below!
- Clean ingredients – I felt so much better putting this new, cleaner spin on this dish. My version is gluten-free and uses real food staples.
- Easy one-bowl meal – I have a weakness for recipes that make my entire healthy dinner in one dish, and this one did just that. I used simple ingredients I already had (you probably do, too) and it took just half an hour!
If you’re craving all the flavor of a fast food burger without that “fast food feeling”, skip the drive-thru and make these Big Mac bowls with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my Big Mac bowl recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Beef – I break it up as I cook this recipe, but you can also make my smash burger or classic burger recipe and serve the beef patties over the bowl instead. If you want something leaner, I recommend ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Potatoes – The base! I love using Yukon golds because they crisp up nicely and get fluffy inside. I never peel them, although you can. I didn’t enjoy the texture when I tried Russets, but was surprised at how much I loved roasted sweet potatoes as a non-traditional substitute. You can also use rutabagas, turnips, or other root vegetables for a healthier alternative and low carb option.
- Toppings – I tried to make my Big Mac bowls match the burger with iceberg lettuce, shredded cheese, dill pickles, onions, and sesame seeds. Feel free to use other greens (like romaine lettuce), add extra veggies you have in the fridge (sometimes I add tomatoes even if they’re “not supposed to” be in there), or swap in pickle relish (I usually skip it due to processed ingredients).
- Big Mac Sauce – I made my own version of this burger sauce with mayo, pickles, yellow mustard, white vinegar, paprika, and honey. It’s creamy, tangy, sweet, and pulls the whole burger bowl together.
- Olive Oil – For cooking the beef and potatoes. I’ve used avocado oil, too.
- Spices – I season the potatoes with garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper, while the beef gets only salt and pepper. I also always roast my potatoes with baking powder, which makes them extra crispy.
How To Make My Big Mac Bowl
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the sauce. Follow the instructions for my Big Mac sauce and set it aside so the flavors can mingle while you prep everything else.
- Cook the potatoes. In a large bowl, drizzle the diced potatoes with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and baking powder (if you’re using it), then toss to coat. Spread them out in an air fryer basket or on a baking sheet. Roast or air fry until golden and crispy.
- Cook the beef. Heat olive oil in a large skillet (I prefer my enameled cast iron skillet for nice browning). Add the ground beef, break it up, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned. I don’t usually drain my 85/15 beef, but you might need to if you have 80/20.
- Assemble each Big Mac bowl. Divide the potatoes between your bowls and layer on the beef, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions. Drizzle with Big Mac sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
My Tips For A Crispy, Fluffy Base
- Try to keep the potato pieces about the same size, so they cook at the same rate. Smaller cubes = crispier bites, which is what I go for. I’ve tried 1/2 inch, 1 inch and even larger, and the small ones are definitely my fave. Plus, they cook faster and that’s always a plus!
- If you have time to prep ahead, soak the diced potatoes in water. Sometimes I do this for just half an hour before I start dinner, other times the night before and keep in the fridge. Soaking removes excess starch and helps them get more crispy! I’ve totally skipped this, though, and I promise this Big Mac bowl was still delicious.
- Make sure the spuds are in a single layer. If you pile them up, they’ll steam instead of crisp.
- Flipping the potatoes partway through helps them cook evenly and get crispy all over. I just use a spatula or give the basket a good shake.
- Should you cook them in the oven or air fryer? I’ve done both! I find that the oven method gives me the perfect amount of time to brown the beef and chop the toppings. However, air frying gave me much crispier results (no surprise there). When I use my air fryer, I prep the toppings beforehand to time this meal correctly.
Big Mac Bowl
My Big Mac bowl recipe has all the classic flavors in a bowl with ground beef, crispy potatoes, lettuce, pickles, cheese, and special sauce.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Potato Base:
Beef:
Toppings:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat either your air fryer or your oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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Make the homemade Big Mac sauce here . Set aside.
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Place the diced potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the baking powder as well, if using. Toss to coat.
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Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in an air fryer basket, or on a baking sheet. Air fry for 8-12 minutes, or roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crispy. (I recommend tossing halfway through.) If they are done before everything else is ready, cover to keep warm.
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Meanwhile, heat the olive oil for the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, break apart with a spatula, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and moisture has evaporated.
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Divide the potatoes among 4 bowls. Pile each bowl with the cooked ground beef, iceberg lettuce, cheddar cheese, pickles, and red onions. Drizzle with Big Mac sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 Big Mac bowl, or 1/4 of the entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the crispiest, fluffiest potato base, and how to time everything correctly. If you prefer something lighter or low carb, see my substitutions above.
- Storage & meal prep: This Big Mac Bowl is even better for meal prep than my salad version. Almost all the components can be reheated together, and they reheat quite well in the microwave (or oven) for lunch. I usually just combine everything except the lettuce in my meal prep containers, although you could store the pickles and red onions separately as well.
- Reheat: You can warm everything up in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. I’ve also placed my glass meal prep containers right in my air fryer basket!
- Freeze: I wouldn’t freeze the full bowl, but the cooked beef and potatoes freeze well on their own, for up to 3 months.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Big Mac Bowl
More Burger Bowl Recipes
If you liked this Big Mac in a bowl recipe, I’ve got more ground beef bowls you can try next:
6 Comments
Kathy C
0I made this last week and not only was it amazing, it gave me ideas for other similar bowls using fish or chicken. It tasted amazing and we would eat it again. The Big Mac sauce was made and was great too!
Wholesome Yum D
0Kathy, I love hearing this! It’s awesome that the recipe sparked ideas for other bowls, fish or chicken would be delicious swaps. 🙂
Colleen
0Very tasty! Love this healthier spin on a classic!
Wholesome Yum D
0Thanks, Colleen! I’m so glad you liked this healthier take, always fun to recreate the classics in a better-for-you way!
Emily Cavallario
0Wow I made this and was so in love!!! It’s so good!!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy you loved it, Emily! Thank you for trying it!