The other day, I was craving a pasta salad and wanted to make something different for football Sunday. My friends are huge fans of Big Mac secret sauce, so I thought, why not try making a pasta salad with those same flavors? This Big Mac inspired pasta salad has everything—tangy pickles, crisp lettuce, and creamy sauce—all tossed together in one big bowl.
When I brought it out, everyone grabbed a plate right away. By the time the game started, the bowl was practically empty. I’m definitely making this again for the next get-together!
Why You’ll Love It
- Simple to Make: A handful of ingredients and a quick mix, and you’re done.
- Great for Sharing: Perfect for football Sundays, potlucks, or just hanging out.
- All the Big Mac Flavors You Love: Tangy pickles, creamy sauce, and crisp lettuce in every bite.
Here’s What You’ll Need
- Big Mac Sauce: This is the star of the dish. It’s made with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, vinegar, and a few spices. For a quick shortcut, you could use Thousand Island dressing, but homemade is the way to go for authentic flavor.
- Pasta: Use about 8 ounces of short pasta—fusilli, elbows, or rotini all work well. Cook it according to the instructions on the box.
- Ground Beef: One pound of ground beef, cooked until crispy. Press it flat in the pan to get those seared, burger-like edges. Ground turkey, chicken, or plant-based crumbles can also work.
- Pickles: A cup of dill pickles, chopped small for that signature tang. If you prefer something sweeter, bread-and-butter pickles are a great substitute.
- Lettuce: Two big handfuls of shredded iceberg lettuce. You can swap it for romaine or even coleslaw mix if you’d like.
- Optional Topping: Sesame seeds for that fun nod to the Big Mac bun.
I’m not a fan of cold cheese in pasta salads, but you can add shredded cheddar cheese if you want love cheese!
Top Tip
Chill the sauce: Let the sauce rest in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the salad. It gives the flavors time to come together.
How to Make It:
Prepare the Sauce:
Start by whisking together mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, mustard, vinegar, and spices. Once it’s smooth, cover the bowl and refrigerate the sauce. Letting it chill will help the flavors come together.
Cook the Pasta:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Once it’s tender, drain it, rinse it under cold water, and let it cool completely.
Crisp the Ground Beef:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and press it into thin patties as it cooks. This helps it get crispy edges, just like a burger. Once cooked through, chop the beef into small pieces and let it cool.
Combine Everything:
In a large bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, crispy beef, pickle juice and chopped pickles. Add about half of the shredded lettuce and mix it all together.
Add the Sauce and Serve:
Pour the chilled Big Mac sauce over the salad and stir until everything is evenly coated. Top with the remaining lettuce for freshness. If you want to go all out, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top before serving.
Try These
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If you make this Big Mac inspired pasta salad, I’d love to know what you think! Drop a comment below or leave a quick rating. Your feedback always makes my day, and I’ll do my best to reply to every message.
Big Mac Style Pasta Salad
Big Mac inspired pasta salad is loaded with tangy pickles, crisp lettuce, and creamy burger sauce, all mixed with pasta for a fun dish that’s great for football Sundays or picnics.
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1 Large Mixing Bowl
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1 Small Bowl (for the sauce)
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1 Whisk
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1 Large Pot (for boiling pasta)
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1 Colander (for draining pasta)
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1 Skillet (for cooking ground beef)
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1 Spatula or Wooden Spoon (for breaking up the beef)
- 8 oz fusilli pasta
- 1 lb ground beef cooked smash burger style, browned and crispy
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup chopped dill pickles
- 1 cup Big Mac sauce recipe below
- 2 tbsp pickle juice optional, for added tang
- 1-2 tsp sesame seeds optional, for garnish
For the Authentic Big Mac Sauce:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp white pepper optional
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Whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, white vinegar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and white pepper (if using). If you prefer a thinner sauce, stir in a splash of pickle juice to adjust the consistency. Cover and refrigerate the sauce while you prepare the rest of the salad.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
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Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and press it into thin patties as it cooks to create crispy edges. Cook until browned and cooked through, then break into small pieces. Drain any excess grease and let cool.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooked ground beef, and chopped pickles. Add the pickle juice and toss to mix evenly.
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Add half of the shredded lettuce to the bowl and pour the chilled Big Mac sauce over the mixture. Toss everything together until evenly coated.
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Top the salad with the remaining lettuce for extra crunch. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top if desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.