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I’m the self-proclaimed salad QUEEN, and am thrilled to add this big mac salad to my resume. File it right under my Jennifer Aniston salad, buffalo chicken salad, and Kardashian salad. I have a high criteria when it comes to salads, they must be three things – filling, easy, and DELICIOUS. And this big mac salad checks all of those boxes!

And I can’t forget my favorite part – it’s perfect for meal prep. Because if there’s one thing I don’t have time for as a busy work from home mom, it’s making lunch. So I make this big mac on Sunday, portion it into 4 containers and store the big mac sauce dressing separately. Then, when I need a quick ready-to-go lunch, I simply add the dressing and dive in!

overhead image of healthy big mac salad in a bowl.

Healthy Big Mac Salad Ingredients

Ground Beef: Ground beef serves as the hearty base of this salad, providing protein and savory flavor. Opt for lean ground beef for a healthier option.

Dill Pickles: Tangy and crisp dill pickles add a burst of flavor and texture to the salad, reminiscent of the classic Big Mac sandwich.

Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese adds richness and creaminess to the salad, complementing the other ingredients perfectly.

Mayo: Mayo is the key ingredient in the Big Mac sauce salad dressing, bringing the whole dish together!

Tips and Tricks

  • Adjust the ingredients in the Big Mac sauce dressing to suit your taste preferences. Add more ketchup for sweetness, extra relish for tanginess, or a dash of vinegar for acidity.
  • Save time by preparing the dressing and cooking the ground beef in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad.
  • Feel free to customize your Big Mac salad with additional toppings like diced onions, crumbled bacon, or avocado slices for added flavor and texture.
healthy big mac salad in a bowl with big mac sauce salad dressing on the side.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

Make it Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, simply omit the shredded cheddar cheese or replace it with your favorite dairy-free alternative. I used the Violife vegan cheddar shreds in my salad!

Make it Keto/Low-Carb: For a keto big mac salad, swap out the ketchup in the big mac sauce salad dressing with a sugar-free alternative and adjust the quantity of tomatoes to reduce carb content while still enjoying the classic flavors.

big mac salad in a bowl with sesame seeds on top.
5 from 2 votes

Healthy Big Mac Salad

This big mac salad tastes just like a big mac, without the bun! Ground beef, crisp lettuce, tangy pickles, and creamy cheddar cheese are tossed together with a homemade big mac sauce dressing for a satisfying meal. Enjoy the iconic taste of a big mac in a lighter, healthier salad that’s perfect for lunch or dinner!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 cups romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 red or white onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup tomatoes (any kind), chopped
  • 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles

For the big mac sauce salad dressing:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon relish, or finely minced pickles
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar, or apple sider vinegar
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Make the dressing but adding all big mac sauce salad dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together to combine. Taste and adjust any seasoning as desired.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add in the ground beef, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Break meat up into small pieces and cook until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Remove cooked ground beef from the heat and set aside while you assemble your salad.
  • Add the chopped lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped dill pickles, and cooked ground beef to a large bowl. Pour dressing over the salad and toss to combine, then enjoy immediately.

There’s no better way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day than with this healthy shamrock shake! It’s thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet. With frozen banana, non-dairy milk, and a hint of peppermint extract, this shamrock shake is the healthiest of its kind. Swirl a little coconut whipped cream on top and you have yourself a guilt-free festive treat!

close-up image of a healthy shamrock shake with whipped cream and a cherry on top

Every year around this time, I’d head to the McDonald’s drive-through and pick myself up a shamrock shake. It was my favorite Saint Patrick’s Day treat! When I went dairy-free, I cut shamrock shakes out of my diet. Though year after year I had the worst FOMO knowing people were enjoying these deliciously minty drinks without me. Then, in December I started making chocolate mint smoothies for breakfast and quickly realized, if I remove the chocolate and make it green, I’ve got myself a much healthier shamrock shake! So that’s exactly what I did – kept the banana, non-dairy milk, and peppermint extract, then added a little spinach for that classic green color. Voilá, the healthy shamrock shake was born!

close-up of a healthy shamrock shake

What You’ll Need To Make A Healthy Shamrock Shake

Frozen Banana – Frozen bananas are the base of this shake. They offer the perfect amount of sweetness and incredible texture. When blended, they make this shamrock shake both thick and creamy. If you’d like, you can use two cups of non-dairy vanilla ice cream in place of the frozen bananas.

Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk, though you can use any kind of non-dairy milk in this recipe. I’d recommend using something with a more mild flavor, as to not take away from the minty taste of this shake. And if you’re not dairy-free, you can use regular milk instead.

Spinach – Both fresh and frozen spinach will work! I’ve tried both and had great results each time. Whichever is easiest to get your hands on, toss it in your healthy shamrock shake.

Peppermint Extract – It wouldn’t be a shamrock shake without a little peppermint. I found 1/4 teaspoon offers a hint of that delicious mint flavor without completely overpowering the shake. Though if you love mint, go ahead and add more – and if mint isn’t totally your thing, cut the amount in this recipe in half.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Make it Vegan: While already vegan, guarantee this healthy shamrock shake is 100% vegan by using vegan milk to blend, and topping with vegan coconut whipped cream.
  • Make it Nut-Free: Use soy, oat, hemp, or coconut milk for a nut-free treat.
  • Make it Paleo: The shake itself is already paleo, so simply leave off the whipped cream and cherry, but be sure to include a melted paleo chocolate drizzle – yum!

Healthy Shamrock Shake

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SnacksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

There’s no better way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day than with this healthy shamrock shake! It’s thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet. With frozen banana, non-dairy milk, and a hint of peppermint extract, this shamrock shake is the healthiest of its kind. Swirl a little coconut whipped cream on top and you have yourself a guilt-free festive treat!

Ingredients

  • 2 frozen bananas

  • 2 cups non-dairy milk, see Notes

  • 1/4 cup spinach, see Notes

  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.Healthy Shamrock Shake
  • Transfer to two glasses the top with dairy-free whipped cream and a cherry.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Non-Dairy Milk: Almond, cashew, and soy milk work best in this recipe – though any type of milk will work!
  • Spinach: Use either fresh or frozen spinach in this recipe.

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

There’s no better way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day than with this healthy shamrock shake! It’s thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet. With frozen banana, non-dairy milk, and a hint of peppermint extract, this shamrock shake is the healthiest of its kind. Swirl a little coconut whipped cream on top and you have yourself a guilt-free festive treat!

Shamrock Shake

Every year around this time, I’d head to the McDonald’s drive-through and pick myself up a shamrock shake. It was my favorite Saint Patrick’s Day treat! When I went dairy-free, I cut shamrock shakes out of my diet. Though year after year I had the worst FOMO knowing people were enjoying these deliciously minty drinks without me. Then, in December I started making chocolate mint smoothies for breakfast and quickly realized, if I remove the chocolate and make it green, I’ve got myself a much healthier shamrock shake! So that’s exactly what I did – kept the banana, non-dairy milk, and peppermint extract, then added a little spinach for that classic green color. Voilá, the healthy shamrock shake was born!

Shamrock Shake Ingredients

What You Need To Make This Healthy Shamrock Shake

Frozen Banana – Frozen bananas are the base of this shake. They offer the perfect amount of sweetness and incredible texture. When blended, they make this shamrock shake both thick and creamy. If you’d like, you can use two cups of non-dairy vanilla ice cream in place of the frozen bananas.

Non-Dairy Milk – I used almond milk, though you can use any kind of non-dairy milk in this recipe. I’d recommend using something with a more mild flavor, as to not take away from the minty taste of this shake. And if you’re not dairy-free, you can use cow’s milk instead.

Spinach – Both fresh and frozen spinach will work! I’ve tried both and had great results each time. Whichever is easier for you to get your hands on, toss it in your healthy shamrock shake.

Peppermint Extract – It wouldn’t be a shamrock shake without a little peppermint. I found 1/4 teaspoon offers a hint of that delicious mint flavor without completely overpowering the shake. Though if you love mint, go ahead and add more – and if mint isn’t totally your thing, cut the amount in this recipe in half.

Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

  • Add Dairy: Use cow’s milk instead of non-dairy milk.

Healthy Shamrock Shake (V)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SnacksCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

There’s no better way to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day than with this healthy shamrock shake! It’s thick, creamy, and perfectly sweet. With frozen banana, non-dairy milk, and a hint of peppermint extract, this shamrock shake is the healthiest of its kind. Swirl a little coconut whipped cream on top and you have yourself a guilt-free festive treat!

Ingredients

  • 2 Frozen Bananas

  • 2 Cups Non-Dairy Milk, see NOTES

  • 1/4 Cup Spinach, see NOTES

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.Healthy Shamrock Shake
  • Transfer to two glasses and top with dairy-free whipped cream – YUM!

Notes

  • Non-Dairy Milk: Almond, cashew, and soy milk work best in this recipe – though any type of milk will work!
  • Spinach: Use either fresh or frozen spinach in this recipe.

Did you make this recipe?

Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

Like this recipe?

Follow us @samdoesherbest on Pinterest

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