Description

A crowd-pleasing pasta salad featuring seasoned ground beef, tangy special sauce, crisp lettuce, and melted cheddar cheese that captures all the iconic flavors of a Big Mac burger in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound elbow macaroni or rotini pasta
1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
4 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup dill pickles, chopped
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup French dressing
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook until no pink remains and drain excess grease. Allow to cool completely.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, French dressing, pickle relish, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika until smooth to create the special sauce.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta with the seasoned ground beef and shredded cheddar cheese.
5. Add chopped pickles, diced onion, and halved cherry tomatoes to the pasta mixture.
6. Pour the special sauce over everything and fold gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
7. Add shredded lettuce and toss gently one final time.
8. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results when making ahead, add lettuce just before serving. The salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance. If it appears dry after refrigeration, stir in additional special sauce as needed.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Mixing
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 425
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 580mg
Fat: 24g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 18g