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Big Mac Pasta Salad

Big Mac pasta salad with tender elbow macaroni and a creamy special sauce tossed with ground beef, cheddar, pickles, and onions. Chilled for at least 2 hours, it tastes like a burger-inspired crowd-pleaser salad.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta base
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni Use regular elbow macaroni for the classic bite.
Beef
  • 1 lb ground beef Select ground beef around 80/20 for best flavor.
  • 1 tbsp burger seasoning Seasoning mix for browning the beef.
Salad mix-ins
  • 2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce Keep it crisp by shredding or using pre-shredded and patting dry.
  • 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Shred fresh if possible for better melt/coverage.
  • 0.5 cup dill pickles, diced Dice small so they distribute evenly.
  • 0.5 cup red onion, finely diced Finely dice for a softer bite in cold salad.
Big Mac sauce
  • 1 cup mayonnaise For the creamy, classic sauce texture.
  • 0.25 cup ketchup Adds tang and burger color.
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard Signature Big Mac-style flavor.
  • 2 tbsp pickle juice Boosts pickle flavor without extra liquid.
  • 1 tbsp sugar Balances the tang of the ketchup and mustard.
  • Sesame seeds for garnish Optional garnish for crunch and a burger-like finish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 large pot
  • 1 skillet

Method
 

Cook pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni in a large pot according to package directions until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta down for mixing.
Brown the beef
  1. Brown ground beef in a skillet with burger seasoning over medium-high heat until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain, spread on a sheet pan, and cool completely before assembling so the salad doesn’t get watery.
Make the Big Mac sauce
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, pickle juice, and sugar until smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Stop once the sauce looks evenly blended and glossy.
Assemble and coat
  1. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, cooked ground beef, shredded iceberg lettuce, shredded cheddar, diced dill pickles, and finely diced red onion. Mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  2. Pour the Big Mac sauce over the salad and toss to coat thoroughly. Keep tossing until you no longer see dry pasta or lettuce at the bottom of the bowl.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to let flavors meld and the pasta firm up. When ready, sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish and serve cold.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the pasta and ground beef completely before mixing so the cheddar and sauce stay creamy instead of turning greasy or watery. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the texture softens slightly over time. Freezing isn’t recommended for pasta salad. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise (keep the same sauce ratio) and consider reducing cheddar to 1 cup while keeping the lettuce and pickles the same.