Big Mac Pasta Salad

This big mac pasta salad combines seasoned beef mince, pasta, crunchy salad vegetables and a creamy burger-inspired dressing for an easy cold meal prep lunch.

Note - ingredients can be approximate

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 45

Course lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Mediterranean, Western

Servings servings

Calories 641 kcal

Equipment

Pasta pot

Ingredients

200 g (7 oz) (1 cup) pasta, see note 1
500 g (1 lb) lean beef mince, see note 2
1 brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cos lettuce heart
2 tomatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup pickles
1 cup pickled onions

Sauce (or use 1 cup store bought)

¼ cup mayo
½ cup Greek yogurt, see note 3
¼ cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon American mustard
1 tablespoon pickles
1 tablespoon onions

Instructions

Preparing

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil so it’s ready for the pasta.
Dice the 1 brown onion and mince 2 cloves garlic. Set aside.
Chop the 1 cos lettuce heart, dice the 2 tomatoes. Set aside.
Finely dice 1 tbsp onions and 1 tbsp pickles then combine with ¼ cup mayo, ½ cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup tomato sauce, 1 tbsp American mustard. Mix until smooth, then taste and adjust if needed.

Cooking

Add 200 g (7 oz) (1 cup) pasta to the boiling water and cook until 1 minute under packet instructions so it stays firm for meal prep. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
While the pasta cooks, heat a frypan over medium-high heat. Add the brown onion and sauté for around 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add 500 g (1 lb) lean beef mince and break it apart with a spoon. Cook for 5–7 minutes until browned and cooked through with no pink remaining.
Stir through the 2 cloves garlic and 1 tbsp paprika. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Drain any excess liquid if needed.
Set the beef mince aside to cool for 10–15 minutes. This helps keep the lettuce crisp and stops the cheese from melting when mixed through.
Add the cooked pasta, cooled beef mince, chopped cos lettuce heart, tomatoes, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1 cup pickles and 1 cup pickled onions to the large bowl.
Pour over the prepared sauce and toss until everything is evenly coated. Note - If storing for several days, keep the sauce separate for the best texture.
Serve immediately or portion into containers for meal prep.

Notes

Note 1 - Pasta

Use short pasta shapes like fusilli, shells or bow-ties as they hold the sauce better and stay firmer in the fridge than long pasta.

Note 2 - Lean beef mince

Lean beef mince works best for meal prep because it has less excess grease once chilled. Regular mince can be used, but drain well after cooking.

Note 3 - Greek yogurt

Nutritional information based on the sauce having Greek yogurt. You can substitute with additional mayonnaise but the nutritional information will be very different.

Storage

Store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or up to 5 days if the sauce is kept separate.

Reheating

Best eaten cold, but you can warm the beef mince separately for 30–60 seconds and stir through before serving.

Freezing

The full salad does not freeze well, but the cooked beef mince can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 641kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 45gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 809mgPotassium: 1010mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2420IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 307mgIron: 5mg

Keyword beef meal prep, comfort food, meal prep, quick

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