Looking for your next dish to bring to a summer cookout? Look no further! This pasta salad has all the flavors of a Big Mac! It is so satisfying! My kids loved it too, although one of them said we needed to add bacon next time (so there is a tip for you, haha). I’ve made a Big Mac Salad before and decided, why not a pasta salad? It definitely works!

To keep this lighter we use Greek yogurt, chickpea pasta, and lean ground beef. My family ate two servings as a full mean for dinner. But it would make a fun side dish at a BBQ too. If you aren’t serving it right away, I would wait to add the lettuce so it doesn’t get soggy. I ate this for a few days with the lettuce already added and it was totally fine so not a deal breaker, but just a suggestion.

Using chickpea pasta makes this gluten free. Just make sure to check your spices and sauces to be sure! If you want to try and make this vegetarian, you could use your favorite ground meat substitute or even lentils or roasted mushrooms.

Here is what you will need:

• Lean Ground Beef – I used a 96/4
• Pasta – I used a chickpea pasta (Banza to be exact) It is higher in protein and fiber and slightly lower in carbohydrates than traditional pasta.
• Tomatoes
• Cheese – I used a 2% sharp cheddar version
• Lettuce
• Pickles
• Onion – I used a red onion
• Greek Yogurt – swapping Greek yogurt for mayo makes this lower in fat and higher in protein.
• Light Mayo – Adding this just takes a little bit of the tang out of the dressing.
• Ketchup – I use sugar free, but use what you like
• Yellow Mustard
• Pickle Juice
• Spices

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?! We’d love to see it! Please leave a comment or tag me in a photo on Instagram @sprinklesandthesmiths (click icon below)

Big Mac Pasta Salad

Course: Dinner, Sides, SaladsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

152

kcal

Protein

14.7

g

Fat

4.8

g

Carbohydrates

13.1

g

Ingredients

• 1 lb 96% lean ground beef

• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

• 8 oz dry chickpea pasta (like Banza)

• 1 cup grape tomatoes

• 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped

• 1/3 cup diced red onion

• 1/2 cup 2% sharp cheddar cheese (56g)

• 1/3 cup diced dill pickles

• Dressing

• 3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (170g)

• 1/4 cup light mayo (60g)

• 4 tbsp no sugar added ketchup (64g)

• 1 1/2 tbsp yellow mustard (20g)

• 1 1/2 tbsp dill pickle juice

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp paprika

• White sesame seeds for garnish

Directions

• Brown ground beef and once cooked through add worcestershire sauce and 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions, drain and cool.
• Combine dressing ingredients.
• Add pasta, beef, tomatoes, pickles, cheese, and red onion to a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Add lettuce once ready to serve. (otherwise it might get a little soft).

Notes

• MFP Entry : Sprinkles and the Smiths Big Mac Pasta Salad (131g per serving)