Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad

Total Time

Prep/Total Time: 30 min.

Makes

4 servings

Updated: May. 12, 2023
I was planning to grill burgers, and then it dawned on me: How about a cheeseburger salad? The original recipe doesn't call for a tomato, but it's awesome here. —Pam Jefferies, Cantrall, Illinois
Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning
  • 6 cups torn iceberg lettuce
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup salad croutons
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup dill pickle slices
  • Thousand Island salad dressing

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine beef and steak seasoning, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Shape into twenty 1/2-in.-thick patties. Grill mini burgers, covered, over medium heat, 3-4 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°.
  2. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, mini burgers, cheese, croutons, tomato, onion and pickles. Serve with salad dressing.

Can you freeze Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad?

Place patties on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet; cover and freeze until firm. Remove from sheet and transfer to an airtight container; return to freezer. To use, cook frozen patties as directed, increasing time as necessary for a thermometer to read 160°.

Cheeseburger Salad Tips

Is Big Mac sauce the same as Thousand Island?

Surprisingly, Big Mac sauce is not the same as Thousand Island. While Thousand Island sauces can differ, many contain tomatoes or ketchup, whereas McDonald’s Big Mac sauce gets its light pink color from ingredients like paprika. To switch things up, try swapping the Thousand Island in this recipe for our copycat Big Mac sauce recipe.

How can you make cheeseburger salad your own?

Cheeseburger-inspired recipes are so fun and versatile. Make this cheeseburger salad your own by swapping in another shredded cheese like Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar or Swiss. Instead of croutons, try tossing in some freshly-baked shoestring french fries or miniature Tater Tots. This is a great recipe to make with leftover bacon, too. Just a sprinkle will turn it into the bacon cheeseburger salad of your dreams!

Is this cheeseburger salad healthy?

While our Test Kitchen doesn’t consider this cheeseburger salad healthy, we have plenty of other healthy salad recipes you can try.

What can you serve with cheeseburger salad?

Quick and easy bread recipes are the perfect pairing for this salad. Try one of these recipes made with refrigerated biscuit dough or an easy garlic bread recipe.

How can you store leftovers of cheeseburger salad?

Store leftover components separately in the refrigerator in airtight containers. Reheat the burger patty in the microwave, then assemble your salad with the other leftover ingredients. The burger patties could also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat in the microwave. If you have leftover burgers after using up the rest of the ingredients, try making them into wraps or stuffed peppers!

—Christina Herbst, Taste of Home Social Media Editor and Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 serving: 511 calories, 34g fat (17g saturated fat), 128mg cholesterol, 1033mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 3g fiber), 36g protein.