Cheeseburger Salad

A mouth-watering cheeseburger served over a bed of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and bacon. All drizzled with easy homemade Big Mac Sauce.

Ingredients

Salad (makes 1 salad)

• 1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half and each half into fourths
• 1 Tablespoon dill pickle slices
• 4 red onion strings
• 2 Tablespoons cheddar cheese shredded

Burger (makes 1 burger)

• 3 strips bacon
• 6 oz. ground beef*
• Salt/Pepper to taste
• 1 slice yellow American Cheese

Instructions

1. Combine the Big Mac Sauce ingredients together and refrigerate in an airtight container for a minimum of 10 minutes or up to three days.
2. Assemble the salad ingredients on a plate and place in the fridge.
3. Cook the bacon low and slow in a cast iron skillet, using kitchen tongs to flip them occasionally as the edges start to curl. 
4. Once the bacon is nice and crisp, set it aside on a paper towel lined plate to allow the excess grease to absorb.
5. Leave the bacon drippings in the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.
6. Season the ground meat with salt and pepper and gently shape into a patty. 
7. Use your thumb to create a dimple around the middle of the burger for an even shape when cooked. (It should look like the shape of a frisbee.) See here for more info.
8. Add the burger to the preheated pan. Cook for no longer than 5 minutes on the first side. Use a thin spatula to flip and place the cheese on top. Heat for no more than 5 minutes on the second side.
9. Remove the burger from the pan and place onto a cutting board. Let it restfor 3 minutes to let the juices absorb back into the meat. 
10. Slice the burger into cubes and place it on top of the chilled salad.
11. Drizzle 1-2 Tablespoons of big mac sauce over the salad and serve!

Recipe Notes

• *Ground chuck is the best for burgers, 80% fat
• Thousand Island dressing can also be used on this salad.

Recipes bythecozycook.com