Instead of going to McDonalds, you can make this “almost a Big Mac” recipe at home.

Big Mac Recipe - This almost Big Mac can be made at home for a healthier and tasty treat!

I was talking to my husband the other day and we realised that neither of us have had McDonalds since we moved to the UK, which is going on 9 months now. And while we didn't eat McDonalds that much in Australia, there is something about a juicy Big Mac that I love. The combination of pickles and beef is just so good, so I decided to make a copycat version at home, and here it is.

This is a slightly healthier version you can make at home (and know exactly what’s going in). It's delicious and definitely feels like a treat.

Also, if you're looking for more tender beef in a bun, you have to try this Beef Banh Mi.

Big Mac Recipe Ingredients

Beef Patties - you'll want to use good quality beef mince with at least 10% fat content. TRUST ME on this. Don't go with the lean mince - this burger is not the time nor the place to do it. Higher fat content = melt in your mouth beef.
Cheese - I used cheddar cheese, but if you can get your hands on it, American cheese is closer to the real deal.
Big Mac Sauce - Ahhhh, this might just be the best part. The sauce! I made it with Greek yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, pickle, Dijon mustard, paprika, onion and garlic powder.
Sesame seed buns - You can't forget the sesame seed buns. If you can get tall ones that you can cut into three pieces, even better.
Fillings - Use pickles, iceberg lettuce (sub gem or cos) and white onion. The trick is to really finely dice the onion.
Chips - I made home made chips by baking up some potatoes in olive oil, salt and pepper. Simple, delicious, and easier than frying.

How to make a Big Mac

Line a baking tray. Get your mince out of the fridge to bring to room temperature.

1. Preheat your oven to 200 C and line a tray with baking paper. Get your mince and cheese slices out of the fridge to bring to room temperature.

500g 10%+ Fat Beef Mince
4 cheddar cheese slices (100g)

Place cut potato wedges in a bowl filled with water.

2. Wash potatoes then cut in half lengthwise, then into thick wedges. Place in a bowl filled with water and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

4 medium potatoes (600g)

Put yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, pickle, mustard, paprika, onion powder and garlic granules in a small food process or blender and blend until well combined.

3. Make a dressing by placing yoghurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, pickle, mustard, paprika, onion powder and garlic granules in a small food processor or blender, and blend until well combined.

2 tablespoon Greek yoghurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ bunch of dill
½ pickle
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic granules

Drain potatoes and place on the tray, drizzle over olive oil, salt and pepper.

4. Drain potatoes and place on the tray, drizzle over some olive oil, salt and pepper (opt.) and place in the hot oven for 20 minutes (or until beef burgers are ready).

2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Prep buns and cheese slices. Slice lettuce, pickles and white onion.

5. Slice buns in half. Finely slice lettuce. Slice pickles. Peel and finely dice white onion.

4 Sesame seed buns
¼ iceberg lettuce
3 pickles
¼ white onion

Divide mince, roll into balls and flatten down. Sprinkle with garlic granules, salt and pepper.

6. Divide mince into the number of serves you are making, then roll into balls and flatten down to about 1.5cm high. Sprinkle with garlic granules, salt and pepper (opt.).

TIP: We are cooking these quickly, so if they are too thick they won’t cook well enough in the middle.

500g 10%+ Fat Beef Mince
½ teaspoon garlic granules
Salt and pepper

Add cheese slices on top of the patties while cooking in the pan.

7. Heat a frying pan on high (you want a really hot pan) and add a little oil. Place patties in the pan and cook for 1.5 minutes each side for medium rare, or longer if you like your burgers well cooked. When you flip the patties, add a cheese slice on top of them to melt. Meanwhile, place bread in the oven on a wire rack, cut side down, for 2-3 minutes to warm and slightly toast.

1.5 teaspoon olive oil
4 cheddar cheese slices (100g)
4 sesame seed buns

Big Mac Recipe - To serve, slather sauce on the base of your bun, add lettuce, burger pattie, pickle slices, white onion. Top with more sauce if you like it, and then top with your bun. Serve with hot chips straight from the oven.

8. To serve, slather sauce on the base of your bun, add lettuce, burger pattie, pickle slices, white onion. Top with more sauce if you like it, and then top with your bun. Serve with hot chips straight from the oven.

Kids may prefer their burger without onion, pickles or sauce, or you could replace it with tomato sauce.

¼ iceberg lettuce
3 pickles
¼ white onion

Top tip

To keep this really juicy, don’t cook your beef too long. Make sure your pan is piping hot and then just grill for a minute and a half each side. This also means you want to keep your patties relatively thin, like 1.5cm in height, so they cook nicely.

Substitutions

Alternative protein - You can swap beef mince for chicken or pork mince for something a bit different. If you are using chicken mince, make sure you cook the chicken on a lower heat for a bit longer so it cooks all the way through.
Vegetarian - Use beyond beef patties or veggie patties.
Gluten Free - Swap your sesame seed bun for a gluten free bun, or if you are going carb-free you can serve your burgers in lettuce leafs.
Dairy Free - Instead of Greek yoghurt use mayonnaise in the sauce, and skip the cheese slices on your patties. You might want to add some tomato sauce instead, for a bit more of a salty tang.

Kid-Friendly Variations

It’s unlikely your child will take much convincing to eat this dinner! But if you want to simplify it, then:

Skip pickles and white onion
Swap the sauce for tomato sauce if they prefer
Hold the salt and pepper on their patty.

Big Mac Recipe - You can always skip the pickles and white onion and swap the sauce for tomato sauce. Hole the salt and pepper on their patty until the end.

Equipment

You will need an oven, a baking tray, a microwave proof bowl, a microwave, a small food processor or blender, a frying pan, a stovetop.

Recipe