Big Mac Pizza captures the familiar flavor of “two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun” and translates it onto a pizza crust. This version delivers that craveable fast-food profile but made fresher at home—perfect for pizza night when you want something nostalgic and satisfying.
If the jingle is stuck in your head now, you’re not alone.
McDonald’s doesn’t offer a Big Mac Pizza, but after tasting this homemade version, they could seriously consider it. The combination of seasoned beef, melty American cheese, pickles, shredded lettuce and burger sauce works surprisingly well on a crust.
I’ve never seen a pizza shop sell one of these, but it’s quickly moved into my top picks for a fun, slightly nostalgic pizza option.
Best of all, it’s easy to make at home and nails the essential elements that make a Big Mac memorable. When I served this to friends, they were convinced it tasted like a real Big Mac—so if you want to recreate that experience, read on and I’ll walk you through everything.
Big Mac Pizza Recipe
Before you begin, gather the ingredients and equipment listed below. The ingredient list may look long, but these are common pantry items and basics you likely already have. Using a pre-baked pizza shell speeds things up considerably, though the instructions include notes for using raw pizza dough if you prefer.
Ingredients
- Pre-baked pizza shell (12-inch) or pizza dough
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Dill pickle brine (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- Cornstarch (1 teaspoon)
- Ketchup (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- Granulated garlic (1/2 teaspoon) or garlic powder
- Granulated onion (1/2 teaspoon) or onion powder
- American cheese slices (about 9 slices)
- Shredded iceberg lettuce (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Chopped dill pickles (about 1/4 cup)
- Chopped sweet onion or green onions (about 1/4 cup)
- Burger sauce (Big Mac–style special sauce) — use to taste
- Olive oil and sesame seeds for the crust
I love using pre-baked pizza shells because they cut prep time dramatically. Keep a few on hand from the grocery store or make and par-bake extra at home so you can assemble pizza quickly whenever cravings strike.
You can also prepare the beef mixture up to two days ahead; simply reheat briefly before spreading it on the crust.
Cheese: American cheese slices give the most authentic melt and flavor for a Big Mac–style pizza. If you prefer, you can swap in a mix of shredded cheddar and mozzarella for a different texture and flavor.
Pickles: I prefer chopping pickles into small pieces so each bite has a bit of pickle; whole slices can slide off when you bite into a pizza wedge.
Sauce: Use a Big Mac–style burger sauce for the special sauce element. A homemade copycat burger sauce works great; if you’re in a pinch, a commercially available chicken or burger dipping sauce with similar notes can work as a shortcut.
Equipment
- Oven
- Skillet
- Ground beef chopper or a sturdy spoon
- Measuring spoons and measuring cups
- Small whisk or fork
- Pizza pan, pizza steel, or pizza stone (optional for par-baking)
If you use raw pizza dough, par-bake the crust on a pan, steel, or stone before topping. For pre-baked shells you can bake directly on the oven rack or on a pan—either works.
Big Mac Pizza
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, crumble the ground beef and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Break the meat up and brown, taking care not to overcook since it will finish cooking in the oven. If there’s excess fat, pour most of it off—but leaving about 1–2 tablespoons adds flavor.
Stir in the ketchup, granulated garlic and granulated onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the pickle brine and cornstarch to form a slurry. Pour the slurry into the skillet and increase to medium-high, stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Brush the top of the pizza shell with olive oil and sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over the surface. Spread the cooked beef mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Arrange American cheese slices in an overlapping pattern across the beef, keeping the 1/2-inch edge clear. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted—aim to melt, not brown, the cheese.
Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for about 5 minutes. Scatter shredded lettuce, chopped pickles and chopped onions evenly over the top, then drizzle with burger sauce.
Optionally, sprinkle a few more sesame seeds on top. Slice into 8 wedges and serve hot or warm.
Big Mac Pizza
Rebecca Lindamood
20 mins
15 mins
Pin Recipe
Equipment
-
Oven
-
Skillet
-
Ground beef chopper or sturdy spoon
-
Measuring spoons and cups
-
Small whisk or fork
-
Pizza pan, steel, or stone
Ingredients
- 1 pre-baked pizza shell (12-inch) — see notes
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup ketchup plus 2 tablespoons
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 ½ tablespoons dill pickle brine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 9 slices American cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- ¼ cup chopped dill pickles
- ¼ cup chopped sweet onion or green onions
- ¼ cup burger sauce or more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Crumble the ground beef into a medium skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brown, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Avoid overcooking; the beef will finish in the oven. Drain excess fat if needed, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons for flavor.
- Stir in the ketchup, granulated garlic and granulated onion.
- Whisk pickle brine and cornstarch together to form a slurry. Add to the beef and cook over medium-high, stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Brush the pizza shell with olive oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. Spread the cooked beef on the crust, leaving a ½-inch edge.
- Arrange American cheese slices over the beef and bake 8–10 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted (don’t brown the cheese).
- Let the pizza rest 5 minutes on a cutting board. Top with shredded lettuce, chopped pickles and onions, then drizzle burger sauce over everything.
- Slice into 8 wedges and serve hot or warm. Optionally sprinkle extra sesame seeds before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 64 g
Protein: 38 g
Fat: 49 g
Nutrition info is an estimate. Calculate values using the actual ingredients you use if exact nutrition information is needed.
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