Delicious Big Mac Sloppy Joes: give the “golden arches” treatment to sloppy joes with seasoned ground beef, a tangy special sauce, shredded lettuce, American cheese, pickles, and diced onions. This recipe captures the familiar flavors of a Big Mac in an easy weeknight meal that can be made ahead for busy nights.
These non-traditional sloppy joes are incredibly flavorful and very simple to prepare. The beef filling can be made up to two days in advance and reheated when you’re ready to serve.
The filling features a creamy burger sauce that mimics a Big Mac-style dressing, making this a crowd-pleasing one-pan dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Big Mac Sloppy Joe Recipe
This is a straightforward recipe. Below is a concise ingredient list so you can gather everything before you start.
Ingredients
- Burger buns (sesame-topped for authenticity)
- Lean ground beef (2 pounds)
- Dill pickle brine (about 1/4 cup)
- Cornstarch (2 teaspoons)
- Ketchup (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- Granulated garlic or garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
- Granulated onion or onion powder (1 teaspoon)
- American cheese slices (8 slices)
- Shredded iceberg lettuce (about 2 cups)
- Dill pickles, chopped (about 1 cup)
- Chopped sweet or yellow onion (about 1 cup)
- Burger sauce (Big Mac-style or Thousand Island), about 1/2 cup or to taste
For the most authentic texture, use soft, squishy white hamburger buns with sesame seeds. Pretzel rolls or homemade hamburger buns are good alternatives if you prefer a sturdier or slightly chewier option. For a low-carb version, serve the filling in lettuce leaves instead of buns.
Slices of American cheese give the most authentic flavor, but mild cheddar or pepper jack can be used if you prefer. You can slice pickles or chop them finer to distribute pickle flavor evenly through each bite.
The special sauce is essentially a copycat Big Mac sauce. Use homemade burger sauce or store-bought Thousand Island; Chick-fil-A sauce can be a quick substitute if you want something similar.
Big Mac Sloppy Joe
The equipment needed is minimal: a large skillet, a spatula or spoon for breaking up the meat, measuring spoons and cups, and a small whisk or fork for mixing the slurry.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Ground beef chopper or sturdy spoon
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Small whisk or fork
Easy Ground Beef Recipes with Few Ingredients
If you enjoy quick ground-beef dinners, there are many simple variations you can try. This Big Mac Sloppy Joes recipe is a great base for other meals like casseroles, tacos, or even pizza-style toppings.
You can pair this meal with fries, tater tots, or a simple salad. For dessert, keep things quick with an easy cake or mug dessert to finish the meal.
Big Mac Sloppy Joes
1. Heat a medium to large skillet over medium. Crumble the ground beef into the skillet, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper, and break it up as it browns.
2. If there’s a large amount of excess fat, drain some off, but leave about 1–2 tablespoons in the pan to keep flavor.
3. Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Mix until combined and heated through.
4. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the pickle brine and cornstarch to form a slurry. Pour the slurry into the skillet and stir over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
5. Serve immediately or allow the mixture to cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days. To reheat, warm gently on the stove until hot.
To assemble: spoon a generous portion of the hot Big Mac filling onto the bottom half of a bun, top with one slice of American cheese, then add shredded lettuce, diced onions, and chopped pickles. Drizzle with burger sauce, place the top bun on, and serve with your favorite sides.
This recipe yields about 8 servings and comes together in roughly 30 minutes (10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook time). It’s a fast, satisfying dinner that channels Big Mac flavors in a family-friendly sloppy joe format.
Big Mac Sloppy Joes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup ketchup + 2 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1/4 cup dill pickle brine
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 8 hamburger rolls (sesame preferred)
- 8 slices American cheese
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup chopped dill pickles
- 1 cup chopped sweet or yellow onion
- 1/2 cup burger sauce (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Crumble the ground beef into a medium skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and break it up as it browns.
- If there is a lot of fat, pour off most but leave about 1–2 tablespoons for flavor. Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, granulated garlic, and granulated onion.
- Whisk together the pickle brine and cornstarch to make a slurry. Pour into the skillet and stir over medium-high heat until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Spoon the hot filling onto the bottom half of each bun, top with a slice of cheese, then add shredded lettuce, diced onions, and chopped pickles. Drizzle with burger sauce and finish with the top bun.
- Serve immediately with fries or tots, or store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate based on the actual ingredients you use.