Keto Big Mac Bites
These Keto Big Mac Bites are a low carb recipe for mini bunless burgers that make a great appetizer or game day food that everyone will love!
I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m kind of obsessed with Big Mac sauce. What can I say? That special sauce is magical! These easy mini keto big macs were inspired by the Low Carb Big Mac Bowl I made recently and if you make enough sauce you can make our keto big mac casserole, keto big mac meatloaf, or this easy Instant Pot big mac soup
These tasty mini bunless burgers are perfect for parties because they can feed your keto AND carb-loving guests and no one will even miss that bread. Make them for tailgating parties, game day parties, summer picnics, or just a fun weeknight dinner for the family. Once you dip those little burger bites in that special sauce you’re going to be going back for seconds!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
For the burgers:
- Ground beef – We use 80/20 to keep the burgers moist.
- Onion – a little onion adds a lot of flavor. Instead of putting them on the bun (which we’re skipping) we added them to the patty.
- American Cheese – This can be very controversial in the keto world. Please see the note below and feel free to substitute cheddar cheese if you prefer.
- Dill Pickle – Make sure it is dill and not sweet!
- Lettuce – Good old iceberg lettuce is perfect.
For the sauce:
- Mayonnaise – This is the base of the sauce. We love Hellman’s or Duke’s
- Dill pickle relish – If you can’t find dill relish you can just finely chop some of your dill pickles.
- Yellow mustard – This adds that delicious zing to your special sauce.
- White wine vinegar – a little vinegar adds just a bit more of a kick.
- Spices – Paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder combine to bring all of the flavors together.
A Note on American Cheese:
Many people think of those individually wrapped cheese sliced labeled “cheese product” when they think of American cheese. You can use those for this recipe OR if you prefer you can purchase REAL American cheese at the deli counter (Boar’s Head makes a great American cheese). If you want to double-check just ask to see the label before purchasing.
Instructions
Step 1 – Heat the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 – Mix ingredients. In a large bowl combine ground beef, onions, and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 3 – Prepare patties. Roll the beef into 1.5 ounce balls. Press each one down slightly to flatten it to make a mini burger patty and place it on a lined baking sheet.
Step 4 – Bake. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
Step 5 – Make the sauce. While burgers cook add all of the secrete sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
Step 6 – Assemble and serve. When the burgers are done baking turn off the oven and remove them. Pat any excess grease off.
Cut each cheese slice into four squares and place a square on each mini patty. Place back in the cooling oven and let the cheese melt.
Once the cheese has melted place a few squares of lettuce and a pickle slice on top of each meatball and run a skewer through it.
Serve with the secret sauce and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Use slightly 80/20 ground beef. The added fat in the ground beef helps keep your mini burgers nice and moist.
- These little patties will shrink as they cook so if you are patting them out by hand make them just a bit wider than you want them to be after they are cooked.
- Want perfectly uniform mini burger patties? Try using a lid from a small jar, or a cookie cutter, as a form for your ground beef. You’ll have to find one that is the right size (slightly larger than you want the burger to be once it is cooked) but once you have it you’re good to go. Line the lid with plastic wrap to keep the ground beef from sticking inside of it!
- Make extra sauce…seriously guys, this stuff goes fast!
Making the Ahead of Time
Yes! You can cook the mini burger patties the day before and store them in the refrigerator. Before guests arrive heat them up in the microwave, or wrap them in a little aluminum foil and warm them in the oven, and then assemble them. The special sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Looking for More Keto Appetizers?
- Low Carb Nachos
- Low Carb Mozzarella Sticks
- Low Carb Taco Bites
- Memphis BBQ Sausage and Cheese Platter
- Quick and Easy Antipasto Skewers
- Chorizo and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
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Keto Big Mac Bites
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Ground beef
- ¼ cup Onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 4 slices American Cheese
- 16 slices Dill Pickle
- Lettuce
Secret Sauce
- 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoon Dill pickle relish
- 2 tablespoon Yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon White wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, onions, and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Roll the beef into 1.5 ounce balls. Press each one down slightly to flatten it to make a mini burger patty and place it on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- While burgers cook add all of the secrete sauce ingredients to a bowl and stir to combine.
- When the burgers are done baking turn off the oven and remove them. Pat any excess grease off.
- Cut each cheese slice into four squares and place a square on each mini patty. Place back in the cooling oven and let the cheese melt.
- Place a few squares of lettuce and a pickle slice on top of each meatball and run a skewer through it.
- Serve with the secret sauce and enjoy!
Nutrition
Umm…this recipe is Incredible!!! It tasted exactly like a Big Mac, which was great, and my guy devoured them, and he is pretty picky. Thank you so much!!!!
These were a great New Year’s Eve treat even for those who aren’t keto. I will b making them again. Thank u.
they’re really HUGE! I did lightly butter the insides of my buns and let them crips in the pan, delicious!!
OMG these are sooooo good! My husband immediately said, “Where’s the bun?” but devoured them so it was a hit! So easy as well! Thanks!