Description
This Big Mac Pizza recipe brings the iconic flavors of a classic Big Mac burger to a cheesy, delicious pizza. Featuring a tender crust topped with seasoned ground beef, yellow American cheese, shredded lettuce, diced onions, pickles, and drizzled with Thousand Island dressing, this pizza is perfect for burger lovers craving a fun twist on pizza night.
Ingredients
Scale
Pizza Base
- 1 pound prepared fresh pizza dough
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (1 tablespoon to brush the dough, 1 tablespoon to cook the beef)
Beef Topping
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup small diced yellow onion, divided (¾ cup for cooking, ¼ cup for topping)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cheese and Toppings
- 2½ cups shredded yellow American cheese (from an 8-ounce piece)
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- ⅓ cup hamburger sliced dill pickles, patted dry
- ⅓ cup bottled Thousand Island dressing
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Lightly spray a large 15 to 16-inch round pizza pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll or stretch out your fresh pizza dough to a 14-inch circle on a clean work surface. Transfer it to the prepared pizza pan. Use a fork to poke holes across the surface of the dough, leaving about a half-inch border untouched. This prevents bubbles during par-baking.
- Par-Bake the Dough: Brush the entire dough surface with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Bake the dough for 15 minutes until it’s partially cooked. Remove from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the toppings.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef, ¾ cup diced onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook the beef, stirring and breaking it apart, for 5-6 minutes until browned and no pink remains.
- Drain Excess Grease: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beef to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
- Assemble Pizza Base with Beef: Spread the drained ground beef evenly over the par-baked pizza dough, keeping a 1-inch border free for the crust.
- Add Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded yellow American cheese evenly over the beef layer.
- Bake to Finish: Return the pizza to the oven and bake for another 7 to 11 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted completely. Remove the pizza and place it gently on a large cutting board.
- Add Fresh Toppings: Evenly scatter the shredded iceberg lettuce and the remaining ¼ cup diced onion over the melted cheese.
- Final Garnishes: Arrange the dill pickle slices randomly on top, then drizzle the Thousand Island dressing in a decorative pattern across the pizza. Finish by sprinkling the sesame seeds over the top.
- Slice and Serve: Using a pizza cutter, cut the pizza into eight slices by halving it, then quartering, and cutting each quarter in half. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage: Leftover pizza is not recommended for storage because toppings can cause sogginess.
- Tips: Fresh pizza dough can usually be found at local grocery stores’ bakery sections or purchased from local pizzerias. You can substitute a large rimmed sheet pan for a round pizza pan; expect a rectangular pizza that can be cut into squares.
- Yellow American cheese is traditional for this recipe, but mild cheddar or Colby jack make suitable substitutes if unavailable.
- Using Thousand Island dressing from a squeeze bottle or in a zip-top bag with a snipped corner makes drizzling easier and cleaner.
- Make sure to drain the cooked ground beef well to avoid soggy crust.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of pizza)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
