Big Mac Pickle Boats

My Low-Carb Big Mac Stuffed Pickle Boats offer all the flavors of a Big Mac without the carbs! These crunchy dill pickles are filled with savory beef, onions, and a high-protein special sauce, making them a perfect keto-friendly snack or quick meal. These are gluten-free and can be tailored to be dairy-free.

Prep Time5

Cook Time13

Total Time20

Course: Appetizer/Entree/Snack

Diet: Gluten Free

Method: Stovetop

Servings: pickle boats

Ingredients

Pickle Boats

7-8 large dill pickle halves
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion finely diced (divided)
1/4 cup chopped pickles
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp ground mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese optional (can sub dairy-free)
1 cup High Protein Big Mac Sauce

Instructions

Make the high protein big mac sauce in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it into crumbles. Drain any excess fat. Add ½ cup diced onions, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup big mac sauce, and salt/pepper to the skillet with the cooked beef. Mix until combined.
Hollow each pickle halve out using a small spoon or a melon baller, making sure to leave the walls intact. Set the hollowed pickles aside. Stuff each hollowed pickle with the beef mixture, pressing it down to fill the entire cavity. Top with diced pickles, diced onions, (optional shredded cheese), and drizzle with high protein big mac sauce

Notes

Expert Tips

Choose the Right Pickles: Use large, firm pickles for stuffing. Smaller pickles are harder to hollow out, and overly soft pickles may not hold up well. Dill pickles also work best due to their firm texture and robust flavor.

Dry the Inside: After hollowing, use a paper towel to pat the inside of the pickle dry gently. This will help the stuffing adhere better and prevent it from becoming too watery.

Serving & Storage Tips

Storage: It's important to separate the hollowed pickles, ground beef, and Big Mac sauce. By storing each component separately, you ensure everything stays fresh and maintains its ideal texture until you’re ready to enjoy.

Serve: When you’re ready to serve, simply heat the ground beef mixture in the microwave or skillet and assemble the pickle boats by stuffing with the ground beef mixture, shredded cheese (optional), and drizzling the special sauce on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and any other desired toppings just before serving.

Dairy-Free: You can make this recipe dairy-free. I use cottage cheese in the high-protein Big Mac sauce, but you can sub mayo or even your favorite dairy-free yogurt. If you are using shredded cheese on top, use dairy-free instead of regular.

Nutrition