Say goodbye to carbs and extra calories without sacrificing an ounce of flavor with this Burger in a Bowl recipe! This 30-minute wonder is packed with simple spices that give ground meat so much flavor, while a special sauce made from your everyday condiments adds that extra zing. Get ready to add this high-protein, easy weeknight meal to your list of family favorites.
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Burger Bowls are Better than Hamburgers
Move over, hamburgers — there’s a new MVP in town, and it’s this Burger in a Bowl!
Now, let’s talk about me and Justin’s love affair… with burgers. From grabbing a juicy double smash at the local pub to whipping up Air Fryer Hamburgers at home, it’s safe to say we’re practically on a first-name basis with beefy deliciousness. We’re talking at least once, if not twice a week, diving headfirst into that burger bliss.
But, can we chat honestly for a sec? While I adore sinking my teeth into a patty nestled between two buns, there’s something downright magical about diving into a big bowl brimming with all those scrumptious burger fixings — the special sauce, the beefy chunks, the works!
And that brings us to… drumroll, please… the irresistible and ridiculously easy Burger Bowls!
Why We’re Obsessed with this Burger Bowl Recipe
- No need to fire up the grill — just grab a skillet and get cooking on the stovetop!
- Just a sprinkle of spices turns ordinary ground meat into a flavor explosion. And hey, chances are, you’ve already got these goodies in your spice stash!
- Let’s talk about the sauce — it’s my legendary special sauce, the same one I slather on classic burgers, now pulling double duty as a mouthwatering dressing! Trust me, it’s so good, you’ll be licking the bowl clean.
- Customization is key! Load up with all your favorite veggie toppings or let the picky eaters in your life choose their own adventure. The whole family wins with these healthy burger bowls!
- And here’s the kicker – they’re straight up meal prep magic! Cook, chop, and mix ahead of time, then simply assemble when hunger strikes for a lightning-fast lunch or easy dinner.
Ingredients Needed
- Ground beef. Opt for a lower fat variety, 85/15 or 90/10 are the best option. You want flavor without too much grease so it doesn’t make the dish watery. You can choose ground turkey or ground chicken for fewer calories, but the flavor will be different.
- Seasonings. A tasty burger blend of paprika, onion powder, oregano, and salt add so much to this dish.
- Toppings. The meat mixture is served on a bed of Romaine lettuce and topped with cherry tomatoes, cooked bacon, pickle slices or relish, red onion, and cheddar cheese. You can change things up with Iceberg lettuce or another type of cheese, like blue cheese.
- Secret Sauce. Whip up this easy sauce to take your burger bowls (and Hamburgers) over the top.
How to Make a Burger Bowl
Please see the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and more detailed instructions.
1. Make the Meat
Add the olive oil or avocado oil to a large skillet. Over medium heat, cook the ground beef for 5 to 6 minutes. It should no longer be pink.
In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and salt. Sprinkle the seasoning blend over the ground beef and stir until everything is coated.
2. Make the Secret Sauce
While the beef is cooking, make up the secret sauce. Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickle relish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, paprika, and salt in a medium-sized or small bowl.
You can use the sauce right away, or keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Build the Salad
After the meat is cooked and the secret sauce is whipped up, it’s time to build your salad.
Start by layering chopped Romaine lettuce in a bowl, then add the meat, cherry tomatoes, crumbled bacon, pickle slices, sliced red onion, and shredded cheddar cheese. Drizzle the homemade burger sauce on top. You can use any of your favorite burger toppings, though.
Serve right away.
Other Topping Ideas
If you’re looking for something special for this burger in a bowl, there are a few things that really take it over the top.
Pickled Onion, Pickled Garlic, or Pickled Jalapeños are perfect for loaded burger bowls.
Of course, other sauces like Homemade Ranch, Avocado Ranch, Thousand Island, and even Chick Fil A Sauce are delicious.
Are Burger Bowls healthy?
Yes! Burger bowls can be super healthy, depending on the toppings you choose. Sticking with lean ground beef, lettuce, and low-calorie dressings or sauces ensures a good-for-you dish.
Can burger bowls be made ahead of time?
Yes! Burger bowls are a great recipe to make ahead of time. It’s super simple to whip up the seasoned ground beef and slice the veggies and toppings. Wait to build the burger bowl until you’re ready to serve.
FAQs
Burger bowls are super easy to customize. You can choose the type of meat along with the toppings to make your burger bowl truly your own.
This burger bowl has around 650 calories.
A Burger in a Bowl is just like a traditional burger, but without the bun. Flavorful ground beef is seasoned and then served on a bed of lettuce. You can then choose whatever toppings you like. Everything from shredded cheese and juicy tomatoes to fresh veggies and crispy bacon is delicious.
This deconstructed burger bowl is a great way to enjoy the flavors of a burger patty without the heavy carbs of a bun.
Recipe Tips
- Go lean. Stick with an 85/15 or 90/10 blend for your ground beef.
- Make it work. Add as much or as little seasoning as you’d like.
- Ground it up. Use a meat or potato masher to ensure very tiny pieces of meat that evenly spread throughout the salad.
- Top it off. Choose your favorite toppings when serving this burger in a bowl.
- Make it early. This recipe is super simple to make ahead of time, just keep all of the ingredients separate until you’re ready to dig in.
What to Serve with a Burger in a Bowl
Just like a hamburger, there are some side dishes that make this dinner amazing.
If you love fries, try Garlic Parmesan Fries, Air Fryer French Fries, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, or Baked Sweet Potato Fries.
Keep it a little healthier with Air Fryer Zucchini Fries or Oven-Baked Asparagus Fries.
More Low Carb Dinner Recipes
Just like this Burger in a Bowl, these dinners are low in carbs but high in flavor.
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Reuben in a Bowl
- Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
- Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Chicken.
- Zucchini Lasagna
- Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
- Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
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Burger Bowls with Secret Sauce
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Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. oil olive or avocado
- 1 lb. ground beef 85/15 or 90/10
- 1 ½ tsp. paprika
- ¾ tsp. garlic powder
- ¾ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. oregano dried
- ¾-1 tsp. salt to taste
- Romaine lettuce or spinach chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 4 strips cooked bacon crumbled
- ½ cup dill pickle slices
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup Cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat olive or avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground meat and cook for 5-6 minutes or until no longer pink.1 Tbsp. oil, 1 lb. ground beef
- In a small bowl, whisk together paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and salt. Add the seasoning mixture to the cooked ground beef and toss until evenly coated.1 ½ tsp. paprika, ¾ tsp. garlic powder, ¾ tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. oregano, ¾-1 tsp. salt
- Make the Secret Sauce: While the beef is cooking, prepare the secret sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, ketchup (or barbecue sauce), mustard, pickle relish, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, paprika, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to use.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp. pickle relish, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ tsp. paprika, Salt
- To assemble the salad, place chopped lettuce in a salad bowl and top with halved cherry tomatoes, crumbled bacon, pickle slices, sliced red onion, and shredded Cheddar cheese.Romaine lettuce or spinach, 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 4 strips cooked bacon, ½ cup dill pickle slices, ¼ cup red onion, ½ cup Cheddar cheese
- Drizzle the assembled salad with the prepared secret sauce and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi London,
We LOVED this recipe as we had this for lunch and it’s definitely a keeper.
We love the sauce and the spice for the hamburger meat was a great plus as well.
I know we’ll be making this again and the sauce will be good for sandwiches as well.yum!!
LOVE, LOVE ❤️ LOVE , I give this a 5 star plus
Thanks for a great recipe!
Marion
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Marion! It’s so delicious and easy! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!