Burger Bowl

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If you’ve tried my Big Mac salad, think of this burger bowl as its flavorful cousin… just less like that type of burger and more like a regular one. Because I always have to change it up. This recipe has all my fave parts of a juicy burger (or a turkey burger), but with a fresh, no-bun twist. Juicy beef, crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, crunchy onions, sharp cheese… you get the picture. Pile on your favorite toppings and you have a quick, healthy lunch or dinner!

Why You’ll Love My Burger Bowl Recipe

• All the best parts of a burger – When you bite into a cheeseburger, it’s all about texture. The crisp veggies add a fabulous crunch against the juicy beef and cheese. I used classic lettuce, tomato, and onion, but you can load it up with anything you love. Who needs the bun, anyway?
• Creamy, tangy burger sauce – The sauce is the dressing here, and it’s amazing! It’s a mix of creamy mayo and sweet ketchup (sugar-free for me), with a splash of dill pickle juice to make the flavors pop.
• Quick 20-minute recipe – I rotate these burger bowls with my taco salad for those nights I just want a fast, easy all-in-one dinner (that even my kids will eat). It’s also perfect when you don’t really feel like cooking.
• Healthy and low carb – This dish is naturally gluten-free, keto friendly, and even if you’re not either of these, just a plain healthier way to satisfy that burger craving.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my cheeseburger bowl recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

The Bowl:

Okay, let’s get into what makes these burger bowls so incredible—the ingredients! Here’s the lineup that brings them to life:

• Ground Beef – Feel free to substitute ground turkey or ground chicken if you want to lighten it up.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – I use a simple seasoning for the beef here (just like burger restaurants do), but a pinch of garlic powder and onion powder can add a nice depth.
• Lettuce – Honestly, I throw whatever lettuce I have laying around into my burger bowl recipe (it’s actually a great clean-out-your-fridge recipe), so this time it was green leaf lettuce. If you’re into a crunchier texture, romaine lettuce is your friend here, but you could also use iceberg lettuce — or any lettuce you need to clean out of your fridge.
• Tomatoes – Toss in any color of cherry or grape tomatoes (cut them in half), or dice up larger tomatoes if that’s what you’ve got. They all add a juicy pop.
• Onions – Red onions give a nice sharp contrast, but white and yellow onions work great as well. They’re all burger-approved.
• Cheese – I used cheddar. Any cheese you love on a burger will work great for a cheeseburger bowl. You can also omit it for a dairy-free option.
• Avocado – Not the most conventional burger topping, but you know I’ll throw them into any recipe where they’ll fit! You can slice it or dice it.

The Sauce:

The burger sauce makes these burger bowls! Here’s how the magic happens:

• Mayonnaise – This is the base. Nothing beats my homemade avocado oil mayonnaise for the sauce (it’s just so creamy and flavorful), but any kind will do the trick. I love this brand with clean ingredients.
• Ketchup – For sweetness and tang. I always use either my homemade sugar-free ketchup or this brand with no added sugar. Use whatever works for you.
• Dill Pickle Juice – This one’s easy. Just grab some juice from your dill pickle jar. It adds such a nice zing to the sauce!
• Dijon Mustard – You can use smooth or whole grain, or even a spicy one if you like a kick.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper 

How To Make A Burger Bowl

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Brown the beef. Just toss it in a large skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up with a spatula as you go.
2. Make the burger sauce. In a small to medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, ketchup, dill pickle juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

3. Assemble your burger bowls. Divide the lettuce among 4 bowls and top with the tomatoes, onions, and cheese. Add the cooked ground beef and avocado, and drizzle with the burger sauce. And dig in!

Topping Variations

Just like classic burgers, you can jazz up your healthy burger bowl with all sorts of toppings:

• I love tossing in some crispy oven bacon (or make my quicker air fryer bacon).
• These bowls are a great way to use up extra sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions. Who doesn’t love those on a burger?
• Throw in some sliced jalapeños for a kick.
• You already need a jar of pickles (to get the juice for the burger sauce), so you might as well add some of the actual pickles! I’ve also thrown in leftover pickled asparagus before.
• Feeling breakfast vibes? Top your bowl with a fried egg.

My Recipe Tips

• If your beef is higher in fat, drain it. I always go for 85/15 ground beef, because it’s the perfect balance between flavorful and not too greasy. You can use 80/20, but I recommend draining it if you do. 90/10 is also fine and you probably won’t need to drain.
• Prefer a whole burger patty? Go for it! Just make my burger recipe (with or without melted cheese) instead of the skillet crumbled beef.
• Want something heartier? Swap the greens with a warm and comforting base, like my air fryer sweet potatoes (regular option) or roasted rutabaga (low carb option). This is a lot like my Big Mac bowls!

Storage & Meal Prep

• Store: If you have leftover hamburger bowls (I never do ?), they don’t really last if they’re already combined. But you can meal prep ahead…
• Meal prep: I adore these for meal prep! Cook up the ground beef, make the sauce, and cut the vegetables (you can pop them in a produce keeper to make them last longer). Store everything in separate containers in the fridge until ready to assemble.
• Reheat: Just zap the ground beef in the microwave until warm, then assemble your bowls.

Serving Suggestions

My favorite thing about these burger bowls is that they are a full meal without having to add anything else! But if you want to add something, try a side of my low carb fries, zucchini fries, or just regular garlic parmesan fries if those work for you. You can dip any of these in ranch, but I love to make a double batch of the burger sauce and dunk ’em in there.

More Low Carb Bowls

I love a good bowl meal! Try some of my other flavor-packed ideas you can make in less than 30 minutes:

Korean Beef Bowl

Egg Roll In A Bowl

Salmon Bowl

Chipotle Keto Bowl

Tools I Use For This Recipe

• Skillet – You can use any skillet, but I love my enameled cast iron!
• Meat Chopper – I use this to effortlessly break up the meat while it’s cooking, but a regular wooden spoon or spatula also works.

Recipe Card

4.75 from 16 votes

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Burger Bowl (Easy 20-Minute Recipe)

This burger bowl recipe is an easy, low carb 20-minute meal! Load it up with your favorite toppings, and drizzle it with creamy burger sauce.

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Total: 20 minutes

Author: Maya Krampf from Wholesome Yum

Servings: 4 (adjust to scale recipe)

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Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

Bowl:

• 1 lb Ground beef ▢
• 1 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper ▢
• 8 oz Leaf lettuce (chopped) ▢
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes (halved) ▢
• 1/4 cup Red onions (sliced thinly) ▢
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese (shredded) ▢
• 1 medium Avocado (sliced) ▢

Burger Sauce:

• 6 tbsp Mayonnaise ▢
• 2 tbsp Sugar-free ketchup ▢
• 2 tbsp Dill pickle juice ▢
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard ▢
• 1/8 tsp Sea salt ▢
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking up into pieces with a spatula, until the beef is browned.

2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small to medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

3. Divide the leave lettuce among 4 bowls. Top with tomatoes, onions, and cheese.

4. Add the cooked beef to the bowls. Fan out avocado slices over each.

5. Drizzle your burger bowls with the burger sauce.

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Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 bowl, or 1/4 of entire recipe

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Nutrition Facts

Amounts per serving. Serving size in recipe notes above.

Calories 561

Fat 45.8g

Protein 26.5g

Total Carbs 10.5g

Net Carbs 6g

Fiber 4.5g

Sugar 2.8g

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.

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Try More Of My Recipes

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  Keto Poke Bowl
• 
  Cheeseburger Soup
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  Big Mac Salad
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  Keto Cheeseburger Casserole

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