Family burger night just got even tastier with these savory burger bowls. Simple to make and bursting with flavor, these are sure to become a weeknight dinner staple!
Hamburger meat is a staple in our home. We use it in a variety of well loved dishes like Salisbury steak, homemade hamburger helper, shepherd’s pie and these delicious burger bowls.
Ground beef is layered with smoky bacon, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, red onion and tangy pickles. It is then drizzled and tossed with an indulgent homemade sauce to pull it all together. Serve it alongside dill potato salad and fermented lemonade for the perfect meal!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy – These easy healthy burger bowls require minimal effort, and can be thrown together in under an hour with ingredients you most likely already have on hand.
Healthy – This meal is high in protein and low in carbs. It is also a great way to enjoy a delicious variety of nutrient dense veggies.
Versatile – The best part of a deconstructed burger bowl is the endless ways it can be recreated. Top these bowls with the classic toppings or whatever your heart desires.
Ingredients
Pickles – I love having homemade fermented pickles on hand to use in recipes like this. They are easy to make, gut healthy, and delicious!
Red Onion – These easy quick-pickled red onions would make a great alternative to regular red onion in this burger bowl recipe.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Burger Bowls
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, pickle juice, and Dijon mustard. Stir well and set aside.
Step 2: Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon slices until crispy. Remove and drain excess grease on a paper towel–lined plate.
Step 3: In the same skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain any excess fat. Add the Dijon mustard, ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well so the spices coat the beef evenly. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Remove from heat.
Step 4: Chop the romaine lettuce, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, and cut the pickles into your preferred size.
Step 5: To assemble the bowls, start with a bed of chopped lettuce. Top with the seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, and crumbled bacon.
Step 6: Drizzle the burger sauce over everything and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe Modifications and Variations
The topping choices for this dish are endless. Here are some additional topping ideas for building your perfect customized burger bowls.
- Sesame seeds
- Bell pepper
- Avocado slices
- Sweet potato fries
- French fries
- Crispy potatoes
- Caramelized onions
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Crumbled blue cheese, Swiss, cheddar or pepper jack cheese.
- Homemade ranch dressing
- Over hard egg
Tips
- Cook bacon until just crispy. A little softness helps it mix better with the other ingredients without being too crunchy.
- Customize the sauce: add a little hot sauce or extra pickle juice for more tang and kick.
- Assemble bowls just before eating to keep the lettuce crisp. If prepping ahead, store the sauce separately until serving.
- Burger bowls are great for meal prep. Just store the sauce in a separate container and assemble everything when you are ready to eat!
Recipe FAQs
You can top burger bowls with all of your favorite burger toppings from the basic tomato, pickle, and onion, to other savory additions like caramelized onions, mushrooms, or even a fried egg.
Burger bowls are a great recipe to make for a delicious, high protein, low carb meal. You get all the flavor of a regular burger with all of the healthy perks.
These loaded burger bowls would be delicious topped with cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, or even pepper jack for an extra kick.
More Delicious Recipes from the Farmhouse
- 16 Easy One-Pot Soup Recipes
- Savory Sweet Potato Hash
- Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup
- Roasted Beet Salad With Goat Cheese
- One-Pan Pork Chops With Apples
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Burger Bowls Recipe With Homemade Special Sauce
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoon mayo
- 1/2 teaspoon pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Ground beef:
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon ketchup
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
Assemble the bowls:
- 2 heads of romaine lettuce
- ⅓ cup sliced raw red onion
- ½ cup dill pickle slices
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 6 slices of bacon, chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, pickle juice, and Dijon mustard. Stir well and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon slices until crispy. Remove and drain excess grease on a paper towel–lined plate.
- In the same skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Drain any excess fat. Add the Dijon mustard, ketchup, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well so the spices coat the beef evenly. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Remove from heat.
- Chop the romaine lettuce, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, and cut the pickles into your preferred size.
- To assemble the bowls, start with a bed of chopped lettuce. Top with the seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, red onion, pickles, and crumbled bacon.
- Drizzle the burger sauce over everything and toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Please double check amounts when using the multiplying feature in the recipe card.
- Cook bacon until just crispy. A little softness helps it mix better with the other ingredients without being too crunchy.
- Customize the sauce: add a little hot sauce or extra pickle juice for more tang and kick.
- Assemble bowls just before eating to keep the lettuce crisp. If prepping ahead, store the sauce separately until serving.
- Burger bowls are great for meal prep. Just store the sauce in a separate container and assemble everything when you are ready to eat!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
