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All the best parts of a juicy cheeseburger, served up in a bowl with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, pickles, and a quick homemade burger sauce. It’s hearty, customizable, and weeknight-friendly—no bun required.
Build-Your-Own Burger Bowls
Some nights we just need something easy, satisfying, and guaranteed to make everyone at the table happy—enter these burger bowls. Juicy seasoned beef, all your favorite toppings (hello, pickles), and a quick homemade burger sauce that pulls it all together in the most delicious way.
It’s burger night with zero flipping, no buns to toast, and way fewer dishes—which, honestly, feels like a small parenting win.
Topping Ideas
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Caramelized onions
- Guacamole
- Crumbled bacon
- Jalapeño slices (fresh or pickled)
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Garlic aioli or chipotle mayo
- Roasted potato cubes or air-fried frozen fries
- Crispy fried onions (store-bought or homemade)
- Pickled red onions
Burger Bowls
Ingredients
Burger Meat
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
Burger Bowl
- 4 cups green lettuce chopped
- ½ cup grape tomatoes sliced
- ¼ cup dill pickle chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced or sliced
- ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 avocado sliced
- ½ cup burger sauce
Burger Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ¼ cup sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Break up meat while it cooks. Add salt, garlic powder, and pepper to the meat while it cooks. Continue cooking until meat is browned and no longer pink.
- Remove the meat from the heat. Drain excess grease from the meat.
- Add the worcestershire, dijon and cheddar cheese to the cooked meat. Stir to combine and allow the cheese to melt.
- In a medium size bowl or plate layer the lettuce, cooked meat, tomatoes, pickles, red onion, avocado, and shredded cheese. Drizzle with burger sauce, or
ranch dressing , or salad dressing of choice.
Video
Notes
Use 80/20 ground beef for the best flavor. Let it cook undisturbed in the skillet for a few minutes to get those crispy, caramelized bits before breaking it up. 2. Layer Smart:
Start with lettuce then the warm beef. Add cheese right on top of the beef so it melts slightly, followed by cool, crunchy toppings like pickles and tomatoes. Sauce goes last so it stays creamy and fresh. 3. Don’t Skip the Sauce:
While I recommend the burger sauce you can also use a ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, or other sauce of your choice. 4. Customize for Your Crowd:
These bowls are perfect for picky eaters or kids—set out all the toppings and let everyone build their own. 5. Meal Prep Tips:
- Cook the ground beef ahead of time (it saves great!).
- Chop lettuce and prep toppings (like pickles, tomatoes, cheese) and store separately.
- Make the sauce in a small jar or container—it keeps well for 5–7 days.
- Store each component separately in airtight containers.
- Keep lettuce and fresh toppings dry in paper towel–lined containers to stay crisp.
- Reheat the beef in the microwave or a hot skillet until warmed through.
- Keep lettuce and fresh toppings cold and add them after reheating.
- Assemble just before eating for the best texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Very simple to make and really good.
Dou prefer it with the meat warm or cold?
I typically eat this with the meat warmed. So if I’m storing things to eat later, I will reheat the meat and add it to the salad.
Dinner comes together quick with this recipe. Full of flavor, hearty yet healthy and a family favorite (which is a rare find). Don’t skip making the burger sauce. Most of it can even be prepped ahead of time. This one is definitely put on repeat.
I have made this 3 times. Each time my husband keeps saying we need to have this more often. Now that summer is here we definitely will. It is sooooo good!