Burger Bowl Recipe

Ingredients needed to make this burger bowl recipe

• Ground beef: We prefer lean ground beef to reduce the grease in these healthy burger bowls. Regular ground beef can be used, but then any excess grease should be drained from the skillet before assembling the burger bowl. This burger bowl recipe is just as delicious when made with ground turkey. 
• Meat seasoning: The browned ground beef is flavored with a combination of onion powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. 

• Fresh salad: The fresh salad components for this dish consist of salad greens (such as butter lettuce leaves), halved grape or cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced dill pickles, thinly sliced red onion, shredded carrots, shredded red cabbage, and a little sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. 
• Homemade sauce: This burger bowl recipe calls for a typical smash burger sauce, made by mixing mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickle juice, dill relish, and seasoning (garlic and onion powder, and paprika). 
• Optional toppings: Feel free to personalize your burger bowl by topping it with a selection of toppings, such as: crispy bacon, grilled veggies (zucchini, peppers, and onions), avocado, pickled jalapeños, pepperoncinis, chopped pineapple, berries, mushrooms, shredded cheese, a fried egg, fresh herbs (dill or basil), sliced green onion, and chopped ham. 

How do you make this burger bowl 

Season and brown the ground beef:

1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the ground beef with the spices. 
2. Cook the meat, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. 
3. Continue to cook until there is no pink color left. 

Make the sauce:

1. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together until well combined.  

Assemble the bowls:

1. To assemble these burger bowls, add your choice of salad greens to the bottom of a low-line bowl. 
2. Next, add the cooked ground beef, sprinkling it over evenly. 
3. Do the same in the order of the rest of the salad ingredients – tomatoes, pickles, and onions. 
4. Lastly, drizzle the assembled bowls with the homemade sauce. 
5. Before or after adding the sauce, feel free to add any additional toppings to this burger bowl, as suggested in the recipe card. 

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Salad storage: Store any burger bowl leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days, keeping in mind that the sauce will make the fresh salad ingredients soggy as the burger bowl sits in storage.
• Sauce storage: If you want to make the sauce ahead or make a double batch, store it in a glass jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I prefer to keep my homemade dressings and sauces in mason jars, but any sealable jar or airtight container will work. Give it a good shake or whisk before using again. 
• Make ahead: The sauce and browned seasoned ground beef can be made a day ahead of assembling these burger bowls and stored separately in the fridge.  

• Double the recipe: Make a double batch of this burger bowl recipe when serving a larger crowd and assemble in a much larger bowl or serve in two separate bowls, to be placed at both ends of the table. 
• Uniform size matters: I like to make sure that the salad ingredients are sliced, diced, or chopped in uniform pieces so that the assembled burger bowl looks more appealing and to ensure every serving includes a perfect mix of flavors and textures. 
• Drain excess grease: Any excess grease from browning the ground beef should be drained and a slotted spoon should be used to add the cooked ground meat to the salad. 
• Think ‘deconstructed’ burger: Treat this recipe like a deconstructed burger – every bite should have a little bit of each component: savory beef, fresh/crunchy veg, and creamy/tangy sauce.