If you’re craving the flavors of a meaty wrap, but prefer something a little lighter, these low-carb ground beef lettuce wraps are the answer! The saucy ground beef contrasts beautifully with the soft yet crisp bell peppers, water chestnuts, and carrots. The crisp lettuce leaves are sturdy enough to hold the filling, offering a delicious alternative to flour or corn tortillas. 

The post Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

From timeless classics with fun twists to creative dishes that could easily become new traditions, these Easter dinner recipes are sure to make your holiday celebrations memorable.

love setting an Easter table and inviting friends and family to gather around it. There’s something so special about filling the table with delicious Easter recipes, fresh spring touches, and dishes made to share. And it’s not always about serving a traditional ham—it’s fun to go outside the box and try something new! Entertaining at Easter is one of my very favorite ways to celebrate the season.

The post 25+ Easter Dinner Ideas To Fill Your Table appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

Forget everything you thought you knew about corned beef! This recipe transforms the traditional St. Patrick’s Day staple into something truly extraordinary. The mustard rub infuses incredible sweet and tangy flavor into the meat as it slow cooks, all finished with a creamy dipping sauce that will have everyone asking for seconds. 

Maybe you’ve seen the Wagyu Corned Beef at Costco? It caught my eye, so I grabbed one to bring home and smoke on the grill, and I’m so glad I did. The meat is so amazing – the texture and flavor is out of this world. With the leftovers we made this Reuben Dip that we served at a little neighborhood dinner party. Everyone loved it. We sliced it really thin and the flavor popped!

The post Wagyu Corned Beef  appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

This budget-friendly cut of beef is slow cooked over a few hours, allowing you to get dinner on earlier without having to stand watch in the kitchen. Once shredded, the meat is returned to the very same pot, tossed in its own rich, savory juices to ensure every strand is infused with deep, complex flavor. It’s an easy, comforting solution for a midweek family dinner, yet one that feels special and impressive enough to serve to guests.

The post Dutch Oven Pot Roast appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

A few years ago, we found ourselves in a dreamy château kitchen in the French countryside, cooking alongside friends with sunlight spilling across worn stone floors and copper pots hanging overhead. We decided to make Beef Bourguignon for everyone — doubling the recipe so it would generously feed the twelve of us gathered around the long table later that evening.

The post Beef Bourguignon (French Red-Wine Beef Stew) appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

If you’re looking for a saucy, crowd-pleasing dinner that you can enjoy any time of the year, this is it! Best of all, you can whip up this crave-worthy meal in just 25 minutes – even faster than a trip to the drive-thru for a Big Mac! And did I mention – I love making these for Game Day? This recipe makes 5, so double or triple it for a crowd.

Toast the buttered buns right in the heated skillet for the perfect crunch, and don’t be shy about doubling the special sauce for an extra sloppy consistency (or store the extra sauce for other dishes in the week). Your guests are going to LOVE you!

The post Big Mac Sloppy Joes appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

We had these baked stuffed jumbo shells with ricotta and meat for dinner last night and my husband said, “These are company worothy!” I had to agree. This all-in-one pasta bake is the ultimate comfort food, delivering the satisfaction of a homemade meal with effortless ease – perfect for a cozy family dinner. Stuffing each shell transforms a simple pasta bake into a meal that you’d be proud to share with guests! Yes!

The post Stuffed Shells with Ricotta and Meat appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

Better still, this crave-worthy meal comes together in about 20 minutes, offering a quick and convenient low-carb alternative to the classic hamburger. Simply assemble everything in one large shareable bowl for a fun family meal or create personalized single servings where everyone can pile on their favorite toppings from an endless selection.

What is a ‘burger bowl’?

A burger bowl is a deconstructed, utensil-friendly version of a classic burger served without the bun. It typically features a base of fresh salad greens topped with seasoned ground beef (or an alternative like turkey), traditional burger toppings like pickles, onions, and tomatoes, and is finished with a signature burger sauce. 

This burger bowl recipe captures all the essential flavors of a delicious hamburger in a convenient, often lower-carb bowl form that’s easily customizable with endless additional toppings.

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. 

Serving

This hearty burger bowl is a balanced and complete meal as is, but a side of garlic cheese bread, grilled cheese sliders, or Rosemary Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips would be a delicious and welcome addition!

Much like a classic burger, complete this meal with a thick milkshake, rich brownies, a bowl of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, Farrell’s Ice Cream Pig Trough ice cream sandwiches, or lighter options, such as a refreshing fruit salad. 

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. 

If you love hearty and healthy bowls loaded with a variety of fresh components, check out our Southwest Bowls and Shrimp Burrito Bowls!

More burger-inspired recipes you may want to try:

• Smash Burger Salad
• Burger Tacos
• Big Mac Pasta Salad
• Low-Carb Cheeseburger Sliders
• Leftover BBQ Hamburger Crostini

Print

Burger Bowl Recipe

Forget the bun! This 20-minute Burger Bowl Recipe packs all the juicy, crave-worthy flavor of a classic cheeseburger into a fresh, low-carb meal. Load it with crisp veggies, savory seasoned beef, and a signature sauce for an endlessly customizable lunch or dinner.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 503kcal

Author Sandy Coughlin

Ingredients

For the Meat:

• 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the Salad:

• Salad greens
• Tomatoes
• Dill pickles sliced
• Red onion thinly sliced
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded red cabbage
• Fresh chopped parsley

For the Sauce:

• ½ cup mayo
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 2 Tbsp pickle juice
• 2 Tbsp dill relish
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Optional Toppings:

• Crispy bacon
• Grilled veggies like zucchini peppers, and onions
• Creamy avocado
• Pickled jalapeños
• Pepperoncini
• Chopped pineapple
• Berries
• Mushrooms
• Shredded cheese
• A fried egg
• Fresh herbs: dill or basil
• Sliced green onion
• Chopped ham

Instructions

• Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add the ground beef with the spices.
• Cook the meat, breaking it into small pieces as it browns.
• Continue to cook until there is no pink color left.
• Add all the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk together until well combined.
• To assemble these burger bowls, add your choice of salad greens to the bottom of a low-line bowl.
• Next, add the cooked ground beef, sprinkling it over evenly.
• Do the same in the order of the rest of the salad ingredients – tomatoes, pickles, and onions.
• Lastly, drizzle the assembled bowls with the homemade sauce and enjoy!

Video

Notes

The calories depend on what you put on your burger bowl – the more toppings, the more calories.

Sandy’s tips:

• 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.  

Nutrition

Calories: 503kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 1125mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 443IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Burger Bowl Recipe appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

The real magic lies in the homemade Alfredo sauce, a simple blend of heavy whipping cream, butter, and Parmesan that creates a far more luxurious texture and rich flavor than any jar could. Its savory depth is enhanced with a hint of steak seasoning, a strategic choice that perfectly bridges the creamy sauce to the hearty ground beef.

The post Spaghetti with Alfredo appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.

You’ll love the delicious contrast between the savory filling and the bright, tangy sauce. While you could use canned enchilada sauce to make these beef enchiladas, I love the depth of flavor from homemade green enchilada sauce. Luckily, I just added this sauce to my list of recipes which you can find here – it’s so easy and so good!

Prepare your sauce ahead of time for quick and convenient use when making these beef enchiladas or to enjoy with an array of other dishes. 

The post Beef Enchiladas with Green Sauce appeared first on Reluctant Entertainer.