Name: Cheeseburger Bowls
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 tablespoon burger seasoning; 1 tablespoon ketchup; ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 4 ounces crispy leaf lettuce; 6 pieces bacon, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces; ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced; ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese; ½ cup pickles, diced; ¼ cup sliced red onion; ½ cup honey mustard dressing

Jump to Recipe·5 from 2 reviews

I could eat these Cheeseburger Bowls all summer long. Crispy bacon, plus a honey mustard dressing that’s way better than the usual burger sauce. 20 minutes and one skillet, that’s it.

Cheeseburger Bowl on a marble countertop.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Most burger bowls are drizzled with a mayo based burger sauce. BUT I actually like these better with a honey mustard dressing. It’s lighter and a little sweet, which pairs perfectly with the ground beef.

These have all the cheeseburger flavors without turning on the grill. And if you’re grabbing tomatoes and lettuce at the farmers market right now, this is a perfect salad to make.

A few reasons I love these:

You just need one skillet and 20 minutes
Crispy bacon in every bowl. Not optional in my house!
The best excuse to buy more farmers market tomatoes
Everyone builds their own bowl
Perfect for a summer dinner, either inside or out on the patio

And if you love bacon in a salad as much as I do, you’ll want to try this BLT Chicken Salad next.

Ingredients

Ground Beef: You can use lean or regular ground beef for this recipe or swap it out for ground turkey, chicken, or veggie burgers.
Burger Seasoning: Use your favorite burger seasoning, or make some homemade burger seasoning using paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Worcestershire Sauce and Ketchup: For added flavor.
Lettuce: Any type of crispy lettuce is perfect for the base of these burger salad bowls. Baby crispy green leaf or romaine are both great options.
Bacon: Cooked bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Burger Toppings: Cherry tomatoes, avocado, pickles, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced red onion.
Honey Mustard Dressing: Store-bought or homemade honey mustard dressing is delicious drizzled on top of these bowls. Try it with this yogurt honey mustard dressing. You could substitute for your favorite dressing like ranch, blue cheese, or even a classic burger sauce.

How to Make Burger Bowls

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and burger seasoning. Cook, breaking up the meat, until it is cooked through and no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until combined.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls. Top each with the burger mixture and add the bacon, tomatoes, avocado, pickles, cheese, and red onion. Drizzle with honey mustard dressing.
Serve and enjoy!

🥕 Nicole’s Cooking Tips

Break the beef into small crumbles. Little pieces pick up more seasoning, and you get beef in every single forkful. I use the edge of my wooden spoon to keep breaking it down as it cooks.
Let the beef cool for a couple of minutes before adding it to the lettuce. Straight from the pan, it wilts everything underneath it.
Shred your own cheddar. The pre-shredded bags are coated so they don’t clump, and it dulls the flavor. A block takes 30 seconds on a box grater.

Variations

Make it vegetarian. Swap out the ground beef for your favorite veggie burgers. Cut them into bite-sized pieces before adding them to the bowl.
Swap out the dressing. If you’re not a fan of honey mustard dressing, swap it out for a creamy ranch or blue cheese dressing. You could even use a dollop of tzatziki instead of dressing, or keep it simple with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Use ground turkey or chicken. To make these cheeseburger bowls more lean, swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken. Adjust the cooking time as needed to be sure they are cooked through.
Give it some spice. Add some jalapenos or banana peppers for a spicy kick.

Serving Suggestions

These cheeseburger salad bowls are perfect for a quick, easy weeknight dinner since they come together quickly. Serve them with some crusty bread, sweet potato fries, or even some crispy onion rings.

You could even turn these into a DIY burger bowl bar to celebrate Father’s Day, for a game day get-together, or an outdoor BBQ. Set out the cooked beef (also consider setting out some veggie burgers for a vegetarian option) along with all the toppings and let everyone build their own. Provide a few different dressing options and some chips or sides to go with it

Make Ahead and Storage

Make Ahead: These are great for meal prep. Cook the beef according to the recipe and prep all your toppings, then store everything separately in airtight containers in the fridge. It all keeps for up to 3 days.

To Store: Leftovers work the same way, keep the beef and toppings in separate containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble and dress right before eating so nothing gets soggy. Reheat the beef in a skillet or the microwave if desired.

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