Deconstructed Burger Bowls (Print)
Seasoned ground beef over crisp romaine with cheddar, pickles, and tangy homemade burger sauce.
# Ingredient List:
→ Burger Bowl Base
01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
→ Salad Base
06 - 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/2 cup diced red onion
09 - 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles
10 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
→ Burger Sauce
11 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
13 - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
14 - 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
15 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
→ Optional Toppings
17 - Crispy bacon, crumbled
18 - Sliced avocado
19 - Jalapeño slices
20 - Sesame seeds
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, season with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook, breaking the meat apart with a wooden spoon, until fully browned and no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired.
02 - While the beef cooks, divide the chopped romaine lettuce among 4 serving bowls. Arrange cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, sliced pickles, and shredded cheddar cheese evenly over each bed of lettuce.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, sweet relish, smoked paprika, and white vinegar until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
04 - Spoon the cooked ground beef evenly over the prepared salad bowls, dividing it into four equal portions.
05 - Drizzle the burger sauce generously over each bowl. Add any desired optional toppings such as crumbled bacon, sliced avocado, jalapeño slices, or sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It delivers every single burger craving in under 35 minutes without ever touching a grill or shaping a patty, which makes it the laziest brilliant dinner you will make all week.
- The homemade burger sauce is the kind of condiment that once you taste it, you will start putting it on everything from fries to roasted vegetables without hesitation.
02 -
- Draining the beef too aggressively strips away flavor along with the fat, so leave a small amount in the pan to keep the meat moist and seasoned throughout.
- Adding the cheese on top of the warm beef rather than on the cold lettuce was a happy accident that turned into the most important step of the whole recipe.
03 -
- Let the beef rest for two minutes off the heat before adding it to the bowls because piping hot meat wilts the lettuce instantly and you want that temperature contrast to work in your favor.
- Double the sauce recipe and keep the extra in your refrigerator because you will absolutely find yourself reaching for it throughout the week on sandwiches, wraps, and roasted potatoes.