Loaded Cheeseburger Bowl
Published 1/19/2025
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Ditch the buns and try this low carb Loaded Cheeseburger Bowl! It still has all the delicious flavors of a classic burger recipe, but as a bowl with our deliciously tangy homemade burger sauce made from ingredients like mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, and onions for some extra taste points!
Okay, if I’m craving a burger and it’s not grilling season here in MN, 9 times out of 10 I’m making this healthy cheeseburger bowl over a regular burger. I mean, the best part of a burger is what’s between the buns (lol), so it just makes so much sense! Plus, you all know how we feel about meals served in bowls 😏
Cheeseburger Bowl – What You Need
Just make the burger sauce, prep your veggies, cook your beef, and assemble it into a wonderfully colorful bowl of goodness. It’ll be ready in just 30 minutes 👏👏👏
- Ground beef: You can’t have a cheeseburger bowl without ground beef!
- Mayonnaise: The base of the burger sauce, mayo adds a rich and creamy texture to the dressing.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt: Half mayo, half Greek yogurt keeps the sauce creamy but also adds a tangy flavor thanks to the Greek.
- Ketchup: Tangy and slightly sweet, ketchup is a key ingredient in our burger sauce.
- Pickles: Pickles and pickle juice add some tang and crunch to the sauce.
- Napa cabbage: We LOVE this cabbage in the burger bowl as it has a mild, slightly sweet flavor and great crunchy texture.
- Apple cider vinegar: We pickle the cabbage in apple cider vinegar to make it even more flavorful and delicious.
- Cherry tomatoes: Tomatoes and burgers go hand-in-hand, so we, of course, had to add some juicy cherry tomatoes to the bowl.
- Cheddar cheese: A classic cheeseburger is not complete without some yellow cheddar!
What can I swap with the Napa cabbage?
The napa cabbage can be replaced with romaine lettuce or any other type of green you wish!
Can I use a different type of cheese?
Of course! Feel free to use whatever type of cheese you prefer. Colby Jack, Swiss, or even blue cheese would all be delicious choices.
Is this a keto cheeseburger bowl?
Everything is keto-friendly except the ketchup, which contains sugar. You can swap the ketchup for a low-carb option or leave it out altogether if you’re following a strict keto diet.
Other Delish Additions to this Cheeseburger Bowl
Avocado: For some healthy fats and creaminess, add some sliced avocado to your bowl.
Bacon: Because who doesn’t love bacon? Crumble it over the top for a savory and crispy addition.
Jalapeno: Spice things up by adding some sliced jalapenos to your bowl.
Fried egg: Turn this into a brunch burger bowl, and top your burger bowl with a fried egg.
Sauces: Feel free to experiment with different sauces, such as BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or even Sriracha, for an extra kick of heat.
Our Top Tip!
Make sure you drain the ground beef before adding the pickle juice and assembling the bowl. This will prevent the sauce from becoming too runny and diluting the flavors.
The Best Way to Store
We recommend storing the cheeseburger salad bowl ingredients separately in the fridge and assembling them right before serving. This will keep the lettuce from getting soggy and allow for maximum freshness. Storing the elements separately also means this recipe is PERFECT for meal prep 😃
The ground beef will last for up to 4 days in the fridge, while the other toppings can be stored for about a week.
Cheeseburger Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ yellow onion, finely minced
- ⅓ cup pickles, grated
- 3 teaspoons pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Other Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded napa cabbage
- 1.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt, separated
- 10 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ small white onion, minced
- ¾ cup small pickles, sliced
- 6 oz. cheddar cheese, chunked
Ground Beef
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon grated white onion
Instructions
- Prepare the burger sauce. Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, ketchup, onion, pickles, pickle juice, and granulated sugar to a bowl and mix until completely combined. Transfer to the refrigerator for later.
- Add the cabbage to a large bowl and add apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon of salt to the cabbage. Massage the vinegar and salt into the cabbage with your hands or a spoon. Set aside.
- Combine the tomatoes, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a different bowl. Toss to coat.
- Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet and season with 1 teaspoon of sea salt. and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onion to the beef and toss. Cook until the beef is no longer pink. Remove from heat and toss with 2 teaspoons of pickle juice.
- Assemble the cheeseburger bowl by evenly distributing the ground beef, cabbage, tomato salad, sliced pickles, and yellow cheddar cheese into 4-6 bowls. Top with the burger sauce and enjoy.
Tips & Notes
- The napa cabbage can be replaced with romaine lettuce or any other type of green.
- Feel free to use whatever type of cheese you prefer.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
