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Burger Bowls

Burger bowls deliver a smash-burger-style meal with juicy beef crumbles over crunchy shredded lettuce and a tangy pickle-forward special sauce. This low carb burger in a bowl layers cheddar, tomatoes, pickles, and creamy sauce for an easy dinner bowl with big burger flavor.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Burger Bowl
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for juicy crumbles.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • salt Add to taste.
  • black pepper Add to taste.
  • 4 cup shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes Halved.
  • 0.5 cup dill pickles Sliced.
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese Shredded.
  • 0.5 red onion Diced (about 1/2).
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise For burger sauce.
  • 2 tbsp ketchup For burger sauce.
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard For burger sauce.
  • 1 tbsp pickle relish For burger sauce.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the seasoned beef crumbles
  1. Season the ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 10–15 minutes, breaking into crumbles, until browned, then drain any excess fat.
Make the burger sauce
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, pickle relish, and garlic powder together until smooth. Set aside while you build the bowls.
Assemble the burger bowls
  1. Divide shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce among four bowls as the base. Add a layer of lettuce in each bowl so it stays crisp.
  2. Top each bowl with the browned beef crumbles, spreading them over the lettuce. Follow with cherry tomatoes, dill pickles, diced red onion, and shredded cheddar.
  3. Drizzle generously with the burger sauce in a spiral pattern over the top. Serve immediately while the beef is hot and the lettuce stays crunchy.

Notes

For crispier texture, shred or cut lettuce right before serving and keep toppings chopped until assembly. Refrigerate leftovers in separate containers for up to 3 days; reheat beef and warm sauce, but keep lettuce cold. Freezing isn’t recommended because lettuce gets watery after thawing. Dietary swap: use lean ground beef (90/10) and increase the sauce slightly for moisture without changing the bowl format.