If you feel deprived because you want to eat healthy but others around you aren’t, don’t worry—I have the PERFECT meal for you: loaded burger bowls!!!
THESE are a good time!

Picture it (Sicily 1922)—It’s Friday night around here and that means bacon cheeseburgers on the grill! The whole fam gets excited and ready to pile their burgers high with cheese, bacon and ketchup on potato rolls.

I want to be as excited but I also don’t want the heaviness of the rolls, and the inflammation from the cheese (yes, that’s a thing now that I’ve gotten older – uggh).

Enter….loaded burger bowls with special dressing.
BOOM!

overhead shot of burger bowl and lettuce

Who wouldn’t get excited over a “tastes like summer” burger, right off the grill, placed on a bed of fresh, crisp lettuce. Piled high with thinly sliced red onion, juicy, ripe tomatoes, crispy salty bacon, tangy pickles and sliced avocados. THEN, add the BEST dressing eva!
homina homina homina

get jazzed over foods like loaded burger bowls

Here’s the thing—feeling deprived sucks (I know you’re jealous of my eloquence).

No one wants to feel like they’re missing out. I’ve felt that with food when I’ve been on diets (you name it, I’ve been on it) and with drinking. I’ve had my share of “feeling sorry for myself” moments because I had to refrain from a certain food or alcohol when others around me could indulge.

I don’t think about feeling deprived anymore, I think about what I get to eat.

Take the time to make meals and eat foods that excite you. Most often, this WILL take more time and effort.
That’s ok—invest in yourself—you’re so freakin’ worth it!

These burger bowls will give you all of the tastes and feelings of your favorite burger memories (summer bbqs, stops at mickey d’s) with clean-eating ingredients that will energize and satisfy your burger cravings! No missing out on anything!

close angle of tomatoes, burger and bacon

what do you put in loaded burger bowls?

To keep it most “burger-like”, I stuck to traditional burger “fixins” like:

tomatoes
red onion
bacon
avocado
dill pickles

I also threw on some pickled onions because I had them in the fridge and knew they’d add a nice tangy, sweeteness.

Definitely add whatever you like on a burger—shredded cheese, fried onions, sautéed mushrooms, jalapeños—to name a few things.

how to make loaded burger bowls

burgers

You have a couple of cooking options here! My first choice is on the grill because it adds the summer-y, charcoal flave. If you have an inside grill, you could use that as well. Simply cook to your desired temp and then cut into bite-size pieces before adding to the salad.

Another option is to brown the seasoned meat in a skillet on the stove top without forming it into burger shape.

Lastly, you can broil the burgers in the oven.

special sauce

I love this dressing—it’s so easy to make and incorporates typical burger flavors. You can make this ahead of time and store it in a sealed containers in the refrigerator. (In fact, it tastes best when the flavors have had time to meld together).

I do a ratio of 50/50 mayo and oil because I like the dressing very spreadable. Feel free to tweak to your preference (if you’d like it thicker, simply use all mayo, etc.).

To make it, simply whisk all the ingredients together. Taste, and adjust accordingly. Personally, I think the dressing is sweet enough however if you taste it and would like it sweetened, add a touch of honey or date paste (for Whole30).

are burger bowls Whole30-approved or Keto?

Yes, if you follow this recipe exactly as-is (including condiment recommendations) it is Whole30, Paleo and Keto.

For the special sauce, I recommend using condiments with no sugar added (see notes section of the recipe) so they’re low carb.

If you’re Keto, you can throw on cheese.

can I use ground turkey for burger bowls?

Absolutely, I would just jazz it up a bit because without the fat from burger meat, it loses flavor. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper (like the recipe). I would also add a splash of coconut aminos or worchestire sauce—which brings in an umami taste. You can also sprinkle in some onion powder.

Cook ground turkey burgers the same way you would cook the beef burgers but you will need to leave them on longer so they’re completely cooked on the inside.

what goes with loaded burger bowls?

These burger bowls are very filling on their own but if you’re looking for a little more, try sweet potato fries or roasted potatoes on the side.

other Whole30/Paleo recipes you’ll love:

and if you’re craving something sweet:

This recipe was adapted from 40 Aprons.

loaded burger bowl with special dressing

Author: Karen
Prep Time: 15 mins.
Cook Time: 10 mins.
Total Time: 25 mins.
Yield: 3–4 1x

Description

Scale

Ingredients

Burgers:

1 pound ground beef (use preferred percentage)
4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Bowls:

2 small heads romaine sliced (or preferred lettuce)
1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
1/2 cup dill pickles (feel free to add more!)
1 cup red onion thinly sliced
4–6 slices bacon cooked til crisp and roughly crumbled*
2 avocados peeled and pitted

Special Sauce:

1/4 cup mayonnaise*
3 tablespoons ketchup*
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon coconut aminos (sub with worceschire sauce unless Whole30)
1 tablespoon diced dill pickle
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch crushed red pepper
pinch salt
1/4 cup avocado oil (or preferred oil)**

Instructions

Gently together beef, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Don’t over-mix or the burgers get tough. Form 3-4 burger patties if you plan to grill burgers.
To cook beef in a skillet, heat oil of choice in a large skillet, over medium heat, then add beef and brown, crumbling with a spatula or spoon.
To grill the burgers, grill over high heat. Avoid using your spatula to press down on your burgers while cooking and flip your burgers–about 3 minutes on each side for medium rare plus.
Meanwhile, prepare remaining elements for the burger bowls.
Make the special sauce: whisk together all special sauce ingredients, Set aside.
When beef is cooked, assemble the bowls. Start with a layer of romaine in your serving bowls, then spoon 1/4 of the ground beef mixture into the center. Arrange remaining items around the beef: tomatoes, pickles, red onion, bacon, and avocado. Drizzle with lots special sauce and serve.

Notes

*Low-carb, Whole30 approved condiment options:
- Mayo: use an avocado based mayo like Primal Kitchen or Tessemaes.
- Ketchup: use a ketchup with no sugar added like The New Primal or Primal Kitchen.
- Make sure mustard and pickles have no sugar added (they typically don’t)
- Bacon: use an uncured, no sugar added like Applegate.
**I used a 50/50 ratio of oil to mayo because I like the dressing more spreadable. Feel free to so less (or no oil) and more mayo.
***Personally, I thought this sauce was sweet enough however if you taste and want it sweeter, add a tablespoon of honey or date paste (if Whole30).
Nutrition facts based on Whole30 ingredients.

Keywords: burger bowls, burger bowl, burger salad