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Burger Bowls

Burger bowls with juicy, browned ground beef crumbles and a tangy burger sauce drizzled over a shredded lettuce base. This low-carb burger in a bowl layers cheddar, tomatoes, pickles, and red onion for a deconstructed smash-burger feel.
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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: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Burger Bowls
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Use 80/20 for juicy crumbles.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder For seasoning the beef and in the sauce.
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper 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.
  • 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
  1. Season the ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper, then cook in a skillet over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, breaking into crumbles until browned; drain excess fat and keep the beef crumbles hot.
Make the burger sauce
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, yellow mustard, pickle relish, and garlic powder until smooth, with a glossy, pourable consistency.
Assemble the burger bowls
  1. Divide the shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce among four bowls as the base, spreading it evenly so every bowl has coverage.
Add toppings
  1. Top each bowl with the browned beef crumbles, then add cherry tomatoes, sliced dill pickles, diced red onion, and shredded sharp cheddar.
Serve
  1. Drizzle generously with burger sauce in a spiral over the toppings, then serve immediately.

Notes

For best texture, assemble and drizzle sauce right before eating so the lettuce stays crisp. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat the beef only (or warm briefly) and keep sauce separate. Freezing isn’t recommended because lettuce and pickles lose their crunch. If you want a lower-sodium option, use no-salt-added pickles and check the salt level in seasoning blends.