Burger Bowls with Creamy Burger Sauce: A Flavor-Packed Meal in a Bowl
Skip the bun but keep all the mouthwatering goodness with these Burger Bowls! They’re loaded with fresh ingredients, juicy ground beef, crispy homestyle fries, and a drizzle of the most delicious creamy burger sauce. Perfect for an easy dinner, meal prep, or a fun twist on burger night!
While I love a good bowl, Italian Chicken Meal Prep Bowls and Greek Chicken Bowls (Meal Prep Easy) have been a staple at our house for years, and some of the most popular recipes on the site, I can’t actually take credit for these burger bowls.
The backstory: Every year I host a “Chopped Kids” challenge with my kids and their friends, we split them into teams, give them a category (appetizer, main etc.) and a secret ingredient, and they have to come up with recipes. And these burger bowls were the brain child of my daughter and her friend. The secret ingredient was ground beef, and they had to create a unique main dish. They hit it out of the park, everyone was so happy with these bowls. So of course, I had to recreate them for the blog.
What’s in the Perfect Burger Bowl?
The perfect burger bowl should consist of whatever you typically like on a burger, but here is what we found give it just the right crunch, flavor, and hearty goodness. Each bowl is packed with fresh, flavorful ingredients to recreate the magic of a burger without the bun:
- Juicy Ground Beef: Seasoned and browned to perfection, this is the heart of the bowl.
- Crispy Air-Fried Fries: Russet potatoes cooked until golden and crispy, adding the perfect crunch.
- Fresh Lettuce Base: A crisp, refreshing layer to build the bowl.
- Toppings Galore: Sweet mini peppers, crunchy dill pickles, juicy tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and thinly sliced onions.
- Creamy Burger Sauce: A tangy, savory sauce that ties everything together and acts as a dressing. Don’t skip it.
Ingredients for Burger Bowls
For the Bowls:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Bowl fixings
- 1 head of lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup sweet mini peppers, sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup dill pickles, sliced
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup air-fried potato fries
For the Burger Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
How to Make Burger Bowls
A delicious burger bowl with all the flavor of a juicy hamburger and none of the bun. This bowl has hearty ground beef, sharp cheddar, tangy tomatoes, aromatic onion, crisp lettuce, crunch mini peppers, and crispy fries, all slathered in a delightfully tangy burger sauce. And did we mention how easy it is to make? Here’s how:
Step 1: Prep the Ingredients
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned and fully cooked. Drain any excess grease.
- Air Fry the Fries: Cut potatoes into fries, toss with olive oil, and season with salt. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes, shaking halfway through, until crispy.
- Chop and Slice: Prepare all vegetables, wash the lettuce, shred the cheese, and chop the cooked bacon.
Step 2: Make the Burger Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chopped dill pickles, ketchup, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth. Set aside.
Step 3: Assemble the Bowls
- Start with a generous bed of chopped lettuce.
- Add scoops of ground beef, fries, and your favorite toppings like sweet mini peppers, tomatoes, pickles, onions, bacon, and cheddar cheese.
- Drizzle with the creamy burger sauce for the perfect finishing touch.
Needed Tools
Tips for the Best Burger Bowls
- Customize Your Bowl: Swap or add toppings like avocado, sautéed mushrooms, or jalapeños for extra flavor. But just remember to keep a few things that crunch and give lots of flavor.
- Prep Ahead: Cook the ground beef and chop veggies ahead of time for a quick meal on a busy night. This is a great pre-ahead option.
- Serve Warm Fries: Add the fries just before serving to keep them crispy. They come together quick in an air fryer.
Why You’ll Love These Burger Bowls
- Super delicious, high-protein, and customizable.
- Packed with fresh and vibrant ingredients.
- The burger sauce brings the classic burger flavor to every bite.
These Burger Bowls with Creamy Burger Sauce are perfect for satisfying your burger cravings while keeping things light and fresh. Each bite is a combination of juicy beef, crispy fries, fresh veggies, and the tangy sauce that brings it all together. Try them for your next dinner, and watch them become a family favorite!
Other Favorite Bowl Recipes
- Bibimbap Korean Beef Bowls
- Grilled Pork Power Bowls
- Salmon Rice Bowls
- Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl
- Greek Chicken Orzo Bowl
Burger Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Bowl fixings
- 1 head of lettuce chopped
- 1 cup sweet mini peppers sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup dill pickles sliced
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 6 strips cooked bacon crumbled
For the Air Fryer Fries
- 1 large Russet Potato sliced thin
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Montreal steak seasoning
For the Burger Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Ingredients
- Cook the Ground Beef: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef, and season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned and fully cooked. Drain any excess grease.
- Air Fry the Fries: Cut potatoes into thin slices or fries, toss with olive oil, and season with Montreal seasoning or salt. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 20-25 minutes, shaking halfway through, cook until crispy on outside and soft inside.
- Chop and Slice: Prepare all vegetables, wash the lettuce, shred the cheese, and chop the cooked bacon.
Step 2: Make the Burger Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, chopped dill pickles, ketchup, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth. Use pickle juice to thin it to your preferred state. Set aside.
Step 3: Assemble the Bowls
- Start with a generous scoop of ground beef.
- Add cheese, lettuce, and all of favorite toppings like sweet mini peppers, tomatoes, pickles, onions, bacon, etc. And a few of the fries.
- Drizzle with the creamy burger sauce and serve.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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