All of that delicious comforting flavour of a burger, but in a bowl. With our Burger in a Bowl recipe, you can skip the bread which is great if you are looking for a lighter burger option without sacrificing on taste. This low carb option is great for meal prepping too.
About this Burger in a Bowl Recipe
When you are craving a cheeseburger, but want to keep it a little bit lighter, then skip the bread bun and make this burger bowl recipe. All of your favourite burger toppings, but in a bowl. It's a lot less messy to eat too!
A bed of fresh crisp lettuce, homemade beef burger, crispy fries, cheese, tomatoes, onion and pickles and then smothered in our homemade burger sauce. So easy to adapt and you could even make a vegetarian version.
Looking for more healthier takeout options? Why not try our delicious Chinese Chicken Curry, easy Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs, spicy Chilli Oil Noodles or our crispy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Beef mince - We used 5% fat ground beef mince, but a higher fat percentage would give this more flavour.
- Burger seasoning - Make this burger in a bowl recipe even more special by making your own Burger Seasoning. You can use store bough if you prefer, or even just season it with some salt and pepper.
- Worcestershire sauce - It might be difficult to pronounce, but it's my "secret" (not so secret) ingredient for homemade burgers as it adds so much flavour.
- Potatoes - This is to make your fries, as a burger needs fries. Lots of tips on our Air Fryer Fries post.
- Oil - Some olive oil for cooking the potatoes in.
- Cheese - You could leave this out if you like, but if you want a cheeseburger in a bowl then it's a must. We used mature cheddar, but Mozzarella or Monterey Jack will work too.
- Burger Sauce - Make our Homemade Burger Sauce recipe. You won't regret it - it is a special sauce! You can use a good quality store bought one if you prefer.
- Pickled Red Onions - I am not a fan of raw onions, so we added our Quick Pickled Red Onions which have much more flavour.
- Lettuce - This is the base of the burger bowl. We used little gem as it has lots of crunch, but iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce will work too.
- Tomatoes - You can use slices of bigger tomatoes or grape tomatoes.
- Pickles - Or gherkins as we call them in the UK. I know these divide people when it comes to a burger, but we think they are a must. Why not try making your own Dill Pickles?
Variations
Burgers are my go-to comfort food. I would happily eat them every single day, but it's the bun part that makes me feel all bloated and lethargic. We have tried the burger in a lettuce wrap, but it gets messy.
So, we created this hamburger in a bowl to satisfy those burger cravings, but in a low carb way. Perfect for if you are following Paleo or Keto too and who doesn't love food loaded up in a bowl?!
The great thing about this Big Mac Bowl is that it's so easy to adapt with your favorite burger toppings. You can make a hamburger bowl a different way every time. Here are some of our favourite ways to mix it up.
- Bacon - A bacon burger is always a popular option, so it works on a burger salad bowl too. Cook your favourite bacon and then chop it up to add to your own. Use turkey bacon to keep it lean.
- Veggie burger - You can make a meat free version of a burger in a bowl by using your favourite veggie burger.
- Sweet potato fries - Make this burger bowl even more nutritious by using sweet potatoes to make the fries. Check out our Sweet Potato Fries recipe.
- Spicy - Add a little kick of heat with some pickled jalapenoes (a favourite burger topping here) or sprinkle over some red chilli flakes before serving. You could even add a little chilli sauce to your burger sauce.
- Sauce - We went with homemade burger sauce to keep it traditional and because it's amazing and we want to put it on everything! But feel free to use ketchup, mayo or BBQ sauce.
- Avocado - This adds a lovely creaminess to the burger bowl, and some healthy fats too.
- Egg - A fried egg on a burger is amazing. Use our Microwave Fried Egg recipe for a quick option.
How to Make a Burger Bowl - Step by Step
- Step one: Mix together the beef mince, Worcestershire sauce and burger seasoning. Form into two patties.
- Step two: Cut the potatoes into chips. Put into your air fryer and add the oil. Shake well and cook at 200°C for 20 minutes, shaking regularly.
- Step three: Cook the burgers in an air fryer at 190°C for 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking.
- Step four: Build your burger bowl by putting lettuce in a bowl. Add the chopped burger, red onions, tomatoes, gherkins, cheese and chips. Drizzle over the burger sauce to finish.
Serving Suggestions
I mean, this burger in a bowl really has it all. It has the burger, all the toppings, and even the fries right there in the bowl.
However, if you do want to serve it with some sides then we have you covered too. Why not try our BEST Homemade Coleslaw or Baked Jalapeno Poppers? You could try our Broccoli Slaw for something with veggies.
For more traditional burger sides, why not try our Baked Halloumi Fries or Oven Baked Onion Rings?
Storage
Burger bowls are great for weekly meal prep, but you will need to store all the ingredients separately in a container and then assemble them when you are ready to eat.
Once the burger in a bowl is made, it is best eaten straight away. However, you could store it in an air tight container and keep it in the fridge until the next day.
Extra Tips
- You could make this burger in a bowl leaner by using turkey or chicken mince to make the burger.
- Why not swap the burger sauce for our Healthier Ranch Dressing?
- If you want a little bit of that bun flavour, but you just like eating a burger in a bowl, then why not add some croutons on top? Try our Sourdough Croutons or Air Fryer Croutons.
- Don't overwork the burger mixture when mixing by hand. This can make the burgers too tough and chewy.
- Put the burgers in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking, as this will help them to stay together.
- To make sure the burgers don't swell in the centre during cooking, gently press your thumb into the centre of each one.
- Add some sesame seeds on top to give that burger bun flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
We used the air fryer to keep this lighter and use less oil. But you can make our Homemade Oven Chips and then for the burger follow the instructions for our Indian Burger (and adapt the spices if needed).
Yes, as long as you make sure there is no cross contamination, then this is a gluten free recipe.
We always use a meat thermometer, as we find that is the best way to ensure that the meat is cooked all the way through. Beef burgers should be 65°C/150°F if you want it medium well done. If you wanted it well done, then aim for above 71°C/160°F.
More Meals in a Bowl
If you’ve tried this healthy burger bowl recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Burger in a Bowl
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) Beef mince
- 2 tablespoon Burger seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Potatoes - medium
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 head Little gem lettuce - chopped
- 4 tablespoon Pickled red onions
- 10 Cherry tomatoes - halved
- 30 g (0.25 cups) Cheddar cheese - grated
- 2 Gherkins - sliced
- 4 tablespoon Burger sauce
Instructions
- Mix together 200 g Beef mince, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoon Burger seasoning. Form into two patties.
- Cut 2 Potatoes into chips.
- Put the chips into your air fryer and add 1 tablespoon Olive oil. Shake well and cook at 200°C for 20 minutes, shaking regularly.
- Cook the burgers in an air fryer at 190°C for 15 minutes, flipping over halfway through cooking.
- Build your burger bowls by dividing 2 head Little gem lettuce in bowls. Add the chopped burgers, 4 tablespoon Pickled red onions, 10 Cherry tomatoes, 2 Gherkins, 30 g Cheddar cheese and the chips. Drizzle over 4 tablespoon Burger sauce to finish.
Recipe Tips
- You could make this burger in a bowl leaner by using turkey or chicken mince to make the burger.
- Why not swap the burger sauce for our Healthier Ranch Dressing?
- If you want a little bit of that bun flavour, but you just like eating a burger in a bowl, then why not add some croutons on top? Try our Sourdough Croutons or Air Fryer Croutons.
- Don't overwork the burger mixture when mixing by hand. This can make the burgers too tough and chewy.
- Put the burgers in the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking, as this will help them to stay together.
- To make sure the burgers don't swell in the centre during cooking, gently press your thumb into the centre of each one.
- Add some sesame seeds on top to give that burger bun flavour.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
suja md says
This looks really delicious! Can't wait to try it out! thanks for the recipe
Dina and Bruce says
Love!!!! The burger sauce made it so tasty!!!
Donalyn says
We are having this for dinner tonight - I'm a low carber, and this is a fantastic option to enjoy all the great flavors of a burger without the carbs. Thanks for the inspiration!
Gianne says
The combination of seasoned ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles creates a satisfying meal without the bun. It's easy to customize with your favorite toppings.
Sonia says
What a great idea - love it! Thank you so much for sharing!!