Burger Bowls

Craving a cheeseburger without the carb-coma? This burger bowl—with all of the toppings, not the bun—is the solution. In this recipe, I’m skipping the potato bun for a bed of fresh romaine lettuce topped with everything you’d find on a classic American diner cheeseburger: tangy dill pickles, thinly sliced red onion, juicy tomatoes, smoky bacon, cheddar cheesy ground beef, a drizzle of burger sauce, and of course a few golden crispy fries.

The best part? These bowls are just as versatile as your favorite burger, meaning you can get as creative as you want with the toppings. You can mix and match just like you would for your favorite take out burger meal. Keep reading for tips on how to swap out each ingredient:

• Ground Beef: Instead of the classic burger meat, try ground turkey, ground chicken, or even your favorite plant-based meat.
• Cheddar Cheese: Almost any of your favorite cheeses will work here. Try a spicy pepper Jack, crumbled blue cheese, nutty shredded Swiss, or even a slice of classic American. Stick with softer cheeses to make sure you get all of the melty goodness you deserve.
• Bacon: I love the added smokiness and meatiness from bacon, but feel free switch it up with chopped pancetta, crumbled chorizo, or even sautéed mushrooms.
• Romaine Lettuce: Just like with any bowl, you can get a whole new meal by simply switching up the base. Try peppery arugula, chopped kale, or even shredded cabbage for the base of your burger bowl.
• Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes are especially awesome in the summertime, but you can really use any tomato variety you want. If you're not a fan of tomatoes, swap them for something equally refreshing like fresh cucumber or bell pepper.
• Red Onion: I left these raw for extra texture and oniony bite, but you can swap these with caramelized yellow onion, scallions, or shallots for a more mild onion flavor.
• Dill Pickles: Pickles are all about the briny tang so you can really experiment here. Of course there are bread and butter pickles, but you can also try pickled jalapeños for extra heat or pickled onions for a little extra sweetness.
• French Fries: Use your favorite freezer-aisle crispy starch! Tots, sweet potato fries, or even onion rings would be a genius swap.

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went in the comments below!