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top down beauty shot of cheeseburger bowls assembled

Healthy Cheeseburger Bowls with Big Mac-Style Sauce (Kid-Friendly!)

All the flavours of a cheeseburger in a fresh, customizable bowl! These cheeseburger bowls are made with seasoned ground beef, crisp lettuce, cheddar, pickles, tomatoes, and a creamy Big Mac-style sauce. Add fries or potato wedges for a fun family dinner everyone can build their own way.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the bowls:

  • 2 lbs/907 g lean or extra lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons/10 mL onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons/7.5 mL garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon/5 mL paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 10 cups/2.4 L shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce from about 2 large heads
  • 2 cups/500 mL cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 1/2 cups/375 mL grated cheddar
  • 1 1/2 cups /375 mL chopped dill pickles
  • Optional: pre-made potato wedges or fries air fryer or oven

For the Big Mac–Style Sauce:

  • 3/4 cup/175 mL mayo or Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons/30 mL ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons/30 mL relish
  • 2 teaspoons/10 mL yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon/2.5 mL onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon/5 mL white vinegar
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain the fat, then stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
  • While the beef cooks, prep the remaining salad components as directed (shred or chop the lettuce, slice the cherry tomatoes, grate the cheddar, chop the pickles). If using, reheat the potato wedges or fries.
  • Make the Big Mac-Style Sauce: In a small bowl (larger than 1 cup) stir all of the ingredients (mayo or yogurt, ketchup, relish, mustard, onion powder, vinegar and salt) until smooth and combined,
  • Assemble the salad bowls: Into each bowl layer the ingredients in the following order: lettuce, beef, toppings, sauce.

Notes

Big Mac-style sauce tips

This Big Mac-style sauce is creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and brings the whole bowl together.

Mayo or Greek yogurt?

You can use mayo or Greek yogurt, depending on what you have and what your family prefers.
Mayo will give you a more classic burger sauce flavour. Greek yogurt adds tang and a bit more creaminess. You can also do a mix of both if you want the best of both worlds.

Can I make the sauce ahead?

Yes! You can stir the sauce together ahead of time and store it in the fridge until dinner. The flavour may even get better as it sits.

Can I use store-bought burger sauce?

Absolutely. If store-bought burger sauce helps dinner happen, use it. This recipe is meant to work for real life, not create extra dishes for the sake of it.

How to store leftovers

The best way to store leftovers is to keep the components separate so the lettuce stays crisp.
Store:
  • cooked beef in one container
  • chopped lettuce in another
  • toppings together or separately
  • sauce in a small sealed container
 
Then assemble fresh bowls for lunch the next day. The leftover beef can also be used in wraps, quesadillas, nachos, rice bowls, or even tucked into a bun for a quick burger-style sandwich.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!