Burger Bowls

These Burger Bowls have all the yummy flavors of hamburgers, including lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles but without the bun. Instead they are layered into bowls on top of cauliflower rice for a lower carb meal option. The Thousand Island dressing makes them irresistible!

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Why We Love Homemade Burger Bowls

Last year when I did the Whole30 I fell in love with Burger Bowls. I had come across the idea when I was searching for Whole30 recipes on Pinterest. If you are not familiar with burger bowls, they are basically a grain-free way of enjoying the delicious flavors of a hamburger but without the bun. The hamburger meat is crumbled and browned in a skillet and then the ingredients are arranged in a bowl and eaten with a fork.

This is a version I created for Healthy Seasonal Recipes because I know you all are going to love them too! Once you try them, have fun mixing up the ingredients to customize them how you like them.

Ingredients For Bunless Burger Bowls

For The Crumbled Meat Mixture

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or organic canola oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey or beef
• 1 large finely diced red onion, divided
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

For The Dressing

• ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt (you can sub mayo or Whole30 compliant mayo to make dairy free and/or Whole30 compliant)
• 2 tablespoons ketchup (use Whole30 compliant/sugar free if desired)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon celery salt

To Assemble The Bowls

• 1 ½ cup shredded lettuce, optional
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 4 cups frozen cauliflower rice, heated
• ½ cup sliced dill pickles
• 1/4 cup of the diced onion (you’ll cook most of the onion with the beef mixture)
• Plus the beef mixture and dressing

How To Make This Burger Bowl Recipe

Make The Beef or Turkey Mixture

1. Combine the beef or turkey, all but 1/4 cup of the onion, the mushrooms and the salt and pepper in a hot skillet.
2. Cook it and break it up so that it resembles meat for pasta sauce or tacos.
3. Note that the mushrooms will let off a lot of liquid as they cook. This is normal. Keep cooking until it evaporates, the onions are soft and the meat is cooked through.
4. Take the meat off the heat and add in the Worcestershire sauce.

Make The Dressing

• The dressing I serve with these bowls is like Russian or Thousand Island dressing, which is like the famous “special sauce” many associate with hamburger sauce.
• This dressing, made with yogurt instead of mayo, is very similar to the one I use in my Vegetarian Reuben Sandwiches.
• To make it, whisk the yogurt (or mayo if you prefer), ketchup, vinegar, mustard, relish and celery salt to combine it.
• If you do not love this flavor combo, grab another dressing recipe from my archives. There are tons! The Blue Cheese Dressing would be awesome!

Assemble the Bowls

Heat the cauliflower rice according to the package instructions. (I just microwave it in a glass measuring cup until it is piping hot.)

I like to use a shallow pasta bowl like these to serve portions of this recipe.

1. Start with the cauliflower rice and lettuce.
2. Then spoon on the beef or turkey mixture.
3. Top with tomatoes, pickles and onion.
4. Drizzle the dressing at the end.

FAQs for This Recipe

Make Ahead Tips

• If you are a meal prep lover then you will love this recipe because the meat reheats beautifully. It can be made up to four days ahead.
• The dressing can also be made ahead as well. The veggies for the topping can also be prepared and stored separately if you like.
• It is important to wait to assemble them after the meat is reheated because the meat and cauliflower rice is best served warm.
• To reheat the meat and cauliflower rice, portion them into a bowl and microwave for two minutes or until steaming hot. Alternatively, you can heat the meat on the stovetop with a little broth or water. Heat until steaming hot.
• The meat can be frozen up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator.

More Recipes You May Like

These Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Peppers are also super fast for busy nights and great if you are watching your carbohydrates.

This recipe for Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Chicken Sausage is another grain-free weeknight meal that the whole family can enjoy.

If you are a bowl lover, there are several others here on Healthy Seasonal! This Chicken and Quinoa Bowl with peanut dressing is a flavor explosion! These Quinoa and Lentil Bowls are a vegan option for meatless Monday. These Vegetarian Burrito Bowls are made in an instant pot and are fun to customize. These Grain Free Mongolian Beef Bowls are another option for folks who are limiting their grains.

If you love burgers on actual buns I have a bunch of those too! These Grilled Chicken Zaatar Burgers are good as are these Beef, Portobello and Swiss Cheese Burgers. You can also go veggie with these Black bean burgers or these Southwest bean burgers.

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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