High Protein Burger Bowls

This high protein burger bowl recipe with melty cheddar and all your favorite toppings is a 25-minute dinner you’re gonna want on repeat. Served with sweet potato fries and lettuce as the base, it’s just like biting into your favorite cheeseburger.

This hearty burger bowl recipe is a quick and effortless weeknight dinner. It’s loaded with the best parts of a good burger: juicy beef patties, crispy fries, special burger sauce, and melty cheese. The veggies make it feel like an irresistible salad, so have as many bowls as you want because they’re packed with fresh ingredients. If you’re not yet sure which patties to use, give my Air Fryer Burgers or Turkey Burgers a try.

Why You’ll Love This Burger Bowl Recipe

If you’re looking for a creative way to sneak more veggies into your week, this bun-less burger bowl recipe with sweet burger sauce is just what you need.

• Packed with veggies. There’s fresh lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, pickles, and red onions in every bite.
• Versatile. Sprinkle the bowl with feta for Mediterranean flair, go Tex-Mex with pico de gallo, or make it a vegan bowl.
• Twist on a classic. This recipe’s great if you love burgers but not necessarily the buns, and bowl dinners.
• Quick. It’s ready in only 25 minutes!

What Is a Burger Bowl?

Burger bowls are an American salad-like meal inspired by hamburger ingredients and flavors. While some versions are made with a rice base, this burger bowl recipe is grain-free. That means there’s no rice (or buns). Lots of chopped lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and onions take center stage instead. Other traditional burger ingredients like cheese, pickles, and fries are often added too. Condiments like ketchup, mayo, and mustard are common as well. Once assembled or tossed, it’s served as a quick lunch or dinner option.

What You’ll Need

Fresh veggies add crunch, creaminess, and even natural sweetness to every bite. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.

• Burger patties – You can use homemade or store-bought ones.
• Salt and pepper – Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper are best.
• Cheddar cheese – Go for white, mild, or sharp.
• Lettuce – I prefer crunchy, green leaf varieties like Iceberg or Romaine.
• Cherry tomatoes – Fresh, diced tomatoes are a good swap. Avoid canned tomatoes.
• Avocados – Diced or sliced avocado works for this.
• Spicy Pickles – Try my recipe or add your favorite.
• Sweet potato fries – Feel free to use regular fries if you prefer.
• Red onion – You can use white or yellow onions instead.

For the Sauce

• Mayo – I prefer full-fat mayo, but low-fat or plant-based mayos work too.
• Ketchup – Don’t swap it for regular tomato sauce.

How to Make Burger Bowls

Melty cheddar gives this burger bowl recipe an authentic hamburger feel, but it’s optional. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Grill the patties. Season them with salt and pepper on all sides. Set the grill to medium-high heat (or 350-400F). Add the patties and grill them for 3-4 minutes per side.
• Make them melty. Add a slice of cheese over each patty. Grill for another minute or until melty. Remove from the heat and set them aside. Skip this step if you don’t like cheese on your burgers.
• Prep the sauce. Whisk the mayo and ketchup in a small bowl until smooth. Set it aside.
• Assemble them. Add 1/2 cup lettuce, 1/2 cup sweet potato fries, one burger patty, 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, 1/2 sliced avocado, pickles, and red onions to every bowl. Drizzle with sauce to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and Variation Ideas

This grilled burger bowl recipe is so versatile you can use juicy chicken patties, add black beans, or drizzle it with creamy aioli.

• Go Mediterranean. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons crumbled feta over each bowl, add 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers, and swap the sauce for my Roasted Garlic Aioli.
• Add a “bun”. Serve each bowl with 1/4 cup croutons or 2-3 toasted bread slices for a bread-like component.
• Crank up the heat. Finely slice 1/4-1/2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chili and add it to the bowls. A drizzle of hot sauce is another way to increase the heat.
• Swap the protein. If you’re tired of beef, use chicken, turkey, or fish patties instead for easy variations of this recipe. Plant-based burgers work as well.
• Make it Tex-Mex. Add 1/4 cup black beans (drained), 2-3 tablespoons Pico de Gallo, and swap the sauce for Roasted Tomato Salsa. Sprinkling in 2-3 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese to every bowl is great too.
• Use leftovers. Grab the patties from leftover Southwestern Turkey Burgers, Cowboy Hamburger Sliders, or Chimichurri Burgers to reduce food waste.

Toppings and Serving Suggestions

This burger bowl recipe is great if you want to add extra toppings like sweet corn, crispy bacon, or a drizzle of BBQ sauce. I love serving it with Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños or Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Peppers on the side. If you love fries and don’t mind having more of them, then try my Baked Fries with Roasted Garlic Aioli or Baked Garlic Parmesan Fries.

How to Store and Reheat Extras

Keeping the bowl ingredients separated prevents the lettuce and fries from absorbing excess moisture and softening.

• Fridge: Store the patties and the rest of the ingredients separately. The patties can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, whereas the rest of the veggies can be kept for 3 days.
• To reheat them: You only need to reheat the patties and fries. Microwave them in 15-second increments until warm or on the stove over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes per side. The fries need about 7-8 minutes on the stove, stirring occasionally.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Moroccan Ground Beef Kofta Kebabs
• Ground Beef Tacos
• Beef Enchilada Zucchini Boats
• 30 Minute Beef Chili

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