No matter the occasion, our family loves a burger all year round, whether it’s on the grill or in a cast iron on the stove. We’re always looking for new ways to transform the classic sandwich and this burger bowl recipe happens to be my kid’s favorite. The ground beef topping is seasoned just like a cheeseburger and they get to build their own bowl with all sorts of toppings.
When it comes to prepping the recipe, it’s actually quicker and easier than making traditional burgers since theirs no shaping of the patties involved. Plus, we usually like to make a double batch of the ground beef mixture to eat throughout the week. It’s become a time-saving recipe that’s also fun to eat! Be sure to also try our cheeseburger casserole and jalapeno popper stuffed burger, they’re a hit with our kids too.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- A dinner with flavors the whole family will love. This is a crowd pleaser that’s great for a weeknight meal or also great for entertaining. Set the burger bowl up in a bar style and have everyone build their own bowl.
- Under 30 minute dinner recipe. Yes it’s that quick to make, a different version of a burger that we find actually is easier to cleanup than making traditional burgers on the stove or the grill.
- Customize this burger bowl recipe with your favorite ingredients. Add all the different toppings you love, whether it’s bacon, avocado, crunchy fried onions, the options are endless.
Tips for Busy Cooks
You an easily meal prep theses hamburger bowls in advance for a busy week ahead. Cook the beef and make the sauce. Store them in separate containers. Chop all of the toppings and store them separate in the fridge as well. Now you have an easy burger bowl bar for quick lunch or dinner prep during the week!
Key Ingredient Notes
Burger Sauce:
- Mayo or sour cream – Creamy base of the sauce, that’s also delicious on any burger.
- Ketchup – Adds sweetness to the sauce.
- Pickle juice – Adds a hint of acid and pickle flavor.
- Dijon mustard – Gives a taste of mustard in every bite.
- Onion and garlic powder – The spices we always season our burgers with.
- Smoked paprika – Gives a smokiness for a char-like flavor.
For the bowl:
- Lean ground beef – The lean protein for the recipe, we prefer a lower fat content.
- Garlic powder – Infuses the beef with the garlic flavor well love.
- Onion powder – Adds a hint of onion flavor signature to the burger flavor.
- Mini tater tots – The crunchy French fry-style croutons.
- Iceberg lettuce – Fresh shredded lettuce that adds nice crunch.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – Our favorite cheese on a burger that melts over the warm beef in the bowl.
- Cherry tomatoes (or 2-3 roma tomatoes) – Gives a fresh burst of tomato flavor.
- Red onion – One of our favorite burger toppings.
- Pickles – Adds more pickle goodness.
- Other toppings to add – Some other options are bell pepper, cucumbers, jalapeno, bacon.
How to make this burger bowl recipe
Step 1: Place the tater tots in the air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F for 13 minutes, or until nice and crispy.
Step 2: Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and brown it, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes. (TIP: I don’t use any oil when browning ground beef. But if needed, feel free to heat about a tablespoon of olive oil before adding the beef.)
Once most of the meat has browned, add the seasoning, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir till smooth.
Step 4: Arrange the ingredients iceberg lettuce and ground beef in 4 bowls.
Step 5: Top with the crunchy tater tots and shredded cheese.
Step 6: Drizzle over the burger sauce and enjoy.
Expert Tips:
- Add your favorite burger toppings to this burger bowl recipe. We love the classics like pickles, cheese, tomato, red onion, and iceberg lettuce. But you can add other delicious toppings like red bell pepper, cucumber, bacon, and avocado.
- Make it spicy. To the burger sauce, you can add hot sauce or Sriracha to add a little bit of heat if you want!
- Swap the tater tots for another fry. We also love regular fries or frozen sweet potato fries in this bowl. If you want them extra crunchy, we recommend making them in the air fryer.
- Try a different cheese. We love cheddar, but we have also used Monterey Jack, pepper Jack, and Gruyere for some different flavor profiles.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. We recommend reheating the beef mixture separately in the microwave or stovetop then topping the salad.
When it comes to freezing, the only thing that will freeze well is the beef mixture. It stores well for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
FAQs
A ground beef mixture seasoned like a burger patty with all of your favorite burger toppings. We like to top ours with a special sauce.
We love to serve it with baked beans, mac and cheese, potato salad, or coleslaw.
Yes, we’ve used ground chicken or turkey as well for a lighter option.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Burger Bowl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Burger Sauce:
- ½ cup mayo or sour cream
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
For the bowl:
- 12 oz mini tater tots
- 10 oz Iceberg lettuce
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 200 g cherry tomatoes halved (or 2-3 roma tomatoes)
- ½ red onion sliced
- ½ cup pickles
Other topping options:
- Bell pepper, Cucumbers, Jalapeno, Bacon
Instructions
To air-fry tater tots:
- Place the tater tots in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 375°F for 13 minutes, or until nice and crispy.
To cook the meat:
- Heat the skillet over medium heat.
- Add the beef and brown it, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes. (TIP: I don’t use any oil when browning ground beef. But if needed, feel free to heat about a tablespoon of olive oil before adding the beef.)
- Once most of the meat has browned, add the seasoning, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
To prepare the sauce:
- In a medium bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir till smooth.
To assemble:
- Arrange the ingredients in 4 large bowls, in the following order: lettuce, meat, cheese, tater tots, onion, tomatoes, and pickles.
- Drizzle the burger sauce all over. And enjoy!
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
- Add your favorite burger toppings to the bowl. We love the classics like pickles, cheese, tomato, red onion, and iceberg lettuce. But you can add other delicious toppings like red bell pepper, cucumber, bacon, and avocado.
- Make it spicy. To the burger sauce you can add hot sauce or Sriracha to add a little bit of heat if you want!
- Swap the tater tots for another fry. We also love regular fries or frozen sweet potato fries in this bowl. If you want them extra crunchy we recommend making them in the air fryer.
- Try a different cheese. We love cheddar but we have also used Monterey Jack, pepper Jack and Gruyere for some different flavor profiles.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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