Description

This Fully Loaded Burger Bowl with Special Sauce offers a delicious, low-carb alternative to traditional burgers. Featuring ground beef cooked with garlic and seasoned perfectly, accompanied by a creamy special sauce, fresh guacamole, sautéed red onions, crispy bacon, and a variety of fresh veggies, this bowl is a flavorful and satisfying meal ideal for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Burgers

1 pound lean ground beef
4 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon avocado oil or melted refined coconut oil

For the Special Sauce

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (or 1 tablespoon coconut aminos if on Whole30)
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 pinch salt

For the Quick Guacamole

2 medium avocados, pit removed and peeled
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice (juice from approximately half of 1 lemon)
½ teaspoon salt

For the Bowls (All Optional)

1 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 small heads romaine lettuce leaves only, roughly chopped (approximately 8-9 cups total)
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or grape tomatoes, halved)
½ cup pickle chips plus more to taste
8-10 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare the burger mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine 1 pound lean ground beef, 4 teaspoons garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly until well combined. Set aside.
Cook the ground beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon avocado oil and swirl to evenly coat the pan. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the ground beef mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until beef is fully browned and crumbled. While cooking, prepare the guacamole and special sauce.
Make the special sauce: In a second medium mixing bowl, whisk together ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (or 1 tablespoon coconut aminos for Whole30), 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish, 2 teaspoons dried minced onion, 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 pinch salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then set aside.
Prepare guacamole: In a small mixing bowl, mash 2 medium peeled avocados with ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt using a fork. Mash until you reach the desired consistency. Set aside.
Sauté the red onions: After the ground beef is cooked, transfer it to a medium bowl or plate and keep warm. Return the skillet to medium heat and add 1 cup thinly sliced red onion in a single layer. Cook until lightly charred on the underside, then flip and cook until charred on the other side. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding. Transfer cooked onions to a separate bowl and repeat with remaining onions.
Assemble the burger bowls: Divide roughly chopped romaine lettuce from 2 small heads evenly among 4 serving bowls. Place an equal portion of cooked ground beef into the center of each bowl. Arrange cherry tomatoes, pickle chips, crumbled bacon, sautéed red onions, guacamole, and any other toppings around the beef. Drizzle the special sauce generously over the bowls and serve immediately with extra sauce on the side if desired.

Notes

If following Whole30, replace maple syrup in the special sauce with 1 tablespoon coconut aminos.
Use avocado oil or refined coconut oil for cooking the beef to keep flavors neutral.
Lemon juice in the guacamole can be substituted with lime juice for a Tex-Mex flavor twist.
All bowl toppings are optional and can be customized according to preference.
For a vegetarian version, replace ground beef with plant-based crumbles.
Use thick-cut bacon and cook until crispy for best texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl
Calories: 550 kcal
Sugar: 5 g
Sodium: 700 mg
Fat: 40 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 10 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 35 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg