Original Post Date January 13, 2020, updated February 21, 2002.
Learn how to make a Bacon Cheese Burger Salad with Special Sauce! Topped with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, caramelized onion and fresh avocado, you will not miss the buns. Ready in under 20 minutes with a homemade burger sauce, your tastebuds will be overly satisfied with less guilt!
If you like this recipe, you should try Bun less Sloppy Joe's, Pizza Baked Casserole or Savory Kale Salad!
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WHAT IS IN A BURGER SALAD?
Burger salads are equivalent to a buddha style or burrito bowl. With that said, these burger salads are filled with fresh greens, burger toppings and drizzled with a special burger sauce. This burger salad recipe does not include traditional hamburger buns but the recipe is still filling and is considered carb free!
The burger salads are quickly made as the ground beef and bacon are the only ingredients that require cooking time. These bacon cheeseburger are perfect for meal prep and can be prepared at the beginning of the week and enjoyed throughout the week!
BACON CHEESE BURGER SALAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS
First thing to remember is that your favorite burger toppings may vary but if you would like to follow this recipe as listed, here is what you will need below.
BURGERS
- Ground Beef
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Season All
- Garlic Paste (or fresh garlic)
- Salt and Pepper
BURGER SALAD TOPPINGS
- Romaine Lettuce
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cheddar Cheese
- Red Onion (optional)
- Caramelized Onion
- Pickles
- Avocado
- Bacon
BURGER SALAD SPECIAL SAUCE
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup
- Sriracha
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Dill Pickle Juice
- Sweet Relish
- Jalapeno or Spicy Mustard
- Salt and Pepper
PREPARE GROUND BEEF FOR BACON CHEESE BURGER SALAD
Burger Patty or Beef Crumbles
How you choose to prepare the ground beef is up to you. To explain, I have prepared the ground beef both ways and find that crumbling the beef is easier to prepare and consume in the burger salad. If you prepare the burger into patties, it will take longer to cook and chopping is required after the patties are cooked.
If you would like to prepare the ground beef crumble style, simply place the ground beef in a medium to large sized skillet and crumble adding in the listed ingredients and stirring until the ground beef is browned and cooked through.
If forming the patties, simply add the ground beef to a bowl, add the listed ingredients and hand mix. Divide the beef in four equal parts and hand roll the patties. It is best to refrigerate the patties for at least thirty minutes as this allows the flavors to merry.
CARAMALIZED ONIONS
First, using a small to medium sized pan, add butter to the pan on low to medium heat. Add the small diced onions to the pan and cook stirring occasionally. To cook caramelized onions best, cook low and slow stirring constantly and adding up to two tablespoons of water to help release the moisture out of the onions.
Onions will be caramelized when they are brown in color and soft or fork tender. Set aside until further use.
SPECIAL BURGER SAUCE
To prepare the special burger sauce, you will need a small to medium sized bowl and a whisk. Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, dill pickle juice, sweet relish, mustard and whisk thoroughly. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.
PREP THE TOPPINGS
First, if you are adding crispy bacon to your burger salad, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Next, place 3-4 bacon strips on a lined baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until bacon is cooked through and crispy. Drain any access fat from the bacon and crumble the bacon into bit sized pieces. Set aside.
Next, prep the remaining toppings by cleaning and chopping the romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, dill pickles, avocados and shred the cheddar cheese.
ASSEMBLE THE BACON CHEESE BURGER BOWL RECIPE
Now it is time to assemble the bacon cheese burger salad. First, add the chopped romaine lettuce to the first layer of the bowl. Second, scoop about ¼ cup to ½ cup of crumbled beef on top of the lettuce. Then, add the remaining prepped toppings; the crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, red onion, caramelized onion, cheddar cheese, pickles, avocado and top with special burger sauce!
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER BACON CHEESE BURGER SALAD
This bacon cheese burger salad recipe works great for meal prepping and eating as leftovers. Simply store each topping/ingredient separately. To explain, store the lettuce separately, cheese, tomatoes, red onions, caramelized onions, pickles, avocado, bacon and onions. Store the burger sauce in an airtight container and the ground beef.
When you are ready to reheat, simply heat the ground beef and bacon crumbles and prepare the salads as previously listed!
Bacon Cheese Burger Salad with Special Sauce
Ingredients
Burgers
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Season All favorite seasoning blend
- 2 tsp Garlic Paste optional
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Toppings
- 4 cups Romaine Lettuce
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes
- ¾ cup Cheddar Cheese
- ½ cup Red Onion raw and sliced thin
- ½` cup Red Onion raw and sliced thin + for caramelized onions
- ¾ cup Dill Pickles
- 2 tablespoon Butter
- 1 medium Avocado
- 4 slices Bacon
Burger Sauce
- ¼ cup Mayo
- 3 tablespoon Ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha optional
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon Dill Pickle Juice
- 2 tsp Sweet Relish
- ½ tsp Jalapeno or Spicy Mustard
Instructions
Burgers
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix ground beef with seasonings and add to a medium to large sized pan.
- On medium/high heat, cook ground beef mixture until crumbled, browned and cooked through.
- Drain any excess fat and set aside until further use.
Burger Sauce
- With a small to medium sized bowl and a whisk, add the mayonnaise, ketchup, sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, dill pickle juice, sweet relish, mustard and whisk thoroughly.
- Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.
- Set aside for later use.
Prep the Toppings
- First, if you are adding crispy bacon to your burger bowl, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Next, place 3-4 bacon strips on a lined baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes until bacon is cooked through and crispy.
- Drain any access fat from the bacon and crumble the bacon into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- Next, prep the remaining toppings by cleaning and chopping the Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, dill pickles, avocados and shred the cheddar cheese.
Assemble the Bacon Cheese Burger Salad with Special Sauce
- First, add the chopped romaine lettuce to the first layer of the bowl.
- Second, scoop about ¼ cup to ½ cup of crumbled beef on top of the lettuce.
- Then, add the remaining prepped toppings; the crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, red onion, caramelized onion, cheddar cheese, pickles, avocado and top with burger sauce!
If you like this recipe, you should try:
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Amber says
Salad bowl, sign me up! This special sauce sounds heavenly.
Wilma says
I keep making this one! It’s easy. It’s flavorful. It’s fun to eat. A super easy way to enjoy a burger!!! Too fun!! Love it
Britney says
I made these last night and let me tell you - they were DELICIOUS! That sauce was my favorite and my husband loved it too. Dare I say better than McDonald’s? Yes! Thanks for the recipe carita!