Forget the buns! These healthy burger bowls are loaded with sautéed onions and ground beef, avocado, bacon, everything bagel seasoned and roasted sweet potatoes, corn, pickles, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, and a creamy, addictive special sauce. Everything you love about a burger in a flavor-packed, low-carb bowl!
healthy burger bowls with special sauce
We love these healthy burger bowls! It’s everything you love about a burger – juicy ground beef, a delicious sauce, and all the fixings – in an easy and low-carb bowl!
At first, I worried my husband would not be a fan of my new, healthier take on a burger. He is a bun with his burger kind of guy. But to my pleasant surprise, he loves these bowls. He said they are packed with so much flavor and texture and you don’t even miss the bun. Yes!
These healthy burger bowls have become one of our favorite meals and a weeknight dinner staple.
ingredients in these burger bolws
These bowls contain all the delicious fixings of a traditional burger + a few extras to make it truly flavorful and unique:
- bacon, I love bacon on my burger as it adds crunch and umami flavor.
- sautéed onions and ground beef, this makes the bowl magic. The onions and ground beef are sautéed in a combination of bacon fat (naughty, I know!) and olive oil until caramelized and browned. Then, seasoned with garlic and Worcestershire sauce, making it irresistibly delicious.
- cheddar cheese, admittedly, I always opt for cheese on my burgers, so I had to add cheese to these bowls. I love a good sharp cheddar, but Swiss or American would work great too.
- corn, a little unexpected but the corn is a great touch. It adds a slightly sweet flavor and crunchy texture that gives the bowl a little something special.
- cherry tomatoes, adds brightness and color. Typically, I am not a raw tomato fan but I do love a good, sweet, and juicy cherry tomato!
- Bibb lettuce, for that gorgeous green color and hearty texture that stands up to the other ingredients in the bowl.
- pickles, duh! I always need pickles to complete my burger as it cuts through all the richness and provide a tangy bite!
- everything bagel roasted sweet potatoes, ok, typically the fries go on the side. But trust me when I say it totally works all mixed in with the other fixings. The sweet potatoes add a slightly sweet and charred hearty bite that makes this bowl still filling without the bun.
- avocado, adds that creamy goodness that is a must in my book!
- the special sauce, my husband said, “this is like the Big Mac sauce” It’s close! My version is a little healthier and even more delicious!
how to make these healthy burger bowls
These bowls come together in a few, simple steps:
- Roast the sweet potatoes. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the sweet potato into cubes. Mix together the sweet potato cubes, olive oil, and seasoning and mix until well-combined. Spread out evenly on a large greased baking sheet and roast for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown and tender.
- Cook the bacon, onions, and ground beef. Heat a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon crispy. Set aside on paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Wipe the pan clean, leaving about a 1/2 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and the sliced onions to the pan and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions for about 3-5 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized and charred. Move the onions to the side of the pan, increase the temperature to medium high, and add the ground beef. Let the ground beef cook 2-3 minutes per side undisturbed so it achieves a golden brown exterior. Lower the heat back to medium. Then use your spatula to crumble the beef and cook until it’s cooked all the way through. Drain excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon. Combine the crumbled ground beef and onions. Add fresh minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add Worcestershire sauce and other 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix to combine.
- Make the special sauce. This sauce is magic!! It’s a simple but flavorful combination of olive oil based mayo, Greek Yogurt, ketchup, dijon mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch salt. Super easy and super delicious!
- Assemble. Put all of it together in one delicious bowl. Start with the lettuce on the bottom, add in the crispy bacon and sautéed beef and onions, then load on all the fixings. Drizzle with the special sauce and enjoy!
how is this healthy?
I did several things to lighten up these healthy burger bowls:
- The main way was by forgoing the bun. I replaced the starchy white bun with nutrient rich sweet potatoes. You could skip the sweet potatoes as well to make this very low-carb.
- These bowls are packed full of veggies, like lettuce, cherry tomatoes, avocado (ok, I know a fruit, but still healthy and nutritious!), corn, and lettuce.
- I used a lean ground beef – I recommend 85% or 90% lean.
- I used a no sugar, low salt, all natural bacon.
- The special sauce used an olive-oil based mayo and Greek Yogurt as the base, which are lower in fat (plus, the Greek Yogurt is packed with protein). I also always use a low-sugar all natural ketchup (a huge tip is always look at the ingredients in ketchup before you buy and only buy the ones with wholesome ingredients (corn syrup, no thank you) that isn’t packed with sugar).
tips + variations
- to meal prep, prep all the ingredients the day before then store all the ingredients (sautéed ground beef and onions, cooked bacon, roasted sweet potatoes, special sauce and fixings) in separate containers in your fridge. This keeps all the ingredients fresh! Plus, the only thing left to do is assemble the bowls and enjoy!
- use a different ground meat, ground chicken or turkey would work great.
- switch up the fixings, if there is something you love on a burger, then add it to this bowl. The possibilities are endless: pickled onions, roasted red potatoes, jalapeños, raw red onion, different cheese options. Be creative and make these bowls your own.
other healthy meal ideas
- Winter Bliss Buddha Bowls
- Healthy Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Italian Chopped Salad + Pesto & Smoked Mozzarella Flatbread
- Creamy Tomato Soup + 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese
Enjoy!
If you make these healthy burger bowls with special sauce, please leave a comment below. I absolutely love to hear from you guys and your thoughts on my recipes. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or pin it on pinterest so I can see your creations!
Healthy Burger Bowls with Special Sauce
These healthy burger bowls are loaded with sautéed onions and ground beef, avocado, bacon, everything bagel seasoned and roasted sweet potatoes, corn, pickles, cheddar cheese, cherry tomatoes, and a creamy, addictive special sauce.
Ingredients
Everything Bagel Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 1 large sweet potato cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon everything bagel seasoning
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
Ground Beef and Onions
- 4-6 slices bacon
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- Half of a medium white or sweet onion sliced
- 1 pound 85% or 90% lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
Special Sauce
- ¼ cup olive oil based mayo
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ tablespoons ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Dash salt
The Fixings
- 1 small head of bib lettuce chopped
- 1 medium avocado sliced
- ½-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup sliced pickles
- 1 8 oz corn drained and rinsed
- ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
Instructions
-
Roast the sweet potatoes. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix together the sweet potato cubes, olive oil, and seasoning and mix until well-combined. Spread out evenly on a large greased baking sheet and roast for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown and tender.
-
Cook the bacon, onions, and ground beef. Heat a large cast iron skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon crispy. Set aside on paper towels to soak up the extra grease. Wipe the pan clean, leaving about a 1/2 tablespoon of the bacon fat. Add the olive oil and sliced onions to the pan and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook the onions for about 3-5 minutes or until tender and slightly caramelized and charred. Move the onions to the side of the pan, increase the temperature to medium high, and add the ground beef. Let the ground beef cook 2-3 minutes per side undisturbed so it achieves a golden brown exterior. Lower the heat back to medium. Then use your spatula to crumble the beef and cook until it’s done all the way through. Drain excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon. Combine the crumbled ground beef and onions. Add fresh minced garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add Worcestershire sauce and other 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix to combine.
-
Make the special sauce. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil based mayo, Greek Yogurt, ketchup, dijon mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch salt and stir until well-incorporated.
-
Assemble. Add the lettuce to the bottom of the bowls, add in the crispy bacon and sautéed beef and onions, then top with all the fixings. Drizzle with the special sauce and enjoy!
