These Deconstructed Burger Bowls are the best protein-packed salad! Ditch the bun and enjoy this gluten-free salad tossed with a special sauce. Most of this is done in the air fryer and is ready in minutes!
Do you love burgers but looking for a healthier, gluten-free option? Deconstructed burger bowls are the answer!
These bunless burger bowls are easy to make and customizable. Swap out proteins for turkey, chicken, or veggie burgers.
I suggest following our Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes recipe for easy-to-follow instructions. Check out our collection of salad recipes for more delicious salads.
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⭐️ Why you'll love this recipe
- These healthy burger bowls are Whole30, Paleo, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free.
- Enjoy the delicious flavors of a burger without missing a bun!
- Change up your burger toppings and make this bowl customizable.
- The burger bowl sauce is a copycat of In and Out's special sauce.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
For a complete ingredient list, scroll down to our recipe card.
- Burgers - We used premade burger patties but you can make your own grown ground beef. Turkey burgers and veggies burgers are some great swaps!
- Romaine Lettuce - Choose a crisp lettuce like romaine or iceberg.
- Special Sauce - A combination of mayo, Whole30 ketchup, and pickle relish.
- Sweet Potatoes - These are filling and add a natural sweet flavor.
- Avocado - Help make this recipe keto-friendly
- Pickles - Make this Pickle Recipe for Whole30 burger bowls.
- Tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes or diced Roma tomatoes work the best.
- Red Onions - If you don't like raw red onions, try my Hibiscus Pickled Red Onions.
- Bacon - We used sugar-free and nitrate-free bacon.
See recipe card for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖 Substitutions and Variations
I love how customizable these loaded burger bowls are! You can change the toppings and proteins to match your taste or dietary preference.
- Protein - Instead of beef burgers, try using chicken or turkey burgers. Use veggie burgers or a vegetarian option.
- Base - Instead of lettuce, use a base of cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles for a low-carb swap.
- Keto - Melt cheddar cheese on your burger and keep the avocado for added fat.
- Toppings - Add your favorite raw or cooked veggies to change the flavor profile. Below I will include burger bowl ideas for toppings!
💡Topping Ideas
- caramelized onions
- pickled jalapenos
- roasted red peppers
- sauteed mushrooms
- grilled pineapple
- crispy onion rings
- barbecue sauce
- Sous Vide Corn On The Cob - Remove the corn from the cob for a delicious salad topper.
🔪 Step By Step Instructions
If you have questions about this deconstructed burger bowl recipe, don’t forget to check out our FAQ section at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: To make burger bowl dressing combine mayo, ketchup, relish, coconut aminos, and white vinegar.
Step 2: Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF/190ºC. Place slices of bacon in the basket and cook for 10 minutes or until crispy.
Step 3: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/204ºC. Toss sweet potatoes with avocado oil and seasonings. Cook for 12 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF/190ºC. Cook the burger for 5 minutes, then flip, and cook for 5 more minutes.
Assemble the bowl: Place chopped romaine in a large bowl and toss with dressing. Place lettuce in bowls and arrange your topping in sections. Finish your salad with a cooked burger patty and enjoy.
Tip - Using an air fryer is OPTIONAL and you can still use an oven to cook your sweet potatoes, and bacon. Use a grill or cast-iron pan to cook the burger.
⏲ Storage
Refrigerator: Store burger bowls in airtight containers with dressing on the side for 3-4 days.
Reheating: The only thing we need to reheat is the burger patty. Since it's already cooked, we want to reheat it slowly in the microwave at 70% power for 1-2 minutes.
💭 Chef Tips
- If you don't like the taste of raw onions, use pickled red onions.
- Use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the burger is 165ºF/73ºC.
- The thickness of the burger will determine how long to cook it in the air fryer or grill.
- We recommend choosing lettuce that is crisp and crunchy, like romaine or iceberg.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can cook a burger patty straight from frozen. Whether you are using a grill or air fryer, add a few minutes to the cooking time. Make sure the internal temperature is 165°F.
Making homemade burger patties is so easy! Mix ground beef and seasonings in a large bowl and shape it into ½ pound patties.
A deconstructed burger takes burger ingredients and serves them separately, often in a bowl or on a plate.
🍽 Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @thefrizzledleek on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Deconstructed Burger Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 burger patties ½ pound burgers
- salt and pepper to season burgers
- 1 small red onion sliced
- 4 strips of bacon cooked
- 8 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 cup sliced dill pickles
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 2 diced sweet potatoes cooked
- 1 avocado sliced
Burger Bowl Sauce
- ½ cup paleo mayo made with avocado oil
- 3 tablespoon ketchup Whole30
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
Instructions
For the sauce
- Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
For the burger bowls
- Prep Veggies: Prep, clean, and chop romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, diced sweet potatoes, sliced red onion, pickles, and sliced avocado.
- Cook Bacon: Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF/190ºC. Place slices of bacon in the basket and cook for 10 minutes or until crispy.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF/204ºC. Toss sweet potatoes with avocado oil and seasonings. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Cook Burgers: Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF/190ºC. Cook the burger for 5 minutes, then flip, and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Assemble the Bowls: Place dressed romaine into 4 separate bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, bacon, pickles, red onions, burger, avocado, and tomatoes.
Notes
- Using an air fryer is OPTIONAL and you can still use an oven to cook your sweet potatoes, and bacon. Use a grill or cast-iron pan to cook the burger.
- If you don't like the taste of raw onions, use pickled red onions.
- Use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the burger is 165ºF/73ºC.
- The thickness of the burger will determine how long to cook it in the air fryer or grill.
- We recommend choosing lettuce that is crisp and crunchy, like romaine or iceberg.
Lori Raupe
I love this recipe, it's sooo much better than merely removing a bun from your burger! It is a work of art, and with each bite, you get an explosion of great flavor that is like your favorite burger but on steroids!