This Cheeseburger Salad packs the heartiness of a big, juicy cheeseburger without the bun. Throw in your favorite burger toppings and drizzle your favorite sauce (or my Skinny Special Sauce!) for a delicious, flavor-packed, low-carb meal!
You ever get hit with an intense craving for a nice, big cheeseburger? š I sure do, all the time! Sometimes the juicy sandwich on a warm, toasted, crunchy bun is just what I need. But sometimes we also need to keep meals low carb or pack more volume.
I wasn’t willing to sacrifice that delicious, meaty flavor. That’s why I created this fantastic Cheeseburger Salad! It’s basically a deconstructed burger without the bread, and it’s so easy to make and super customizable. And when that hunger really hits, you can pack it with more protein and yummy toppings without having the bread fill you up. It’s basically a backyard barbeque in a bowl or on the go!
For this Cheeseburger Salad recipe, I used ground beef instead of a burger because I honestly prefer the taste more! Crumbling a burger patty requires more work, and the finished product is tough and less flavorful.
I’ve also got a little something for you that will pair perfectly with this delicious cheeseburger in a bowl. You’ve got to try it with my Skinny Special Sauce! It’s absolutely out of this world, bursting with creamy delicious flavor, and is so easy to throw together. It tastes just like In-and-Out Burger’s Special Sauce.
Have I mentioned that it’s soooo good?
You are going to love this Cheeseburger Salad! Be sure to leave me a review and let me know how you made it your own!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHEESEBURGER SALAD
- Seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, chopped romaine, and my goodness, the special sauce! It hits all the flavor spots!
- Just like a big, juicy cheeseburger, but with fewer carbs and calories.
- So easy to prep and throw ingredients together for a quick lunch or dinner!
- Super customizable! Add more or less beef or a different protein seasoned to your preference. You can also switch up the toppings however you like!
- Seriously just SO GOOD!
WHAT YOU NEED
- Ground beef – I used 93/7 lean ground beef.
- Steak seasoning – Or other seasoning of choice. I used Weber’s Chicago Steak Seasoning.
- Chopped romaine lettuce – I buy the pre-packaged kind because it makes this salad easy to throw together!
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Red onions
- Tomatoes
- Bread and butter pickles – I used Mt. Olive No Sugar Added Bread and Butter Pickles.
- Skinny Special Sauce – I love this sauce, y’all! And I know you will, too. It’s my copycat In-and-Out Burger’s Special Sauce!
HOW TO MAKE A CHEESEBURGER SALAD
- In a large skillet, add beef and steak seasoning. Cook on medium heat until browned, breaking into pieces as you go. When done, remove from heat and set aside.
- Add romaine lettuce to a large bowl. Top with ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and Skinny Special Sauce, if desired.
That’s it! So easy and yummy!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
For best tips on how to store these for meal prep, check out my Meal Prep Cheeseburger Bowls recipe. It’s the same cheeseburger salad, but just in to-go form!
Of course! That is why I didn’t include the dressing in the nutritional information. You can choose to add your own if you would like. I will say though, the Skinny Special Sauce is so yummy š
You can go ahead and cook the ground beef and cut the onions so you have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go! Store them in separate containers in the fridge. (Let the beef cool completely first.) Then, pull everything out when you’re ready to assemble.
MORE LUNCH AND DINNER IDEAS
- LOW CARB SALMON CAULIFLOWER RICE POKE BOWL
- RAINBOW CHICKEN SALAD
- BUFFALO CHICKEN SPAGHETTI SQUASH CASSEROLE
WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?
If you try these cheeseburger salad and love it, please rate this recipe!
You can also tag me on Instagram, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!
Cheeseburger Salad with Skinny Special Sauce
This Cheeseburger Salad packs the heartiness of a big, juicy cheeseburger without the bun. Throw in your favorite burger toppings and drizzle your favorite sauce (or my Skinny Special Sauce!) for a delicious, flavor-packed, low-carb meal!
Ingredients
To make the Ground Beef:
- 1 lb. 93/7 ground beef
- 1 Tbsp steak seasoning
To assemble the Salad:
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce (170g)
- 1/3 cup cooked ground beef (75g)
- 2 Tbsp reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese (14g)
- 1/2 cup medley tomatoes, halved - or cherry tomatoes (90g)
- 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced (30g)
- 1 oz. no-sugar-added bread and butter pickles (28g)
- 2 Tbsp Skinny Special Sauce*, optional (30g)
- Fresh ground pepper, optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add beef and steak seasoning. Cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until browned, breaking into pieces as you go. Remove from heat and set aside. You will have 4-5 servings of beef here.
- Add romaine to bowl. Top with beef, cheese, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and skinny special sauce, if desired.
Notes
MFP ENTRY: LFF Cheeseburger Salad
Skinny Special Sauce recipe can be found here (linked)
*Skinny Special Sauce not included in macros in case you want to add your own dressing/sauce and so you can add as much or as little as you would like.
*Ground beef makes 4-5 servings total. We are just using one serving here. Use the rest of the beef for cheeseburger salads throughout the week or pair with whatever else you want to eat with!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1 salad (not including special sauce)Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 9.2gSaturated Fat: 4.4gCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 5.4gSugar: 6.3gProtein: 26.2g
