• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • meet the team
  • blogger resources
  • Contact Me
My Account
Member Dashboard
40 Aprons Premium (Ad Free!)

40 Aprons

Delicious, Healthy-ish Meals for the Whole Family

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Cooking Basics
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Meal Prep
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Method
    • Air Fryer
    • Baking
    • Crockpot
    • Grilling
    • Instant Pot
    • Sous Vide
  • Dietary Needs
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Keto
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Whole30
  • Cuisine
    • American
    • Asian
    • Indian
    • Italian
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican & Latin
    • Southern
Home Blog Dietary Concern Whole30

Loaded Burger Bowls with “Special Sauce” (Whole30, Paleo, Low Carb)

Cheryl Malik
Cheryl Malik Posted: 01/14/19 Updated: 05/15/22
5
/5
101 Comments
Jump to Recipe
DF Dairy Free GF Gluten Free LC Low Carb P Paleo 30 Whole30

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

loaded burger bowls

These loaded burger bowls with pickles, bacon, a quick guacamole, and a “special sauce” are so good! Whole30, paleo, and low carb, they’re filling and healthy – a great alternative to the lettuce wrap burger!

Whole30 loaded burger bowls with ground beef, red onions, bacon, pickles, guacamole, and tomatoes

I’m not dainty, but…

I’ve been known to eat my burgers with a knife and fork. Especially low carb lettuce burgers, because, I mean, have you ever had one? Drip city, sister. And then you end up with three pickles and no bacon in one bite, and a full slice of bacon and no pickles in the next. I’m just not about that life when I can have even bites with beautifully distributed ingredients and I can save my sleeves.

Even better, though?

Burger bowls.

What are burger bowls?

I’m so glad you asked! Burger bowls are the burger equivalent of a burrito bowl or taco salad. We take all the really awesome parts of a burger and strip it down, layering heaping portions of typical burger toppings on a bed of lettuce.

Overhead shot of Whole30 loaded burger bowls with ground beef, red onions, bacon, pickles, guacamole, and tomatoes

Burger bowls marry all the beautiful things about burgers (The savory beef, rich avocado, salty and crispy bacon, briny pickles, and that lightly sweet, creamy sauce!) with a healthier and easier means. You get a bite of everything with every forkful, and there’s no need to hunt for the perfectly leafed lettuce to wrap your burgers in. Nope! Just pile it all into a bowl, and you’re set.

Bonus? Because they include only whole foods, these burger bowls are Whole30-compliant, paleo, and low carb, too!

Why This Recipe Is So Good

  • There are so many fantastic flavors in these burger bowls: salty pickles, smoky bacon, sweet and creamy “special sauce,” rich avocado, fresh tomatoes, and erm, oniony onions.
  • These burger bowls are mostly prep, and most of the prep can be done while the ground beef browns, making them an easy weeknight dinner recipe.
  • They’re Whole30, paleo, and low carb! Add these babies to your Whole30 meal plan, stat.

Patties vs. Crumbles

When I see burger bowls, they’re very often made with patties. I mean, burgers, right? But I thought long and hard about the delivery of the ground beef for these burger bowls, and I opted for crumbled for a few different reasons:

  • Crumbled beef stays more tender than beef cooked as a patty and then cut into.
  • You’re more likely to get beef in every bite when it’s crumbled.
  • It’s easier to properly cook crumbled beef than to cook a patty just right.

I recommend browning and crumbling this garlicky ground beef mixture, but you’re absolutely free to form it into patties, too! Simply form 4 equally sized patties from the beef-garlic powder mixture and cook until medium (Thin pink line) in a little avocado oil in your cast-iron skillet.

Loaded Whole30 burger bowls ingredients, like ground beef, romaine, tomatoes, avocado, pickles, special sauce

Variations

  • Swap the ground beef for any other type of ground meat: turkey, chicken, bison, or pork would all work!
  • Cook the meat mixture as patties instead of crumbling. See the above section for details.
  • Spike your guacamole with lime juice instead of lemon for a Tex-Mex flair. You can include chopped cilantro and red onion, too. Garnish the burger bowls with cilantro if you go this route – mas flavor!

How to Make It

Prep is the biggest step in making these burger bowls. You can prep your toppings before you get started cooking or while the ground beef mixture cooks.

Mix together your beef, garlic powder, and salt. Crumble it in a little oil in a skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through.

Mash together your avocado, lemon or lime juice, and salt, until the desired texture.

Stir together all your special sauce ingredients until smooth; set aside.

The last step is to assemble your burger bowls: start with a bed of romaine lettuce in your serving bowls and top with 1/4 of the ground beef mixture. Divide remaining toppings among bowls, drizzle with plenty of special sauce, and serve!

Whole30 loaded burger bowls with ground beef, red onions, bacon, pickles, guacamole, and tomatoes

On our free Whole30 meal plan.

Other recipes you’ll love:

  • Instant Pot Chicken Recipe
  • Healthy In N Out Burgers: Double Double Animal Style
  • Egg Roll in a Bowl with Creamy Red Chile Sauce
  • Healthy Lettuce Wraps – PF Changs Style
  • Whole30 Chipotle Beef and Avocado Bowls
  • Big Mac Salad

Hey – you’ve made it this far, so now we’re basically best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook, too!

Whole30 loaded burger bowls with ground beef, red onions, bacon, pickles, guacamole, and tomatoes
5 from 54 votes

Burger Bowls (Whole30, Paleo, Low Carb)

Prep:15 minutes
Cook:15 minutes
Total:30 minutes
Loaded burger bowls with pickles, bacon, a quick guacamole, and a “special sauce”! These low carb burger bowls are Whole30 and paleo, too.
Print Save Saved! Click Here to Remove Ads
4 burger bowls

Ingredients

For the Burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef any %
  • 4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon avocado or refined coconut oil

For the Bowls

  • 2 small heads romaine sliced, root discarded
  • 1 ½ cups cherry or grape tomatoes halved
  • ½ cup pickles plus more to taste
  • 1 cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 8-10 slices bacon cooked 'til crisp and roughly crumbled
  • 2 avocados peeled and pitted
  • ½ tablespoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Special Sauce

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos use if on Whole30, see Notes for details
  • 2 teaspoon maple syrup use if not on Whole30, see Notes for details
  • 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
  • Pinch crushed red pepper
  • pinch salt

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, mix together beef, garlic powder, and salt. Heat avocado or coconut oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat, then add beef and brown, crumbling with a spatula or spoon.
  • Meanwhile, prepare remaining elements for the burger bowls.
  • Make quick guacamole: In a medium bowl, mash together avocado, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  • Make the special sauce: whisk together all special sauce ingredients, using coconut aminos only if you're on a Whole30 and skipping the maple syrup. If you're NOT on a Whole30, skip the coconut aminos and use the maple syrup only. Set aside.
  • When beef is browned and crumbled, remove from skillet and return skillet to medium heat. Add red onions in a single layer and cook until lightly charred on the bottom, then flip. Cook until lightly charred on the second side then remove and repeat until all onions are lightly cooked.
  • Assemble: start with a layer of romaine in your serving bowls, then spoon 1/4 of the ground beef mixture into the center. Arrange remaining items around the beef: tomatoes, pickles, red onion, bacon, and quick guacamole. Drizzle with plenty of special sauce and serve.

Notes

  • You can swap the lime juice for the lemon juice, if you prefer. I wanted to keep the taste more neutral, but a Tex-Mex flair would be delicious!
  • Don’t skimp on the bacon in this recipe! The nicest, thickest cut you can find, the better.
  • If you’re on a Whole30, don’t use the maple syrup in the special sauce, only the coconut aminos. If you’re not on a Whole30, skip the coconut aminos and go for the maple syrup. 
 
Whole30 Special Sauce Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup Whole30-compliant mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Whole30-compliant ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • pinch salt
 
Non-Whole30 Special Sauce Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
  • 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
  • pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • pinch salt

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1burger bowl, Calories: 738kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 59g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 115mg, Sodium: 1487mg, Potassium: 1055mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1871IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 4mg, Net Carbs: 16g

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

 

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

 

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

© Author: Cheryl Malik

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @40aprons on social and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!

Rate Recipe Tag Me on Instagram
Cheryl Malik

Meet Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She's been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.

Read more...

You may also like...

  • Instant Pot Brisket Taco Bowls (Whole30, Paleo, Low Carb)
  • A bowl of the whole30 bbq sauce with a brush in it
    Whole30 BBQ Sauce
  • Four Whole30 dinners
    Whole30 Dinner Recipes

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Havilah says

    Posted on 8/18/20 at 11:52 am

    Cheryl’s recipes never disappoint and this one is no exception. We LOVE this bowl and make it frequently. Whatever you’re having for dinner tonight, cancel that and make this instead. 😉5 stars

    Reply
    • Amelia Camurati says

      Posted on 8/21/20 at 8:49 am

      Thanks for your constant support Havilah!

      Reply
  2. Mara says

    Posted on 8/10/20 at 4:26 pm

    I would like to be able to print this. No clean option?

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 8/10/20 at 4:29 pm

      Hi, Mara! If you click “jump to recipe” at the top of the page or scroll down to the recipe card, you’ll see a print link on all my recipes. You can just click here for this one: https://40aprons.com/wprm_print/180905 stars

      Reply
  3. Allison says

    Posted on 7/28/20 at 7:48 pm

    Delicious! Only thing I changed was adding mustard to the special sauce. It was missing something without, and the vinegar flavor did the trick! Even my non vegetable eating husband raves about this salad!5 stars

    Reply
    • Amelia Camurati says

      Posted on 7/29/20 at 7:40 pm

      Glad you and your husband loved this one!5 stars

      Reply
  4. Amber says

    Posted on 6/7/20 at 5:03 pm

    Looking forward to trying this!

    Reply
    • Amelia Camurati says

      Posted on 6/9/20 at 11:13 am

      Let us know!

      Reply
  5. Milly says

    Posted on 6/2/20 at 12:46 pm

    This recipe surprised me, my husband and I love it!
    Thank you for sharing!
    A hug from Brazil!5 stars

    Reply
  6. Emily says

    Posted on 3/31/20 at 6:35 pm

    What is the serving size in the nutrition facts? For the entire thing or per one average sized serving? Cause it seems like a lot

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 5/13/20 at 11:48 pm

      The nutrition facts are for one serving. The recipe is 4 servings!

      Reply
  7. Kayla says

    Posted on 2/21/20 at 2:27 pm

    Made this last night for dinner for the hubby and I and it turned out sooooooooo good. Will definitely be keeping this in our dinner rotation. Thank you for the recipe!5 stars

    Reply
  8. Shai says

    Posted on 1/20/20 at 3:50 pm

    I made this last night to have for lunch at work today and it was amazing!! I love how you can change the serving size. It makes it so easy. I will definitely be making this again and have already sent the recipe to some friends!!

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 3/24/20 at 8:46 pm

      Yay! So glad to hear that5 stars

      Reply
  9. Maddie says

    Posted on 1/2/20 at 9:41 pm

    This is seriously delicious and was so fast to make with 2 people doing the work! We didn’t even have bacon / pickles with ours and it was still SO good. We will definitely be adding this to the recipe rotation. Thanks!5 stars

    Reply
  10. Christina says

    Posted on 10/4/19 at 8:30 am

    Has anyone made this ahead, or had it as leftovers? I’d love to bring it for lunch, but want to ensure it will be as delicious on day 2 as it is on day 1. It’s one of my faves!5 stars

    Reply
    • Cheryl MalikCheryl Malik says

      Posted on 10/8/19 at 2:32 pm

      Just use fresh lettuce!

      Reply
    • Samantha says

      Posted on 11/4/19 at 4:40 pm

      I’ve made this probably 4 times, always want to bring it to work for lunch the next day but its so good there are never leftovers!

      Reply
Older Comments
Newer Comments

Primary Sidebar

What’s Popular?

Reusable meal prep trays with sweet potato, scrambled eggs, and sausage for a whole30 breakfast

Whole30 Breakfast Meal Prep

Crispy, golden air fryer tater tots in a large white serving bowl next to a small ramekin of bright red ketchup.

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Overhead view of marry me chicken in a cast iron skillet

Marry Me Chicken (Chicken in a Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce)

Instant pot chicken and rice in a bowl

Dreamy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

In Season

Whole30 In-n-Out burgers close up

Whole30 Burgers – Burger Joint Style (Paleo, Low Carb)

Overhead photo of keto chicken tortilla soup in a rustic bowl

Keto Chicken Tortilla Soup (Low Carb, Gluten Free)

Air fryer chicken wings on a platter with sauce

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings in Buffalo Sauce

Instant pot frozen chicken breast - easy chicken recipes for dinners with few ingredients

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast

As seen on:

More Goodies + NO Ads!

Become a 40 Aprons Premium Member!

All the 40 Aprons content you love - now even better.

  • Member-Exclusive Recipes
  • Meal Plans & Grocery Lists
  • eBooks
  • NO ADS!
Join now

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Disclaimers

Contact

© 2023 40 Aprons
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
484645 shares