Healthy Burger Bowl Recipe With Sweet Potato Fries
- Autumn Bates, CCN, MS, BS, CPT
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
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All your favorite things about a burger, but without the bun! This healthy burger bowl recipe is loaded with 36 grams of protein and only 26 net carbs, making it an excellent, nutrient rich meal to support a weight loss or wellness journey.
Burgers are always on the menu at my house. My husband and 2 year old daughter have an obsession that can't be tamed. Because burgers are such a frequent occurrence during the week, we like to transform it into a bowl. This keeps the delicious flavors in tact while also being high in protein and free of processed flours.
Best part - it's toddler approved!
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What's In This Post
Recipe Highlights
High protein: 36 grams of protein per serving!
No mayo: our special sauce uses greek yogurt to boost the protein and nutrients
Low carb: 26 grams of net carbs and 5 grams of fiber per serving
Easy to prep: perfect for busy weeknight dinners
Toddler approved: my daughter loves this spin on her favorite dinner!
Key Ingredients
Ground Beef
Traditional burgers are beef centric. If you're working toward a fat loss goal, this is also an excellent, nutrient dense choice. Ground beef is incredibly satiating and helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. It's also rich in important micronutrients like iron and zinc to promote general health and wellness.
Sweet Potato Fries
I prefer using sweet potatoes to regular russet potatoes for this recipe because they're generally lower glycemic load. This means sweet potatoes won't cause as big of a blood sugar spike, which is helpful for preventing sugar cravings and hunger.
You can use any type of sweet potato or yam for this recipe. My favorite is Japanese sweet potato because it has a little hint of sweetness, but it can also be tricky to find. Purple sweet potato is another fun and antioxidant rich swap if you stumble across it!
Greek Yogurt
To keep the protein balanced with the fat content, we're using greek yogurt in our burger sauce. Greek yogurt is also rich in calcium and vitamin K2, both of which are important for heart, bone and dental health.
Just make sure to use full-fat! It's much more tasty than low fat and full fat dairy has been found to be inversely associated with obesity. This means that people who eat full fat dairy are less likely to be obese.
The Best Part: Toppings
When turning your burger into a bowl, toppings are a pivotal feature. Thankfully, you can take pretty much any of your favorite burger toppings and add it to the bowl. With today's recipe, we kept it classic with:
crunchy lettuce
pickles
red onion
tomato
sweet potato fries
burger sauce
But feel free to get crazy with it! Below are some other delicious burger bowl topping ideas that you can test out:
pickled red onions
fried egg
sautéed mushrooms
sharp cheddar cheese
crumbled blue cheese
bacon
sauerkraut
kimchi
jalapeños
avocado
guacamole
caramelized onions
Ingredient Swaps
Ground beef: Use any ground meat. Turkey, chicken, lamb, etc. Just don't use "fake" meat alternatives. These are very poor quality and highly processed forms of protein that generally won't be as supportive of a fat loss or wellness goal. If plant-based, use crumbled tempeh.
Sweet potato: Sliced carrots, parsnips and other forms of sweet potato (Japanese, purple, yam, etc.) are all good swaps.
Worcestershire sauce: Coconut aminos or tamari work as well.
Greek yogurt: If dairy-free, you can use a plant-based greek style yogurt like Kite Hill.
Toppings: Feel free to experiment with any of your favorite burger toppings, or the ones I recommend.
Storing and Meal Prep
This recipe is best eaten day-of. Romaine lettuce can get soggy when left in the fridge with the toppings overnight. If you choose to meal prep this recipe for the week, just make sure to keep all the toppings separate and add to a bowl when you're ready to eat.
You can keep the burger meat cold or you can heat it up in the microwave for 15-30 seconds. I like to reheat meat on the stove top over medium heat and sauté for a few minutes until warm.
FAQ's
What's the secret to a juicy burger bowl patty?
If you decide to make your burger into a patty, make sure it's evenly formed. This helps to ensure even cooking and prevent dryness. I like to use a burger patty maker like this one.
Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer so that you don't accidentally overcook it. Medium-well burgers should be cooked to 150-155 degrees. A well-done burger should be cooked to 160 degrees.
What goes in a burger bowl?
This depends on your taste preference! Pretty much anything can be added to a burger bowl as long as you have a base of chopped lettuce and cooked burger meat (or burger patty). Check out my recommended toppings for ideas.
Other Recipes You May Love
High Protein Pasta Salad; Gluten-free, pesto chickeny goodness
10 Simple and Healthy Ground Beef Recipes For Weight Loss; Use up all the ground beef in your fridge!
Refreshing Citrus Watermelon Mocktail; The perfect healthy pairing with your burger bowl
Love this recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
Burger Bowl Recipe With Sweet Potato Fries
Serves 4
Burger Bowl Ingredients:
2 sweet potato, cut into "fries"
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/4 pound ground beef (I like 93/7)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
sliced pickles
sliced red onion
1 beefsteak tomato, sliced
salt
Burger Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened ketchup (I use Primal Kitchens)
2 tablespoons relish
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
On a parchment paper lined baking sheet, add the sweet potato, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a heavy pinch of salt. Toss to combine and bake for 25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are lightly browned.
In a pan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil, ground meat, Worcestershire sauce and a heavy pinch of salt. Break up the meat using a rubber spatula until it's fully cooked and crumbly, about 8-10 minutes.
Make the burger sauce: Add all ingredients to a jar or measuring cup and stir with a fork until well combined.
Assemble the burger bowls: Start with the lettuce, then add pickles, red onion, tomato, cooked burger meat and fries. Drizzle with the burger sauce before serving.
Nutrition Information (Per Serving):
36 grams protein | 32 grams carbs | 5 grams fiber | 26 grams fat