Burger Salad

In our household, we rely on a handful of go-to meals that never fail to satisfy our cravings and bring us a sense of familiarity. Among these favorites, burger salads hold a special place. They're easy to prepare using ingredients we usually have on hand, and we can even make a kid-friendly version by serving the burger on a bun. To complete the meal effortlessly, I often toss some store-bought potato or cauliflower tots into the air fryer as a side dish.

Personalize Your Salad :

Burger salads offer endless possibilities for customization, just like hamburgers. In addition to the basic lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions, here are some ideas to take your salad to the next level:

- Crumbled bacon or bacon bits

- Sautéed mushrooms

- Sautéed onions

- Fried eggs

- Sliced avocado

- Croutons

- Tater tots (yes, you can sprinkle them right into the salad!)

You can also switch up the base of your salad by using alternative lettuces like spring mix, romaine, butter or green leaf lettuce, or baby spinach. If desired, feel free to add other typical salad vegetables. Personally, I prefer to keep things simple, allowing the flavors of the salad to resemble those of an actual hamburger.

Dressing or Burger Sauce?

When it comes to the dressing, we opt for a classic burger sauce. It's a simple and delicious combination of ketchup, mayo, mustard, and chopped dill pickles. However, if you're looking to save time, you can use a store-bought Thousand Island, Russian dressing, burger sauce, or aïoli instead. I also make sure to have ketchup and mustard on the table for anyone who wants to add a drizzle of their own.

Of course, if burger sauce isn't your preferred dressing, you can explore other options like barbecue sauce, honey mustard, or ranch dressing to give your salad a different flavor profile.

An Easy Weeknight Favorite with Minimal Cooking Required :

This meal is incredibly easy to put together. The only cooking necessary is preparing the hamburgers themselves, while everything else is simply a matter of assembly. To make it even more effortless, you can even use a pre-packaged bag of iceberg salad mix, eliminating the need for chopping.

When it comes to cooking the hamburgers, my method is straightforward and commonly used. I sear them in a skillet on the stove, allowing them to sear for approximately 3 minutes on each side. Once flipped, another 3 minutes of cooking time is typically sufficient.

RECIPE :

Burger Salad

PREPE TIME :                                   COOK TIME :                               TOTAL TIME :                   

    15 mins                                               10 mins                                          25 mins

    

SERVINGS :  4 servings

YIELD :  4 Salads

INGREDIENTS :

For the burgers:

• 1 pound ground beef (90/10 or whatever leanness you prefer)
  
• 2 teaspoons burger seasoning or 3/4 teaspoon each kosher salt and ground black pepper, mixed together
  
• Avocado oil cooking spray

For the dressing/sauce (makes 1 cup):

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup ketchup

• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard

• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish (or finely chopped dill pickle)

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the salads:

• 8 cups (about 16 ounces, from one medium head) chopped iceberg lettuce

• 1/2 medium red or yellow onion, sliced thinly

• 1 beefsteak or slicing tomato, cut into bite-sized pieces, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 24 dill pickle chips (or 2 medium-sized dill pickles, thinly sliced)

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I like Tillamook Farmstyle Shreds)

• Ground black pepper

METHOD :

1- Shape the burgers:

Divide the ground beef into 4 even portions. Using your hands or a burger mold, shape them into patties about 4 inches in diameter and 1/2” thick. Sprinkle the burger seasoning onto both sides of each patty (1/4 teaspoon per side).

2- Cook the burgers:

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Spray the pan with avocado oil, then add the burger patties. Let them sear for 3 minutes, or until they are well browned and will release easily from the pan. 

Use a thin, flexible spatula to flip the burgers. Leave them to cook for 3 minutes more, without moving them around, until they are well seared on both sides and still just a bit pink in the middle (you can cut one open to test, if you like, or use an instant read thermometer and refer to the temperature guide here). Remove the patties to a dish to rest.

3- While the burgers are cooking, make the dressing: 

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mayo, ketchup, mustard, relish, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper until evenly combined.

4- Assemble and serve the salads: 

In four wide, shallow bowls, arrange the lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle chips, and cheddar cheese. (I like to sprinkle each ingredient evenly around the bowl rather than making piles of ingredients, so each bite gets some of everything.) Top each salad with one of the burger patties, then drizzle a few tablespoons of the burger sauce onto each salad, to taste. Top each salad with a couple grinds of black pepper and serve right away.

NUTRITION FACTS : (PER SERVING)

      648                                         45g                             22g                                       40g

CALORIES                               FAT                         CARBS                             PROTEINS

Bon appetite !! 

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