There are many days, particularly in spring and summer when we're so preoccupied with our work on the farmers market, that I have no time to plan a menu, or prepare an elaborate dinner. We're hungry. We're tired. We want something immediately. It's on these days that I lean on one of my favorite simple, no-fail dinners: Burger Bowls.
What to Include in Your Hamburger Salad
To make hamburger salads, you simply need to have a few ingredients - grass-fed beef, raw milk cheese, fermented condiments, greens and tomatoes. Many times, especially in summer, we have these ingredients on hand. After browning the meat, you simply assemble the salad, serve, eat and call it good. Hamburger salads make a blessedly uncomplicated supper, with very few dishes to do afterward. While I often assemble the salads in the kitchen, and serve them at the table, you can also place all the ingredients into separate bowls, and allow your family and guests to assemble their own salads. This method often appeals to children, who appreciate the opportunity to exercise a bit of autonomy in their food choices and meal preparation.
Grass-fed Beef
Grass-fed beef is the focus point of our hamburger salads - it is a good source of protein, minerals like zinc, B vitamins and it offers a very favorable ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Moreover, Hamburger Salads lean toward a very light (and fast) supper, and the combination of protein and fat found in grass-fed meat helps to ensure the meal is satisfying, and doesn't leave you hungry. I typically order my grass-fed meats directly from a local ranch, and you can often find a good source locally through your farmers market; however, if you cannot, you can certainly order it online.
Grass-fed Cheese
I also add raw milk and grass-fed cheeses to our hamburger salads. I prefer cheddar, though I often use Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheeses. Grass-fed cheeses, like grass-fed meats, are rich in healthy fats - notably conjugated linoleic acid which offers anticarcinogenic properties. It is also a good source of fat-soluble vitamins. You can find grass-fed and aged raw milk cheeses in many natural foods stores as well as farmers markets; however, I often find it easier to order producer-direct online.
Ferments
I value fermented foods, and, taking a cue from the guidance of the Body Ecology Diet, I try to serve something fermented at every meal. That often means yogurt or kefir at breakfast, or fermented vegetables with lunch and dinner. For Hamburger Salads, I tend to add true, fermented sour pickles, though you might add fermented radishes, fermented carrots or any other fermented vegetable that pleases you. In keeping with the flavor profile of a hamburger, I also like to add fermented ketchup and homemade mayonnaise as a dressing for the salad.
Vegetables
Lastly, the success of the salad rests on the greens and vegetables you use. The sturdier your greens, the better they'll stand up to the residual heat of the still-warm, browned meat. I typically add other hamburger favorites to my salads: sliced onion and tomato - but you can add carrots, radishes, cucumbers or anything else that appeals to you.
Burger Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon lard
- 1 pound ground beef
- 6 cups mesclun lettuce
- 2 medium sour pickles
- 4 ounces cheese (chopped)
- 1 white onion (sliced thin)
- ½ pound tomatoes (chopped)
- homemade mayonnaise (to serve)
- unsweetened ketchup
Instructions
- Melt the bacon fat or lard in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef in the hot fat, then transfer it to a serving bowl and allow it to cool about 5 minutes.
- Plate the greens, then spoon the ground meat over the greens. Top with pickles, cheese, onion and tomatoes, then serve with mayonnaise and ketchup.
Veronica says
Can't wait to try this, I think adding some homemade over fries as "croutons" would be yummy too and we love fried eggs on our burgers, then the egg yolk could be your condiment ! Yummoooo can not wait to try it !!
Jen H in KS says
This is one of our family's favorite fast-and-easy summer suppers, too! Just to add to the kid fun factor, our name for it is "exploded hamburger salad." 🙂
Deirdre says
This recipe looks delicious and easy. I am going to make it for dinner tonight. Do you have any favorite ketchup and mayo recipes to share? I tried to make the ketchup recipe in NT many years ago and it didn't cone out right. Haven't tried since.
May says
I saw this post a few days ago and made my own version of it today. It was delicious! I don't know why I never thought of it before! Instead of beef, I used garden potatoes. And I got to put my homemade mayonnaise to good use. This is definitely a try-again recipe! Thank you!
Leanne says
Fantastic idea - it's a deconstructed bunless burger!
I added avocado and hard boiled eggs, and used steamed curly kale for the greens.
Also fried brown onions in with the beef.
So easy, so yum.
Sandy says
I have made these for years and love them. For a change, try using scrambled eggs instead of browned ground beef. It's great. I use a homemade honey french dressing on either of these. Both are so easy, healthy & filing that I make them once or twice a week.
Aubergine says
What a brilliant, simple, fun idea. This is so up my alley! I can't wait to try it. The more I get to know this site, the more I absolutely love it. Thank you for celebrating the joys of REAL food 🙂
Mands says
Yummmm. I love my bunless burgers and this is a great variation. Will be adding this to my menu
Jody lane says
I've been using this tactic with left over spaghetti sauce, and even more since I don't eat pasta anymore. I put in a lot of ground meat in my sauce so it is chunky and then I fon't even need a dressing, tho a spritz of balsamic is delish.
Suzanne Clark says
I often add cumin, and sometimes onion to the ground beef as it is cooking and make a taco salad. I can't do cheeses because I am allergic, but that would be wornderful too. Bell pepper and avacado also give it a Mexican feel.
Holly says
Jenny, I notice that you mention homemade mayo. What recipe do you use for that? I tried making some yesterday from the recipe in Gut & Psychology Syndrome and had to throw it out because it was so incredibly bitter. 🙁
Julie says
Try a different oil. I use macadamia nut oil and it's delicious.
Kelly @ The Nourishing Home says
What an absolutely WONDERFUL idea, Jenny! Thanks so much for sharing! I can't wait to surprise my family with this! Blessings, Kelly
Brittney says
What a great salad idea! Very similar to our taco salads. This will be a nice theme change! I think a homemade thousand island would be a tasty dressing for this(one of our favorite burger toppings). Made with the lacto fermented ketchup and soured pickles it would be extra tasty! Thanks for this recipe!
Alexandra @ Creative Simple Life says
I love this idea! It's especially great because I never have hamburger buns lying around (and it's hard to find ones that I feel good about eating anyway). Thanks for the recipe!
[email protected] says
This sounds like a great summer supper, especially on CSA pick up day, as I can have the meat ready to go when we get back with the farm share.
Thank you!