Put A Fresh Twist On Your Next Hamburger By Leaving Your Bun Behind

With juicy beef patties tucked snuggly inside of a fluffy white bun, plus all the colorful toppings to match, hamburgers are truly the foodstuff of dreams. But the next time you're craving a patty, you don't need to eat it the old-fashioned way. Try to put a fresh twist on your next hamburger by leaving the bun behind.

While some might see the bun of a hamburger as an essential piece of this culinary masterpiece, it doesn't always have to be. A meal is whatever you make of it, and your hamburger can still be complete, and a whole lot more wholesome, in a bowl instead of between two fluffy buns. So, whether you want to forgo the carbs, or simply forgot to add hamburger buns to the grocery list, this simple burger bowl idea could be for you.

To make this meal come to life, start by filling a bowl with a fresh bed of lettuce. To keep things traditional, you could stick with romaine, but opting for some soft butter lettuce could add richness, or even using peppery arugula instead could make for a bolder base. And hey, if you're running low in the leafy green department, you can always creatively turn ground beef into a bowl instead with the help of a muffin tin.

Once you've chosen a base for your burger bowl, it's time to get creative with a whole slew of other wholesome ingredients. First, let's talk protein. While opting for some seasoned ground beef, sometimes just called "hamburger", is a great first option, other healthy choices such as a chopped veggie or turkey burgers are also fair game. From here it's time to add some oh-so colorful additions like chopped red tomatoes, sliced white onion, tangy pickles, or some shredded cheddar cheese. Roast up some cherry tomatoes to bring some soft, warm sweetness in the mix, or caramelize your onions to really make this dish shine. (And if you're eager to forgo any extra roasting or cooking, no problem. You can caramelize onions fast with this easy steaming technique.) 

Finally, top your burger bowl with a healthy drizzle of your favorite dressing, from a spicy aioli sauce to a simple vinaigrette. That's just a taste of the whole world of fun additions you can add to this bowl, because, just like a classic American hamburger, it's an extremely customizable, crowd-pleasing choice.