Today’s recipe is based on an idea I got from a local burger joint. They make burger bowls or burger salad bowls and you can customize and mix and match your add-ins. My favorite combo is what we have here, with a juicy turkey burger, mixed greens, beans and corn, tomatoes, peppers, some tortilla strips for crunch, a little cheese mixed in and then your favorite creamy dressing to bring it all together. It’s a veggie-loaded salad that’s got tons of flavor and color. And it’s super hearty, too. We’ve got with a decidedly southwestern flair, which has some of my favorite flavors. (Similar to my southwestern chopped salad with chicken, which you might also enjoy.) Plus, you can make these bowls your own and swap in some different veggies, another kind of bean, play around with the cheese, etc. You can skip the tortilla strips to make it very low carb, or you could add in some other crunchies, like croutons or nuts or wonton strips. Lots of ways to make these burger salads just right for you. So let’s get cooking and assembling! Now, I’ve got some notes and substitutions coming up below on how to make turkey burger salad bowls. Just tryin’ to be helpful. If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Turkey burgers: I included my standard turkey burger recipe in the recipe card below, but you could swap out any type of burger you love for these salad bowls. And it doesn’t have to be a turkey burger at all; you could use beef burgers, chicken burgers, bean burgers, etc. Mixed greens: I love the softness of the mixed greens, but you could certainly swap in some baby spinach or romaine lettuce instead, if you prefer. Or use a coleslaw mix as your base. Beans: Black beans are my favorite, but feel free to use pinto beans or another type of bean if you prefer. Corn: Frozen corn, thawed, works great here, or use a can of corn that’s been drained. Tomatoes: Use a couple of regular tomatoes, or a few Roma tomatoes, or even swap in some halved cherry tomatoes. You could even try pico de gallo for this salad. Bell pepper: I love an orange bell pepper for the color factor, but any color bell pepper will work. Cheese: I love shredded white cheddar cheese sprinkled over the salad. You could also use Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack. Small cubes of cheese would work, too, instead of shredded. Or top your burgers with cheese and skip it in the salad. (Or skip it all together for a dairy free salad.) Tortilla strips: Use crushed tortilla chips or make your own strips from flour tortillas. Or sub in another crunch factor like croutons or wonton strips. Dressing: I love a creamy cilantro lime dressing or Ranch dressing here, but you could also substitute something similar. Homemade or store bought is fine.
Other fun add-ins
Diced avocado Chopped jalapeño pepper Diced cucumber Chopped red onion Crumbled, cooked bacon
Or any other fun additions you love in your salad. See, very easy to customize. You could even set out all of the ingredients in separate bowls and let everyone assemble their own salads to suit their tastes.
How to make burger bowls
So simple and this meal comes together so quickly and easily! As with most salads, these are best served right away. If you need or want to prep things ahead, make the burger patties ahead of time and get all of your salad ingredients prepped, chopped and ready to go. And make your salad dressing if you’re going homemade. Then you’ll just need to cook the burgers and toss the salad together when you’re ready to eat. (And if you love hearty main dish salads like me, definitely check out this roast chicken Niçoise salad that is as beautiful as it is delicious.) I hope you give these fun burger salad bowls a try for a new, healthy spin on burger night. Enjoy! XO, Kathryn Turkey burgers: I included my standard turkey burger recipe in this recipe card, but you could swap out any type of burger you love for these salad bowls, including beef, chicken or bean burgers. Mixed greens: I love the softness of the mixed greens, but you could certainly swap in some baby spinach or romaine lettuce instead, if you prefer. Or use a coleslaw mix as your base. Beans: Black beans are my favorite, but feel free to use pinto beans or another type of bean if you prefer. Corn: Frozen corn, thawed, works great here, or use a can of corn that’s been drained. Tomatoes: Use a couple of regular tomatoes, or a few Roma tomatoes, or even swap in some halved cherry tomatoes. You could even try pico de gallo for this salad. Bell pepper: I love an orange bell pepper for the color factor, but any color bell pepper will work. Cheese: I love shredded white cheddar cheese sprinkled over the salad. You could also use Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack. Small cubes of cheese would work, too, instead of shredded. Or top your burgers with cheese and skip it in the salad. (Or skip it all together for a dairy free salad.) Tortilla strips: Use crushed tortilla chips or make your own strips from flour tortillas. Or sub in another crunch factor like croutons or wonton strips. Dressing: I love a creamy cilantro lime dressing or Ranch dressing here, but you could also substitute something similar. Homemade or store bought is fine. Other add-ins: Diced avocado, jalapeños, cucumber, red onions, bacon, etc.
