Burger Bowl Recipe: Two Ways!

If you are like me, then you enjoy meal prep because it creates a super easy and stress free week for meal planning. Homemade burger bowls are some of my easy one-bowl meals that are straightforward to prepare and never get old. When thinking about ground beef meal prep recipes, wanted two different options that were interesting and varied from each other so you could eat them every week without getting bored. Two of my favorite ways to prep ground beef is to make them into these burger bowls! These recipes are for two super burger bowl recipes ideas that healthy, easy, and come together quickly. The trick is making your two different sauces when you are meal prepping your beef and rice for the week. The toppings are so easy and I like to chop them up fresh just before serving. The first burger bowl is a traditional burger bowl with the most incredible burger sauce. The second burger bowl recipe is a rice bowl topped with a creamy cashew sauce that is nutty and cheesy all at the same time. I hope you give these recipes a try and let them make your week easy!

Common Questions For Ground Beef Meal Prep:

Notes and Tips to Make Ground Beef Taste Better?

• Prepare your toppings just before serving. Toppings like avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes, taste the best when they are freshly chopped, in my opinion, and they can be prepared in the time it takes to reheat your beef and rice. This makes for a fresh tasting burger bowl at home without that much work!

• Cook your beef and rice before hand! Having the beef and rice prepared is what makes these meal prep recipes so easy! I season my ground beef with salt, pepper, and little bit of garlic powder to make it taste better upon reheating.

• When you reheat your rice, add 1 tsp of water for every 1 cup of rice you are eating. When you microwave the rice, it will come out as if it was freshly steamed. If you are reaheating in a skillet, the water will help prevent your rice from drying out.

• I call for red Adzuki Beans in the simple rice bowl recipe. I have a recipe for preparing these on the day of your meal prep and you can grab it here! If you prefer to use 1 can black beans, those are great to substitute and do not require cooking.

What Do You Put in a Pan Before Ground Beef?

• The short answer: nothing. Ground beef contains enough fat that you do not need to add anything to the pan prior to cooking it. The different fat content (discussed below) may change how much fat cooks out, but high or low fat content does not require additional oil for cooking.

• If you have extra time on your hands, chopping some fresh garlic and onions and adding those to your ground beef as the beef goes into the skillet is a great way to add extra flavor. The fat from the beef cooks the aromatics and gives a little something extra to the beef.

Is Ground Beef and Rice Healthy?

• Ground beef and rice can be an incredibly healthy option for dinner. When choosing your beef, you can purchase beef with a fat content as low as 7%. You can cook your beef directly on a skillet, with no added oil, and even strain out or blot with a paper towel any remaining fat that cooks off if you would like.

• I tend to purchase ground beef in bulk that is 12%. Most of the fat will cook out and I usually strain the rest and cook with it.

• Rice is a healthy option for grain as it digests easily, can be lower in carbs than pasta, and is fast to prepare. Your dietary needs may dictate the use of brown versus white rice, but I like white rice for these recipes.

What Do Burger Bowls Go With?

• Though I have created these recipes so that you do not have to do additional cooking, sometimes you and your family require a little something extra for those busy weeknights. Below I have listed some of my favorite side dishes that would go well with these bowls, and I even suggested my favorite dessert to finish off the evening. Let me know which you try in the comments below!

• Toasted Chickpea Salad is a super healthy salad that is hearty and is a great way to add some good vegetables in during your week.

• Green Cabbage Slaw is a green cabbage salad that would go particular well with the creamy cashew sauce

• Za’atar Roasted Sweet Potatoes would be a good topping for both bowls or as a sub to rice.

• The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies are always my preferred way to end a delicious meal.

What Are Some Vegetable and Topping Combinations For Burger Bowls?

• Apart from the combinations listed for these burger bowl recipes, there is are endless vegetable and topping combinations you can add. Additional toppings include, fried red onions, bacon, and fresh dill. For the simple rice bowl, spinach, arugula, edamame or basil would add incredible flavor.

• When picking different toppings, I always try to add something crunchy either in my sauce or in the form of a vegetable. To keep these burger bowls on the healthier side, I do not add extra bread like croutons on top, but those can lend added crunch if you wish to try them.

• You can also enjoy your burger bowls in the form of a wrap! Simply wrap your prepared bowls a large tortilla and enjoy as a wrap on the go!

Instructions For Ground Beef Meal Prep Bowls:

1. Cook the Ground Beef and Rice:

1. Over medium-high heat, add you ground beef to a large skillet.

2. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and cook until all the beef is cooked.

3. Strain out excess fat, set beef aside to cool.

4. Wash your rice of choice and cook according to package instructions. Set aside.

5. If you are using my recipe for Simple Adzuki Beans, prepare them now as they have to simmer. See directions here for Adzuki Beans.

2. Prepare the Sauces

1. For the burger bowl sauce: in a small bowl add the mayo, ketchup, and mustards and stir.

2. Chop the onion, garlic, and pickle and add. Mix until well incorporated.

3. Add in 1 tsp of pickle juice and salt and pepper. Stir and taste.

4. Adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

5. For the creamy cashew sauce: to either an immersion blender safe container, or food processor add in the water, oil, cashews. nutritional yeast, and lemon juice.

6. Blitz until smooth.

7. Add in the cumin, salt, and pepper. Blitz again and adjust seasoning levels to desired taste.

3. Prepare the Toppings and Assemble

1. See instructions above for preparing Red Adzuki Beans. If you would like to use 1 can black beans instead, they are a good substitute.

2. Chop the lettuce, cheese, cilantro, and tomato

3. Cut the avocado in half and set aside.

4. Assemble 2 bowls with cooked beef and rice. I usually do 5 oz of beef and 1/2 to 3/4 cup rice to start.

5. To the burger bowl add lettuce, tomato, avocado and cheese. Top with plenty of sauce.

6. To the simple rice bowl add beans, cilantro, avocado, tomato and cheese.