This Mediterranean Burger Bowl is Plant-Rich, Protein-Packed and Irresistibly Flavorful
Punch up the flavor by pairing beef or lamb with a medley of crunchy fresh greens and veggies.
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One reason the hamburger is so universally loved? Its versatility. While you can keep your burger simple, made with nothing but ground beef, a slice of cheese (or no cheese!), lettuce, onions, pickles and tomatoes, you can also fancy your meat and your toppings up. It’s all in the seasoning of the meat, the toppings you choose and even the kind of meat you use. So, we decided to create a Mediterranean-inspired spin on the hamburger – but make it a salad for extra nutritional perk. With all of the classic flavors of the Mediterranean region mixed into this leafy green salad, our Mediterranean Burger Bowl is one seriously satisfying meal, both in its flavor and its varied textures.
You can make this burger-inspired salad with the ground meat of your choosing; we suggest ground beef or lamb. And don’t forget to add plenty of herbs and veggies, like cucumbers, mint, bell peppers and Kalamata olives. If your pantry is already stocked up on the key ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, you’ll likely find that this burger bowl becomes one quick and easy weeknight meal. Need to save time? You can always make the burgers in advance and stash them in your fridge or freezer; the same goes for the salad dressing.
And don’t forget to load up this Mediterranean Burger Bowl with plenty of Med-inspired toppings. You can stack your bowl of salad even more than a typical burger! We like to serve ours with olives, feta, pickled red onions and zippy Greek yogurt dressing (we’ll teach you how to make it below!). What about the pickled veg? If you’ve got the time, you can easily make your own pickled red onions right at home. Just follow these steps:
- Fill a heat-proof jar with red onion slices.
- In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup water to a boil.
- Stir in honey and vinegar, then pour mixture over onions.
- Cool completely, seal jar and refrigerate.
Now, you’re ready to build your own burger-inspired bowl.
Mediterranean Burger Bowl
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1⁄2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1⁄2 English cucumber, finely chopped
- 1⁄2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
- 1⁄4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
Burgers
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb
- 1 tbsp minced fresh mint
- 1 1⁄2 tsp dried oregano
- 1⁄4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
Salad
- 1 small romaine heart, chopped
- 2 cups arugula
- 1⁄2 English cucumber, chopped (about 1 1⁄4 cups)
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1⁄4 cup minced pitted Kalamata olives
- 1⁄2 cup crumbled full-fat feta cheese
- pickled red onions and mint sprigs, optional
Preparation
- Prepare dressing: In a medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients. Set aside.
- Prepare burgers: In a large bowl, combine beef, mint, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands and form into 4 even patties.
- In a large heavy-bottomed or cast iron skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add patties to pan and cook until lightly browned on the outside and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Prepare salad: In a large bowl, combine romaine, arugula, cucumbers, yellow pepper, tomatoes and olives. Add one-half of the dressing; gently toss (add more, if desired). Divide among bowls. Slice patties (or leave whole) and place 1 on top of each salad. Sprinkle with feta, pickled red onion and mint (if using). Serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size ¼ of recipe
- Calories 376
- Carbohydrate Content 10 g
- Cholesterol Content 87 mg
- Fat Content 25 g
- Fiber Content 3 g
- Protein Content 29 g
- Saturated Fat Content 9 g
- Sodium Content 619 mg
- Sugar Content 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g