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the better burger bowl

no bun, still tastes like a burger.

BAILEY SISSOM

April 12, 2026

I had to Google who Alix Earle even was. I will never let anyone know I am wearing socks. #sidepartforlife

So go easy on me here. This week's recipe is a burger bowl. Yes, I know they peaked in 2022. Did they ever go away? I have no idea. I just made my first one last month.

And I've made six versions since.

If you just Googled who Alix Earle is, let me back up. A burger bowl is a burger, no bun, in a bowl.

A burger bowl should actually taste like a burger. It sounds obvious, but it's harder than it seems.

This one does. I said it out loud the first time I made it.

The beef gets Worcestershire and mustard mixed in after it cooks, which gives it that savory flavor that makes you think burger, not just ground beef.

The sweet potatoes are roasted and standing in for fries. They belong here.

The sauce has chopped pickles in it, which I hesitated on because lumpy sauce and children are historically a bad combination. Nobody said a word.

Everyone built their own bowl, added what they wanted, skipped what they didn't. Nobody negotiated. Dinner happened.

Turns out burgers and bowls are both worth making on their own. One of each from the archives.

• ​Easy Baked Cheeseburger Sliders. juicy ground beef, melty cheese, Hawaiian rolls. my kids request these weekly.​
  ​
• ​Mediterranean Chicken Meatball Bowls. herby meatballs, whipped feta, cucumber salad. grown up food that your kids will actually eat.

Serves: 4

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice (~ ½-inch)
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Ground Beef

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon mustard

Burger Sauce

• ¾ cup (175g) mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1½ tablespoons mustard
• 6 tablespoons (90g) finely chopped pickles or relish
• 2 teaspoons pickle juice
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder

Optional Bowl Toppings

• shredded lettuce
• diced tomatoes
• sliced pickles
• sliced red onion
• avocado, sliced

Instructions

Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil ( 1½ tablespoons), salt (1 teaspoon), pepper (½ teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), and smoked paprika (1 teaspoon). Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast 20-25 minutes, tossing once halfway, until you have golden brown spots and soft centers.

Make the burger sauce: Combine mayonnaise (¾ cup), ketchup (3 tablespoons), mustard (1½ tablespoons), chopped pickles (6 tablespoons), pickle juice (2 teaspoons), and garlic powder (¾ teaspoon). Stir to combine and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cook the beef: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef (1 pound) and season with salt (1 teaspoon), pepper (½ teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), and onion powder (1 teaspoon). Let it sit without touching for 2-3 minutes to develop some color, then begin breaking it up as it finishes cooking. Once cooked through, add Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon) and mustard (1 teaspoon) and stir to combine.

Assemble: Divide sweet potatoes and beef between bowls. Add toppings as desired. Drizzle with burger sauce.

Make it a meal prep. The beef, sweet potatoes, and burger sauce all store separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble when you are ready. Weekday lunches, easy.

Gluten-Free. This one is naturally gluten-free as written. No swaps needed.

Dairy-Free. Also naturally dairy-free. Nothing to change.

Low-Carb. Skip the sweet potatoes and pile on extra toppings. It is still a great bowl.

Air fryer sweet potatoes. If you have an air fryer, use it here. You can cook the sweet potatoes at the same time as the beef instead of waiting for the oven. Same seasoning, 400°F, 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway.