My take on burger bowls combines crispy seasoned extra lean ground beef with roasted butternut squash (or sweet potato) fries, low calorie burger sauce, and the usual burger toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. The only thing missing is the bun. And thanks to the butternut squash swap, these burger bowls are very macro friendly and perfect for a high protein diet.
The Ingredients and Trader Joe’s Alternatives
I’m always hesitant to make specific recipes with unique Trader Joe’s ingredients, since they tend to sunset fan favorites all the time. But as you can see by this Instagram post from January of 2020, I’ve been using butternut squash zig zags for years.
I figured since everyone has seen a burger bowl, Big Mac bowl, or whatever you want to call them by now, I needed to bring a fresh take. So I air fried some squash zig zags, seasoned the beef with a combination of TJ’s onion salt and Worcestershire sauce, and made a simple burger sauce to go with the usual topping suspects.
Revolutionary? Not so much. Delicious? You bet.
I also happen to be on a roll making simple TJ’s recipes at the moment. Check out my crispy beef knife cut noodle bowls and beefy broth bowls for two more things to make with TJ’s extra lean ground beef and other ingredients.
On the flip side, don’t let access to a Trader Joe’s deter you. These burger bowls can be made with ingredients from anywhere. I made sure to include ingredient swaps in the notes section of the recipe card below.
I’ve seen people add things like caramelized onions and crunchy fried garlic/onion to cheeseburger bowls, and I think those are great ideas. I kept it simple, but you can take this framework and get as creative as you wish.
I hope you have fun and enjoy this butternut squash and ground beef combo. Let me know your thoughts in a recipe review or comment. You can leave any questions you have about the recipe, ingredient swaps, or anything else there as well.
And if you’re looking for more classic burger vibes, check out my Shake Shack and In-N-Out copycats next.
Loaded Burger Bowls
Ingredients
For the Fries
- 2 packs (12 oz each) Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Zig Zags or hand cut fries with butternut squash, sweet potatoes, etc. (see notes for more swaps)
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1-2 pinches Kosher Salt
For the Burger Beef
- 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Tablespoon Trader Joe's Onion Salt or a similar seasoning blend
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ cup Beef Broth or Water
For the Burger Sauce
- ¼ cup Reduced Sugar Ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons Yellow Mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Light Mayo
- 1-2 Tablespoons Water to thin as needed
For Serving
- 8 oz Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 4 cups Shredded Lettuce
- ¼ cup Dill Pickles and Pepperoncini
- 2 oz Reduced Fat Crumbled Feta or your choice of cheese
Instructions
- Make the fries. Toss the butternut squash zig zags in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Air fry for 15-20 minutes at 375ºF, shaking a few times during cooking. Or bake on a parchment lined sheet pan at 425ºF for 30-35 minutes.
- Make the burger beef. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook on one side untouched for 2-3 minutes until a nicely browned crust forms. Flip the beef and do the same to the other side. Once browned on both sides, use a spatula to break the beef apart and fully cook. (I like to leave the beef in small bite-size pieces as opposed to completely mincing.) Add the Worcestershire sauce, onion salt, and broth to the cooked beef and cook until no liquid remains, another minute or so.
- Assemble. Mix the burger sauce ingredients together. Add the lettuce to bowls and top with the roasted squash zig zags, burger beef, tomatoes, pickles, cheese, and burger sauce.
