These High Protein Big Mac Burger Bowls have all those familiar burger flavors in an easy, bunless dinner. Cottage cheese gets stirred into the warm seasoned beef, then everything is piled over crisp lettuce with cheddar, pickles, onion and a creamy homemade Big Mac-style sauce.

It’s a simple supper for nights when you’re craving a burger but want something easy to put together.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Burger Bowls

• 1 pound lean ground beef, preferably 93/7
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 4 cups chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped dill pickles
• ¼ cup finely diced white onion
• Sesame seeds, optional

Big Mac-Style Sauce

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sweet or dill pickle relish
• 1 tablespoon ketchup, regular or sugar-free
• 1½ teaspoons yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

1. Make the sauce. Stir together the mayonnaise, relish, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Refrigerate while preparing the bowls, ideally for at least 15 minutes.
2. Cook the beef. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles until fully cooked. Drain excess grease if needed.
3. Season. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
4. Warm the cottage cheese. Reduce the heat to low and stir the cottage cheese into the beef. Heat gently for about 1–2 minutes, or just until warmed through. Avoid boiling or prolonged cooking to help prevent separation.
5. Build the bowls. Divide the lettuce among four bowls. Spoon the warm beef and cottage cheese mixture over the lettuce, then add the cheddar, chopped pickles and diced onion.
6. Finish and serve. Drizzle with the sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• Choose your relish: Sweet relish gives the sauce a sweeter flavor, while dill relish makes it more savory and tangy.
• Prefer a smoother texture? Blend the cottage cheese before stirring it into the beef. Unblended cottage cheese will retain some curds.
• Keep the lettuce crisp: Let the beef mixture stop steaming heavily before adding it to the bowls.
• Make ahead: Prepare the sauce and chop the toppings ahead of time. Keep the beef mixture separate from the lettuce and toppings until ready to serve.