So as an intro to this scrumptious cheeseburger bowl recipe, just a little background on how I test my recipes.
It used to be just me and the Southern husband. I would draft my recipe idea, then cook it up, then we would compare notes. Let’s just say that my notes were always a lot more critical than his, because sweetheart that he is…he pretty much told me he loved everything.
Fast forward to (I can hardly believe it) two years ago when we made the move to North Carolina and into our multigenerational house. Now I have the two millennials that I live with, along with their lovely friends that are in and out on the regular, and one needy but adorable rescue dog.
So now I have a much larger group of potential taste-testers (not the dog, although she keeps volunteering)…and they don’t hold back. Which is GREAT, because it keeps me on the straight and narrow when I am figuring out the final plan for the recipe.
I’m going to circle back to this situation after I tell you about these cheeseburger bowls!
Ingredients you need
Here’s how to make this recipe
STEP 1: Put a pound of ground beef in a medium skillet over medium high heat and sprinkle with salt. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until the beef is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and set aside.
STEP 2: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 tablespoons of flour until well combined.
STEP 3: Whisk in a half cup of half and half and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in ¾ cup of cubed Velveeta cheese and keep stirring until it is melted and smooth.
STEP 4: Now it’s time to assemble the bowls! Divide the beef, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles into four sections in each bowl. Drizzle the cheese sauce generously over the beef. Pass them out with the toppings on the side so folks can mix and match – they will never miss the rolls!
And of course, everyone should feel free to toss their cheeseburger bowl fixings together, or leave them as is. Yay flexibility!
Recipe FAQs
Here’s the thing about Velveeta: it melts into smooth creaminess every time. Many other cheeses (like cheddar) will separate and get a little stringy and oily. You could swap in American cheese…or if you really want cheddar or a different kind of cheese, just skip Steps 2 and 3 above and sprinkle it on top of the burger mixture and it will be grand!
Ha! I had to customize one of my dining companions cheeseburger bowls to do this very thing! Yes, you can leave out any of the fixings (or add more) depending on what you love best about cheeseburgers.
You can mix together a quarter cup each of cream and milk, and in a real pinch you can use just whole milk.
Leave your question in the comments below and I promise to answer it pronto!
OK, so remember when I told you about my recipe testing process at the beginning of this post? I was super happy with my closing line about how folks would never miss the rolls.
And pretty much everyone in my test audience didn’t miss the rolls. Except for one taste-tester, who said she actually kinda DID miss the roll…and suggested for those folks who want a little carbs with their cheeseburger, they could sprinkle it with crushed potato chips or toasted bread crumbs.
Which is of course a brilliant idea, and it reminds me that that living in a multigenerational house will always keep me on my toes…in all the best ways.
Except for the empty water bottles all over the house. And the fact that they insist on watching TV with the subtitles on. But everything else is wonderful!
Happy cheeseburger bowls – with or without the garnish!
Cheeseburger Bowls
This fun recipe for cheeseburger bowls has all the fixings for your favorite burger, including a dreamy cheese sauce. They will never miss the roll!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 3/4 cup cubed Velveeta
- 1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce, chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 dill pickles, chopped
- Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, crushed potato chips or toasted bread crumbs for toppings – or anything else you like on your cheeseburgers!
Instructions
- Put the ground beef in a medium skillet over medium high heat and sprinkle with salt. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until the beef is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until well combined.
- Whisk in half and half and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in cheese and keep stirring until it is melted and smooth.
- Now it’s time to assemble the bowls! Divide the beef, lettuce, tomatoes and pickles into four sections in each bowl. Drizzle the cheese sauce generously over the beef. Pass them out with the toppings on the side so folks can mix and match, including some crushed potato chips or toasted bread crumbs if they want a little hint of the roll in their bowl!
OTHER CHEESEBURGER RECIPES WE LOVE!
Samantha says
Yum! I’ll have to try these with the cheese sauce. We make burger salads all the time and make them
“Pittsburgh style” with French fries on the salad :)
Hi Samantha! Okay, now I definitely need to try this recipe Pittsburgh style! :)