Crunchy Cheeseburger Salad with Special Sauce Recipe

If you love cheeseburgers but want to skip the bun, this crunchy cheeseburger salad is for you! It has all the classic burger fixings-savory seasoned ground beef, melted Monterey Jack cheese, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes and tangy pickles-tossed with a creamy special sauce that doubles as dressing. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s a quick, satisfying meal that delivers big flavor without the carbs.

This salad is perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something hearty but still fresh. The special sauce brings everything together with a perfect balance of tangy, sweet and creamy notes. Serve it as a main dish and watch everyone go back for seconds!

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Ingredients

1 unit Sliced Dill PickleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Baby LettuceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Fry SeasoningView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit KetchupView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Dijon MustardView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 teaspoon (tsp) SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Trim and discard the root end from the lettuce; roughly chop. Reserve ½ teaspoon pickle brine in a small bowl; drain and discard remaining brine and roughly chop the pickle. Dice the tomato.
2. Stir ½ teaspoon fry seasoning and ¼ teaspoon sugar into the bowl with the reserved pickle brine.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, remaining fry seasoning, salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into pieces, until browned, 3-5 minutes. If there is excess grease, carefully pour it out. Stir in the beef stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring, until the liquid has absorbed and the beef is cooked through, 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
4. In the bowl with the pickle brine mixture, add mayonnaise, ketchup and half the mustard. Stir until well combined. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
5. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with half the dressing and half the tomato. Divide the salad between bowls. Top with the beef, Monterey Jack cheese, chopped pickle and remaining tomato. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Yes, cheddar or American cheese would work well in place of Monterey Jack.

What can I substitute for fry seasoning?

You can use a mix of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Is this salad gluten-free?

Yes, all ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but check labels on condiments to be sure.