The cheeky cheeseburger bowl

How to build the best cheeseburger salad

Serves

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

If you have ever wished your favourite cheeseburger could magically transform into something fresher, lighter and socially acceptable to eat with a fork, this salad is your new best friend. It has all the good stuff you crave, like juicy New Zealand beef, melted cheese vibes and that hit of sweet tang from Alderson's Bread and Butter Pickles. It is fast, fun and surprisingly wholesome thanks to wholegrains, greens and a punchy dressing that tastes suspiciously like your favourite burger sauce.

Kirsten McCaffrey

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Ingredients

400g New Zealand beef mince
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cups iceberg lettuce
shredded
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes
halved
1 small red onion
thinly sliced
1 cup Edam cheese
grated
1 cup quinoa, cooked
cooled
1 cup Alderson's Bread and Butter Pickles
plus 2 Tbsp pickle brine
3 Tbsp natural Greek yoghurt
2 Tbsp whole egg mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp tomato sauce
2 tsp pickle brine from the jar

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add the beef mince and cook for about five minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until browned.

Add the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, tomato paste, salt and pepper.

Cook for another three minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl whisk the yoghurt, mayonnaise, mustard, tomato sauce, brine, salt and pepper. Adjust thickness with a splash of water if needed.

In a large serving bowl, layer the lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, red onion, cheese, wholemeal rice or quinoa and Alderson's Bread and Butter Pickles.

Spoon the warm beef over the salad.

Drizzle with dressing and top with herbs.

Add croutons if you want extra crunch.

Pro tips:

This is the perfect make-ahead meal however, warm the beef just before serving. Room temperature mince tastes flat so pop it back in the pan for thirty seconds if you made it ahead.
Chop the salad small. Bite sized pieces make it feel more like a loaded burger bowl and less like a pile of leaves.
Always add a few herbs to salads for an extra layer of freshness – chopped chives or Italian parsley add a fresh kick