Here’s a fun and delicious way to eat a cheeseburger without a bun. Try this Cheeseburger Ranch Salad with a juicy beef patty on a bed of baby spinach topped with melted cheese, sliced tomatoes, and drizzled with Ranch dressing!
After that cheesy chicken over pesto quinoa on Tuesday and this burger salad today, I guess you could say I’m in the mood for melted cheese this week. That’s really no different than any other week if I’m being honest. You may have noticed a lack of burgers around here lately. Since I can’t eat regular buns, and my husband still can’t really eat normally after his injury, we’re both too lame to eat burgers like normal people. That’s where this bunless solution comes in.
I’m a fan of gluten-free crackers, cookies, pasta, and most bread. I can hardly even tell I’m not eating regular wheat. When it comes to hamburger and hotdog buns, it’s a different story. I expect those to have a very specific texture, and I just don’t think it can be achieved without wheat, at least in my experience. Sometimes I eat burgers on sandwich bread, which is a perfectly fine option, but just eliminating the bun altogether is sometimes easier.
You might notice that I’m not calling this a low-carb dinner because of the mound of potato chips alongside the cheeseburger salad. This pictured salad with chips was my lunch, and we had fries with our burger salads at dinner the night before. I’m just not really into eliminating carbs, but if you are, you could just have something else on the side.
I made spicy burger patties myself for this recipe, but you could of course use any kind of burger patty you want, even pre-made frozen ones for a super easy meal. This recipe is also perfectly suited for grilled chicken breasts instead of burgers. Make it your own, and have fun!
Stir together beef, garlic powder, onion powder, hot sauce, salt, and egg until mixed well. Divide into four balls, and shape into patties.
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Place burger patties in hot skillet, and cook approximately seven minutes per side or until cooked to desired level of doneness. Place cheese slices over patties for last 2-3 minutes of cooking to allow cheese to melt.
While burgers cook, arrange a bed of spinach on four plates. Place cooked cheeseburgers on the spinach, arrange sliced tomatoes over each burger, and drizzle with Ranch dressing. Dig in!
This isn’t my first time at the cheeseburger salad rodeo. Try this fun and healthy recipe too!
Andi Gleeson
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
14 comments
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
10 years ago
Now this is my kinda burger! I always go sans that burger anyways so I love how you added ranch. What else could I need?!
Andi
10 years ago
I love Ranch on just about everything. Thank you, Meg!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
10 years ago
I found some gluten free crackers at Aldi that I just love and I don’t even need to eat gluten free but they are the best! I am totally loving that this is spicy!
Andi
10 years ago
I usually buy GF and wheat crackers since I’m the only one GF in our house, but everyone always eats up the GF crackers first! I’m glad they like them, but I don’t want to run out of crackers! ;) Thank you, Nancy!
Heather | girlichef
10 years ago
I love carbs, but I’m totally down with eating a burger this way, too. I mean, I’d probably wind up just piling the chips on top anyway, so…. ;) Yum!
Andi
10 years ago
Ha, yes! I have a sandwich recipe here with chips on it, and I need to remember to do that more often. Love the crunch! Thanks, Heather.
Beth
10 years ago
Ever since I had to go gluten free, this is how I eat my burgers too, and I actually prefer it that way!
Andi
10 years ago
I think it’s better than GF buns for sure! Thank you, Beth!
Kelley
10 years ago
I have hamburger patties in the fridge leftover from my daughters birthday party.. I’m having this for dinner! YUM!
Andi
10 years ago
Hope you liked it, Kelley. Thank you!
Jen @ Yummy Healthy Easy
10 years ago
I love that this is bunless! I’m not into totally cutting carbs, like you said, but for a weeknight dinner, it’s nice to have something light. (I would gladly take the fries and/or chips on the side too, lol!) Great recipe, Andi – pinned!
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14 comments
Now this is my kinda burger! I always go sans that burger anyways so I love how you added ranch. What else could I need?!
I love Ranch on just about everything. Thank you, Meg!
I found some gluten free crackers at Aldi that I just love and I don’t even need to eat gluten free but they are the best! I am totally loving that this is spicy!
I usually buy GF and wheat crackers since I’m the only one GF in our house, but everyone always eats up the GF crackers first! I’m glad they like them, but I don’t want to run out of crackers! ;) Thank you, Nancy!
I love carbs, but I’m totally down with eating a burger this way, too. I mean, I’d probably wind up just piling the chips on top anyway, so…. ;) Yum!
Ha, yes! I have a sandwich recipe here with chips on it, and I need to remember to do that more often. Love the crunch! Thanks, Heather.
Ever since I had to go gluten free, this is how I eat my burgers too, and I actually prefer it that way!
I think it’s better than GF buns for sure! Thank you, Beth!
I have hamburger patties in the fridge leftover from my daughters birthday party.. I’m having this for dinner! YUM!
Hope you liked it, Kelley. Thank you!
I love that this is bunless! I’m not into totally cutting carbs, like you said, but for a weeknight dinner, it’s nice to have something light. (I would gladly take the fries and/or chips on the side too, lol!) Great recipe, Andi – pinned!
Thank you Jen! xoxo