Cheeseburger Salad

Cheeseburger salad is made with a simple iceberg lettuce base and topped with adorable mini burgers. It’s one of the easiest recipes for people obsessed with cheeseburgers. The salad toppings and even the dressing make this dish taste just like a classic cheeseburger with lots of fresh veggie flavor and crunch. And because the burgers are miniature, they cook up on the grill in minutes.

Add this weeknight meal to your list of 30-minute recipes. You can even prep it for make-ahead work lunches.

Cheeseburger Salad Ingredients

• Ground beef: Choose lean ground beef. If your beef has a higher fat content, drain the meat well after grilling.
• Steak seasoning: Also known as Canadian or Montreal steak spice, this blend includes pepper, coarse salt, garlic, dill seeds, coriander, paprika and dehydrated onion. You can also find salt-free steak seasoning from brands like Mrs. Dash.
• Iceberg lettuce: This is a favorite lettuce variety for making a crisp salad. Wash the iceberg leaves well in ice-cold water, then spin or pat them dry to give them the best texture in this recipe.
• Cheddar cheese: Shredded cheddar is mixed into the salad so you get a little in every bite. Use mild cheddar, or try a sharp variety for more flavor.
• Croutons: A handful of crunchy croutons replaces a burger bun. Choose a store-bought or homemade crouton flavor, such as garlic and butter, to complement the cheeseburger salad.
• Tomato: Choose the ripest tomato you can find, and dice it up to add to the salad. Juicy heirlooms or beefsteaks are our favorite types of tomatoes for salad.
• Onion: Thin slices of onion tossed into the salad pair perfectly with the mini burgers. You can use sweet, red or any type of onion you like.
• Dill pickles: What’s a burger without the pickles? Use jarred dill pickle slices for the least amount of prep work. For more crunch, pick up dill gherkins and cut them into chunks.
• Thousand Island dressing: This classic dressing, made with ketchup, relish and mayonnaise, tastes like the “special sauce” on fast food burgers.

Directions

Step 1: Shape the burgers

Crumble the ground beef into a large bowl, and add the steak seasoning. Lightly mix the spice into the beef—don’t overmix, as this will give the burgers a tougher texture.

Shape the beef mixture into 20 miniature patties that are about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick.

Step 2: Grill the burgers

Set an outdoor grill to medium heat. You can also use a grill surface on your stove or an indoor grill. Grill the mini burgers, covered, for three to four minutes per side. The internal temperature should read 160°F on a digital thermometer. Let the burgers cool slightly.

Step 3: Assemble the salad

Toss together the torn lettuce, cheddar cheese, croutons, tomato, onion, pickles and burgers in a large bowl.

Drizzle Thousand Island dressing over the salad. Serve immediately.

Editor’s Note: You can also keep the burgers separate from the salad. Portion the salad into individual bowls, then add mini burgers to the tops, followed by a drizzle of dressing.

Recipe Variations

• Make a homemade dressing: Skip the bottled stuff and whip up a homemade dressing—like our homemade, flavorful, from-scratch Thousand Island salad dressing.
• Turn it into a bacon cheeseburger salad: Add freshly cooked and chopped bacon to the salad mixture.
• Try a different cheese: Instead of cheddar, use other shredded cheese flavors like pepper jack, Swiss, American or smoked Gouda.
• Add french fries: Play up the cheeseburger theme by swapping out the croutons for just-baked french fries or mini tater tots served right on the salad.
• Make an extra-cheesy salad: While cooking the mini burgers, add small squares of sliced cheese to the tops near the end of the grilling time. Move the burgers off the grill once the cheese is nicely melted.
• Try a turkey burger salad: For a healthier take on this salad, swap out the ground beef for lean ground turkey. A little diced onion in the turkey mixture will help the burgers stay moist when you grill them. Cook mini turkey burgers to an internal temperature of 165°.

How to Store Cheeseburger Salad

For the best quality of all the ingredients, store the burgers, salad and croutons in separate, resealable containers. Place a paper towel in the bottom of the salad container to absorb excess moisture (or use a lettuce keeper). Keep the mini burgers and the salad in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat the burgers in a covered skillet with a teaspoon or two of water over medium-low heat until they’re warmed.

Can you make cheeseburger salads ahead of time?

Yes! It’s important to keep the components stored separately until you’re ready to serve the salads.

The lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles can be tossed together and stored in the fridge up to five days in advance. You can mix and shape the burgers ahead of time and keep them refrigerated for one to two days. Grill them on the day you want to enjoy the salads. Keep the croutons at room temperature in an airtight container or their original packaging.

Cheeseburger Salad Tips

Is Big Mac sauce the same as Thousand Island dressing?

The two dressings have some ingredients in common, like mayonnaise and sweet relish. However, Thousand Island dressing is usually made with ketchup, while Big Mac sauce has paprika for the pinkish color. Our copycat McDonald’s special sauce includes chili sauce, diced onion and a little sprinkle of cayenne pepper for a zesty, tangy flavor. It’s delicious in this cheeseburger salad and as a french fry dipping sauce.

What can you serve with cheeseburger salad?

Add a bready side to your salad, like copycat Olive Garden breadsticks, buttermilk rolls or buttered slices of homemade sourdough bread. Soup and salad are a favorite lunch duo—enjoy a cheeseburger salad with a bowl of creamy tomato soup or our best-ever potato soup.