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Cheeseburger Rice Bowls with Homemade Burger Sauce

Cheeseburger rice bowls layer fluffy white rice with seasoned ground beef, melted cheddar, crisp lettuce, tomato, and dill pickles. A quick homemade burger sauce ties the toppings together for a classic cheeseburger-inspired meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Standing time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 760
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Burger sauce
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 0.25 tsp paprika
Rice bowls
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
  • 0.5 yellow onion medium, finely diced
  • 1 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • 2 cups iceberg lettuce shredded
  • 1 tomato medium, diced
  • 0.5 cup dill pickles chopped

Equipment

  • 1 2-quart saucepan
  • 1 12-inch skillet

Method
 

Make the burger sauce
  1. Whisk the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, relish, vinegar, and paprika in a small bowl.
  2. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Make the rice bowls
  1. Rinse the rice under cold water and drain.
  2. Combine the rice with the water and salt in a 2-quart saucepan, and bring to a boil.
  3. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes before fluffing the rice with a fork.
  5. While the rice cooks, heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  6. Add the ground beef and onion, breaking up the beef, and cook for 6–8 minutes until browned.
  7. Stir in the garlic for the final minute.
  8. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika.
  9. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the beef reaches 160°F.
  10. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cheddar until melted.
  11. Divide the rice among four bowls and top with the beef mixture, lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
  12. Drizzle with the burger sauce and serve.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the lettuce, tomato, and pickles separate until serving. Refrigerate the beef, rice, and sauce separately for up to 3 days; the cooked beef and rice can be frozen, but the fresh toppings cannot. For a gluten-free option, use certified gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.