These Big Mac-inspired Low FODMAP Burger Bowls will satisfy your burger cravings without the FODMAPs or bun! Boasting deliciously seasoned ground beef, low FODMAP pickles (quickly homemade or store-bought), scallions, crispy bacon, and shredded cheese (lactose-free if needed) over lettuce and drizzled with homemade low FODMAP burger sauce, these burger bowls are so delectable, you'll hardly miss the bun. Along with being low FODMAP, these burger bowls are Keto, low carb, gluten-free, grain-free, and lactose-free if needed. Easily make them Paleo and dairy-free by omitting the cheese and using the Paleo option when you make the burger sauce.
*Please note: while low FODMAP, these burger bowls contain high fat ingredients like bacon and cheese, which can still trigger symptoms for some people with IBS.
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Is a McDonald's Big Mac Low FODMAP?
No, a McDonald's Big Mac is not low FODMAP due to the bun, onions, and special sauce, among other high FODMAP ingredients. My low FODMAP burger bowls taste very similar to a Big Mac, except for the bacon, which is a delicious improvement, in my opinion. However, as noted above, the fat in bacon can still trigger symptoms in some people with IBS, so if you have problems with fat, you can omit the bacon and still have a tasty burger bowl.
Low FODMAP Burger Bowl Inspiration
My husband, Jeff, loves McDonald's Big Macs. When he heard I was creating a Big Mac inspired burger bowl recipe, he recited the ingredients of a Big Mac using this 1970's jingle:
If you're an 80's baby like me (or younger), you might not remember this commercial, but Jeff can recite the jingle from it flawlessly. He says my burger bowls taste impressively similar to a Big Mac and requests them often for dinner.
Equipment
The equipment I use to make these low FODMAP burger bowls includes:
- Large skillet
- Flipping spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Chopping board and knife
- Cheese shredder
- Medium and small serving bowls or resealable containers
- Serving spoons
This list does not include equipment required to make Quick Low FODMAP Pickles and Low FODMAP Burger Sauce. See those posts for lists of equipment needed to make those recipes.
Ingredients
The ingredients I use to make these low FODMAP burger bowls include:
Meat & Seasonings
- Low sodium sugar-free bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- Ground beef - I over-defrosted in the microwave the ground beef in the photo - that's why it's brown around the edges.
- Garlic-infused olive oil
- Dried chives
- Salt
- Pepper
Produce, Cheese & Dressing
- Green leaf lettuce, chopped
- Marble or cheddar cheese, lactose-free if needed, coarsely shredded
- Low FODMAP pickles, homemade or store-bought
- Scallions, dark green parts only, chopped
Dressing
Method
Prepare Pickles (If Using) & Dressing
If using them, a minimum of 40 minutes prior to cooking (ideally the day before for the best flavor), prepare my homemade recipe of Quick Low FODMAP Pickles. Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. If you can find them (I have yet to), you can also use store-bought low FODMAP pickles.
For the burger bowl dressing, prepare a full batch of my homemade Low FODMAP Burger Sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook Meat
In a large skillet on medium heat, cook bacon pieces until crisp, about 8 minutes.
Once cooked, remove bacon to a plate covered in paper towel, leaving bacon fat in the skillet. Cover bacon to keep warm. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet.
Return skillet to stovetop. Add ground beef, garlic-infused olive oil, chives, salt and pepper, breaking up the meat with a spatula and stirring until evenly coated in oil and seasonings. Brown until moisture is mostly gone from the skillet, about 8 minutes. Remove beef to a medium serving bowl.
Prepare Remaining Ingredients
While the beef is browning, prepare remaining ingredients, adding chopped lettuce to a large bowl, and adding shredded cheese, chopped scallions, and cooked and chopped bacon to smaller serving bowls. I like to keep all of the components separate so that people can build their own bowls. If I anticipate leftovers, I put each item into a separate storage container and serve them from there to reduce the number of dishes.
Build the Bowls
To build the bowls, add lettuce to the bottom of each bowl. Cover lettuce with ¼ of the ground beef, bacon, pickles, cheese, and scallions. Drizzle burger sauce over top and serve.
Low FODMAP Burger Bowls (Keto, Low Carb, Grain-Free)
Ingredients
Meat & Seasonings
- 6-8 slices low sodium bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces*
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Produce & Cheese
- 6 cups green leaf lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup marble or cheddar cheese, lactose-free if needed, coarsely shredded (omit if needing dairy-free)
- ½ cup low FODMAP pickles, homemade or store-bought
- ½ cup scallions, dark green parts only, chopped
Dressing
- 1 batch low FODMAP burger sauce
Instructions
- At least 40 minutes prior to cooking but ideally the day before, prepare Quick Low FODMAP Pickles (if using them), cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Prepare Low FODMAP Burger Sauce, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- In a large skillet on medium heat on the stovetop, cook bacon until crisp, about 8 minutes. Once bacon is cooked, remove to a plate covered in a paper towel, leaving the bacon fat in the skillet. Cover to keep warm while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat from the skillet. Return skillet to the stovetop on medium heat. Add ground beef, garlic-infused olive oil, chives, salt and pepper to the skillet, breaking up the meat with a spatula and stirring until meat is evenly coated in seasonings and oil. Brown ground beef until the moisture in the skillet is mostly gone, about 8 minutes. Remove to a medium serving bowl.
- While beef is cooking, prepare remaining bowl ingredients, adding the chopped lettuce to a large bowl, and adding shredded cheese, chopped scallions, and cooked and chopped bacon to separate smaller serving bowls or storage containers if you anticipate leftovers. I like to keep all the components separate so that everyone can build their own burger bowls.
- To build each bowl: add lettuce to the bottom of 4 bowls. Cover lettuce with ¼ of the meat, cheese, bacon, pickles, and scallions. Drizzle with burger sauce and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Fat warning: While low in FODMAPs, this recipe is high in fat, which can still trigger symptoms in some people with IBS. You can always reduce or omit the high fat elements (bacon and/or cheese) and drain the ground beef after browning (not cooking it further) to reduce the fat content. Also, I’ve not tested it with ground turkey (which is lower in fat than beef) but believe it would work well.
- Paleo and dairy-free options: Easily make these burger bowls Paleo and dairy-free by omitting the cheese and using the Paleo option when you make the burger sauce.
- Bacon: I find it easier to cut my bacon using scissors (weird, I know, but it makes it so easy) prior to cooking as it fits better in the pan that way and I don’t have to chop it after cooking. If you prefer to cook it whole and chop or crumble it after cooking, you do you. 😉
- Prep and cooking times do not reflect the time it takes to make the low FODMAP pickles or low FODMAP burger sauce.
- Nutrition card reflects values for the burger bowl in its entirety, including the pickles and burger sauce.
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