Mushroom Swiss Cheeseburger Bowl Recipe

Thanks to chains like Chipotle, Qdoba, Sweetgreen, and Chopt, eating meals out of a bowl has become our generation's version of a casserole. An all-in-one meal that comes together quickly, is totally customizable, and fits neatly into one bowl is a miracle for busy weeknights, and even better, can easily fit into an array of diets. Hamburger bowls, which remove the buns and instead condense the burger ingredients into a salad-like bowl, transform what is usually a dinner indulgence into a nutritious and filling meal that could even be prepped for lunch. Usually made with a classic Americana burger in mind, the bowls are made up of leafy green lettuce, chopped tomatoes, ground beef, shredded cheddar cheese, and a coating of burger sauce — but like hamburgers, the bowls can be filled with plenty of other unique ingredients, too.

Another classic cheeseburger is the ever-iconic, tangy, and savory mushroom and Swiss. At its most basic, the burger is built with melted Swiss cheese and soft, sauteed mushrooms, but more high-end versions also include leafy greens like arugula and caramelized onions. The combination of peppery greens and sweet, soft onions complements the umami of the burger, and without the bun, makes for an excellent burger salad bowl. Topped in a garlicky mayo sauce, this mushroom and Swiss cheeseburger bowl is a delicious way to eat healthy and enjoy all the same flavors as your favorite cheeseburger.

To make caramelized onions, you'll just need a yellow onion (or Spanish, which are the best for caramelizing), butter, and salt. From there, you'll need baby bella mushrooms, lean ground beef, olive oil, and cracked black pepper. To make the garlic mayo sauce, you'll need fresh garlic, mayonnaise, and a little bit of lemon juice, and then to build the bowls, you'll need arugula, watercress, and shredded Swiss cheese.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Add the sliced onions and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, or until the onions are deeply caramel in color and soft.

In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook until glossy and browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper, then remove and reserve.

Add the ground beef to the pan and season it with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, crumbling until browned, about 8 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and lemon juice.

To assemble the bowls, first divide the arugula and watercress between 4 bowls.

Add the ground beef, mushrooms, and caramelized onions to the bowls, then divide the Swiss cheese between the bowls.

Drizzle each bowl with garlic mayo to serve.

• Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
• Shoestring Garlic Parmesan Fries Recipe
• Greek-Style Pita Bread Recipe
• Spring Harvest Farro Salad Recipe
• Lemon Rice Pilaf Recipe

Caramelizing is a technique that requires more time than simply browning and results in a different flavor, too. When caramelized, onions are buttery soft, with a slight sweetness that comes from the release of natural sugars in the onion. There aren't any extra ingredients or tricks to use to create this specific texture and flavor — just patience and some butter. The biggest secret to caramelizing onions is to keep the heat just high enough to cook the onions, but otherwise so low that they don't brown. This means medium-low to low heat, which can take upwards of 40 minutes for a full skillet of onions.

If you find that your onions are browning too quickly and begin to stick to the skillet, don't worry. To remedy the situation, first make sure the heat is low, then add a splash of water (just enough to wet the skillet), and scrape the browning bits from the bottom of the pan. Repeat this process as needed, letting the water evaporate before adding more, so that you don't begin to steam or poach the onions instead of caramelizing them. If your onions have the opposite problem and seem to be taking too long to turn soft and golden, try adding a splash of beer, apple cider vinegar, or a pinch of brown sugar to speed up the process.

Arugula and watercress are peppery, leafy greens that work well with tangy cheeses like Swiss and umami-based vegetables like mushrooms. Before using the two, you should know a little more about each. Arugula, which is technically classified as an herb, is distinct in flavor from lettuce in that it is intense, peppery, and a little grassy. The flavor works well mixed with other greens and with meats and cheeses, where it can take a supporting role. In this recipe, I paired arugula with watercress, one of the healthiest vegetables in the world. It's equally as peppery as arugula, though, meaning that if the intense flavors aren't your thing, you might want to swap these greens out.

This bowl would also work well with kale, which is similarly dense in flavor but less peppery than arugula or watercress. You could also saute Swiss chard as an alternative, especially if you don't like fresh greens. You can also forgo the greens entirely (or use them in tandem), and instead serve the bowl with roasted potatoes, couscous, or brown rice.

• Grilled Greek Chicken Grain Bowl Recipe
• California Roll Bowl Recipe
• Loaded Ground Beef Taco Bowl Recipe
• Curry Salmon Grain Bowl Recipe
• Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl Recipe