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I spent a brief stretch as a Pampered Chef consultant, and this salad is one of the things I came away with from that time. It always got rave reviews at demonstrations, and once I started making it at home it became a regular summer dinner request.
Mom thought it tasted “just like a cheeseburger” — high praise from someone who knows her cheeseburgers. Several of her friends said they liked it even better than taco salad, which in our house is saying something.
The clever part is the croutons. Hamburger bun strips baked until crispy make the whole thing taste like you’re actually eating a deconstructed cheeseburger rather than a salad that’s trying to be one. It’s hearty enough to be a full meal and a genuinely satisfying way to get a cheeseburger fix on a weeknight.
Why I Love This Recipe
- All the cheeseburger flavor in a satisfying main course salad
- 250 calories and 5 WW Points per serving
- 30 minutes start to finish
- The bun croutons are the secret — toasted hamburger bun strips that make this feel like the real thing
- Mom-approved, which is always the final word
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Light hamburger buns — sliced into strips and baked until crispy, these become the croutons that set this salad apart from other ground beef salads. Whole grain light buns work well. If you want to skip the buns entirely to save points, the salad is still good — just a different experience. Crushed tortilla chips or crispy panko-crusted ravioli make fun alternatives to the bun croutons.
- Red onion — half sliced into thin rings for topping, half finely chopped for the beef mixture. The two textures serve different purposes — the rings add visual appeal and fresh bite on top, the chopped onion cooks into the beef mixture for flavor.
- Plum tomatoes — cut into quarters then sliced crosswise. Plum tomatoes hold their shape better than regular tomatoes and have less water, which keeps the salad from getting soggy.
- Extra lean ground beef — browned and drained. Extra lean keeps the fat and points down. Lean ground turkey is a good substitute for an even leaner version. For a vegetarian option, veggie crumbles, tempeh, or cooked lentils all work.
- Dill pickles — finely diced, mixed into the beef with the dressing. Dill pickles are the classic cheeseburger pickle and lower in sugar than sweet pickles. Karen in the comments points out that regular sweet pickle relish has a lot of sugar — dill pickle relish or sugar-free relish are both good lower-sugar alternatives.
- Ketchup — mixed with mustard to make the simple dressing that coats the beef. The amount here is generous because it’s dressing a whole salad, not just topping a burger.
- Yellow mustard — just a tablespoon, but it’s what makes the dressing taste distinctly like a cheeseburger.
- Romaine lettuce — chopped, the crunchy base. Any sturdy lettuce works; iceberg is a classic cheeseburger choice if you prefer it.
- Reduced-fat shredded cheese — cheddar or a cheddar blend is the natural choice. Full-fat cheese works too — points will be slightly higher.
Calories and WW Points
This salad is pretty Weight Watchers friendly. According to my calculations, each salad has just 250 calories and 5 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
6 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Cheeseburger Salad
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice the bun tops and bottoms into ¼-inch strips. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet (affiliate link) and bake 8–10 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove to a cooling rack (affiliate link) and cool completely — they’ll crisp up further as they cool.
Step 2: Cut the onion in half crosswise. Slice one half into thin rings for topping; finely chop the other half for the beef mixture. Cut the tomatoes lengthwise into quarters then slice crosswise. Set aside.
Step 3: Cook the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into crumbles, until no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat.
Step 4: In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped onion, finely diced pickles, ketchup, and mustard. Add the cooked beef and mix well.
Step 5: Arrange the romaine on a large serving platter. Spoon the beef mixture over the lettuce. Top with cheese, sliced tomatoes, onion rings, and bun croutons around the edges.
Step 6: Serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- Cool the bun croutons completely before using them — they continue to crisp as they cool. Warm croutons will soften quickly once they hit the salad.
- Serve immediately after assembling. The croutons absorb moisture fast. Have everything prepped and ready so you can assemble and serve right away.
- The beef mixture can be made ahead. Brown the beef and mix with the dressing ingredients; refrigerate for up to 2 days. Toast the buns and assemble the salad just before serving.
- Debbie’s tip from the comments: If you have leftover grilled burger patties, slice them cold into small squares — they work perfectly here and skip the stovetop step entirely. She also adds a splash of cold water to the dressing to get it to the right consistency for a salad dressing rather than a condiment.
Storing
The beef mixture keeps well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days — great for meal prep. Store the romaine, tomatoes, onion, and cheese separately and assemble just before eating. The bun croutons should be made fresh — they go soft quickly once they’ve been stored.
If you’ve made this Protein-Packed Cheeseburger Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Cheeseburger Salad (Easy, WW Friendly)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 light hamburger buns
- 1 small red onion (about 3/4 cup total)
- 2 plum tomatoes
- 3/4 pound extra-lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 12 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup shredded reduced fat cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Slice bun tops and bottoms into ¼-in. (6-mm) strips. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet (affiliate link) and bake 8—10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove to a cooling rack (affiliate link); cool completely.
- Cut onion in half crosswise. Slice half of the onion crosswise into thin rings using a sharp knife or mandolin. Cut tomatoes lengthwise into quarters and slice crosswise. Set onion and tomatoes aside.
- Put beef in saute pan over medium-high heat and cook 5—7 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining half onion. Finely dice pickles. In a large bowl, combine chopped onion, pickles, ketchup and mustard. Add cooked beef and mix well.
- To serve, arrange lettuce on large serving platter. Spoon beef mixture over lettuce. Top with cheese, tomatoes and sliced onion. Arrange hamburger bun croutons around edge of platter.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- use reduced-fat cheese instead of full fat
- use whole grain light hamburger buns
- To make lower carb skip the buns altogether
- Vegetarian: Substitute veggie crumbles, tempeh, or cooked lentils for the ground beef
- Ingredient Amounts for One Serving: 2 tablespoons onion, 1/2 plum tomato, 3 ounces extra lean ground beef, 1-1/2 tablespoons pickles, 2 tablespoon ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon mustard, 2 cups romaine, 2-1/2 tablespoons cheese. (Since this is a salad the amounts don’t need to be exact.)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this with leftover grilled burgers? Yes — reader Debbie does exactly this. Cold grilled patties slice easily into small squares and work perfectly as the protein. It’s a great way to use up extra burgers from a cookout.
Can I skip the buns to save points? Absolutely. The salad is still good without them — you’ll miss some of the cheeseburger character, but it’s a clean, satisfying meal. Crushed tortilla chips or baked croutons make easy alternatives if you want something crunchy.
What’s the best pickle to use? Dill pickles are the classic choice and lower in sugar than sweet pickles. Reader Karen found that regular sweet pickle relish adds points from sugar — dill pickle relish or sugar-free relish are both good alternatives that keep the flavor without the extra sugar.
Can I make this vegetarian? Yes — veggie crumbles are the most direct swap and cook the same way as ground beef. Tempeh browned in a skillet also works well. Cooked lentils are a good option if you want to skip processed meat substitutes entirely.
Love this post Martha. Thank you so much for including my Skinny Cheeseburger Salad. It’s one of my favorites. I can’t wait to try your version. Looks fantastic! Pinned and yummed.
Wishing you all the very best,
Nancy
I have been making something similar all summer but use store bought patties. My husband grills up extra and they slice into small squares easily when they are cold, i make a dressing out of fixings (ketchup, mustard, dill relish and a squeeze of light mayo) and add a but of cold water to get it to the right consistancey and skip the bun altogether and top with the dressing and some shredded cheese- don;t even miss the traditional burger this was!
Hi Debbie! Thanks for taking the time to share your version of this salad which sounds even easier! What a perfect way to use leftover grilled burgers 🙂
I found sugar-free relish at Hyvee which cut down on the points. Regular relish has lots of sugar in it. I went looking for it for my tuna salad , but will enjoy it in my CB salad too!
Hi Karen, Thanks for the suggestion. Another alternative is to substitute dill pickle relish, a low sugar choice, instead of sweet pickle relish! – Martha
That sounds amazing….I don’t miss the bread that much either.