This Southwest Beef Burger Salad brings flavor and nutrition together in a veggie-centric, protein-packed salad that combines leftover grilled beef burgers with leafy greens and crunchy toppings.
Beef. Burger. Salad. Yep, a southwest beef burger salad at that. I sound like a broken record with all of the beef we eat around here, but summer means one thing in the Serbinski house: we are eating LOTS of burgers. Especially since we have now graduated to 3 of my 4 actually eating them.
When it comes to burgers, beef is the king of the grill!
You guys know I’m a fan of BEEF, as I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist for both the Michigan Beef Industry Commission and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. So that means two things: we love eating beef burgers around here, and I stand behind the nutritious benefits real beef burgers provide. But really, every day could be beef burger day in my house. Beef burgers are a food everyone agrees upon, they make a great base for adding sides, and if you’ve heard me talk about picky eaters before, you’ll remember that if you want your children to TRY a new food, or perhaps even LIKE a new food, then serve it with something they LOVE, and for us that’s beef burgers.
Assembling the beef burger salad:
While I could definitely eat any beef burger on a bun, I’ve been grilling a few extra when I grill a batch to have for leftovers. And what better way to enjoy a real beef burger than on a bed of leafy greens packed with other nutritious ingredients. Alas, the roundabout way I came up with this flavorful southwest beef burger. There’s an unlimited array of options to boost nutrition and flavor in beef burgers by incorporating tasty toppings like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Three ounces of ground beef delivers 10 essential nutrients itself, the perfect start for building a more nutrient-rich burger. There’s an unlimited array of options to boost nutrition and flavor in beef burgers, and this time, I decided to add one to my salad.
Southwest seemed like a good fit for this one, as I found some chile spiced pistachios [YUM!], had some salsa ranch dressing in the fridge [new vice], and you guessed it, took this salad to the next level with crumbled feta and roasted butternut squash. Burgers often get a bad rap, but when you pair them with other colorful foods, rest assured you’re getting lots of nutrition and even more flavor. Plus, recipes like this southwest beef burger salad are totally customizable based on what ingredients your family has on hand. Another no-recipe, recipe FTW in this Mom’s kitchen!
Here’s what you need to make the southwest beef burger salad:
- 3 ounce beef burger patty, grilled
- leafy greens
- salsa ranch dressing
- chile spiced pistachios
- feta cheese
- leftover roasted squash, carrots, or potatoes
- fresh tomato slices
Assemble. Serve. Enjoy! How would you top your beef burger salad?!
Other burger ideas you enjoy:
Build Your Own Slider Bar for Dinner
And let’s get real for a second. When Mom’s enjoying her southwest beef burger salad as a “leftover dinner,” these 4 are just jumping out of the pool to snag some cheese, a bite of the burger, a finger swipe of ranch, and maybe some tortilla chips if Mom has extra to share!
