When I want all the flavor of an animal style burger I go for these Animal Style Burger Bowls. This Animal Style Burger Bowls recipe takes everything you love about a classic drive-thru favorite and layers it into a bowl so you get the same tangy sauce, the delicious beef, and the crispy toppings in every single bite.

Best of all, it all comes together with simple ingredients that you can easily find at any grocery store.

Saucy, savory, and completely customizable, your whole family is going to ask for this burger bowl on repeat!

burger bowl topped with animal style sauce

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These Animal Style Burger Bowls have become one of my favorite dinners because everything comes together quickly and cooks in the same pan.

Since the sauce whisks together in minutes and the beef only needs a quick sear, you can have this whole meal on the table in less than an hour. Once everything is ready, you simple build your bowl and dig in!

The sauce is really what makes this recipe so addictive because every bite of beef gets coated in that classic animal style flavor. Then, once you pile on crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and crunchy iceberg lettuce, you end up with a bowl that tastes just like your favorite burger joint.

Why you’ll love this Animal Style Burger Bowl

So tasty -The sauce is tangy, creamy, and packed with flavor thanks to the pickles and onion powder.

Easy to Make – The bacon, onion, and ground beef cooks up quickly in one pan, so there is minimal cleanup involved.

Customizable – You can swap or add toppings like chopped tomatoes or extra pickles to make it your own.

Great for Meal Prep – Since each component stores well, you can prep the beef, sauce, and toppings ahead of time for an easy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

animal style burger bowls in white bowls on a white counter with sauce on the side and french fries behind it

Ground beef – Seasoned with your favorite burger seasoning, this forms the best base of every bowl.

Mustard – Squirted directly onto the beef as it cooks, mustard adds a tangy depth that mimics a classic animal style patty.

Mayo and Ketchup – Together, these form the creamy, tangy base of the signature sauce.

Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Tangy cheddar cheese is added right on top giving the bowl that cheeseburger flavor.

Dill Pickles – Chopped and stirred into the sauce, pickles add the perfect bite and make a great topping on their own.

Bacon – Bacon adds that smoky crunch to every single bowl.

Caramelized Onion – Sliced and cooked low and slow, these bring a rich sweetness that balances the tangy sauce.

Iceberg Lettuce – this forms the fresh, crunchy base of each bowl.

French Fries – We love the fast food style fries from the freezer section, but any French fry will work well here.

The full recipe, along with the ingredients, can be found below.

Supplies needed to make Animal Style Burger Bowls

A large skillet for the bacon, caramelized onion, and ground beef
A mixing bowl for whisking together the sauce
A whisk or fork to combine your sauce ingredients
Measuring cups and spoons

How to make Animal Style Burger Bowls

First, in a mixing bowl, whisk together your mayo, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickles, and onion powder until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set the sauce aside.

Second, in a large skillet over medium to high heat, add your bacon and cook until crispy. When the bacon has finished cooking, add your sliced onion to the pan and cook until caramelized.

Then, drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, add your ground beef and squirt the mustard directly on top as it cooks. Season with your favorite burger seasoning and cook the beef, breaking the beef apart until it is fully browned.

After that, cook your French fries according to the package instructions until they are golden and crispy.

Once everything is ready, build your bowls by adding a layer of iceberg lettuce, followed by the seasoned ground beef, crispy fries, caramelized onions, chopped bacon, and cheddar cheese.

Finally, drizzle each bowl generously with the sauce and add extra pickles or your favorite toppings. Then, serve your bowls immediately while everything is warm.

mustard and seasoning over uncooked beef in a pan

Tips

Double the sauce recipe if you like your bowls extra saucy.
Cook the caramelized onions first since they take the longest, then keep them war while you finish the rest of the toppings.
For extra flavor, use the same pan for the bacon, onions, add beef so you don’t miss out on any of those browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
Swap in chopped or sliced tomatoes for a fresh, juicy addition to your bowl.
Keep the fries crispy by adding them to the bowl right before serving instead of letting them sit under the sauce.

animal style burger bowls on a white surface in a white bowl

FAQs

The key ingredients are ground beef, mustard, shredded cheddar cheese, mayo, ketchup, dill pickles, onion powder, bacon, caramelized onions, burger seasoning, iceberg lettuce, and French fries.

Some alternatives are offered in our “Tips” section.

Store the beef, sauce, and toppings separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef and fries before assembling a fresh bowl so everything stays crispy.

These bowls are a complete meal on their own, but they also pair well with a little extra fries or even a side of fresh fruit.

Recipe

Animal Style Burger Bowls

Your favorite drive-thru burger in the form of a bowl. Loaded with seasoned beef, crispy bacon, caramelized onions, and fries, all drizzled with a tangy homemade sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

For the Sauce

1 cup Mayo
¼ cup Ketchup
1 teaspoon Dill Pickles chopped
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

For the Ground Beef Mixture

1 pound Ground Beef
¼ cup Mustard squirted directly on top of the meat in the pan
Your Favorite Burger Seasoning

Favorite Toppings

Bacon fries and chopped
Onions sliced and caramlized
Iceberg Lettuce
Dill Pickles
French Fries (we love the fast food style fries from the freezer section!)
8 ounces Cheddar Cheese shredded

Other Topping Ideas

Onions sliced or diced
Tomatoes chopped or sliced

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, whisk together your mayo, ketchup, mustard, chopped pickles, and onion powder until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then set the sauce aside.
In a large skillet over medium to high heat, add your bacon and cook until crispy. When the bacon has finished cooking, add your sliced onion to the pan and cook until caramelized.
Drain most of the bacon fat from the pan, add your ground beef and squirt the mustard directly on top as it cooks. Season with your favorite burger seasoning and cook the beef, breaking the beef apart until it is fully browned.
Cook your French fries according to the package instructions until they are golden and crispy.
Build your bowls by adding a layer of iceberg lettuce, followed by the seasoned ground beef, crispy fries, caramelized onions, chopped bacon, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Drizzle each bowl generously with the sauce and add extra pickles or your favorite toppings. Then, serve your bowls immediately while everything is warm.

Notes

Double the sauce recipe for extra saucy bowls.
Start the bacon and caramelized onions first since they take the longest to cook.
Add the fries right before serving to keep them crispy.

Keyword beef, burger bowl, burgers, ground beef, in-and-out copycat