This sweet potato burger bowl is one of those meals I’ll never get tired of. It combines all the tasty layers of an In-N-Out burger, but leans healthier with roasted sweet potatoes and seasoned ground beef as the base. A total win if you ask me!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Burger Bowl
- It’s a “healthier” burger for weeknight dinners. When you swap a bun for roasted sweet potatoes you get an easy nutrient boost.
- It’s simply delicious. I’m excited to say that my homemade In-N-Out sauce tastes just like the real thing. And when it’s combined with seasoned ground beef, roasted sweet potato, and burger toppings (in chopped form), it tastes pretty darn amazing!
- It’s a true Downshiftology meal prep. Similar to my fall meal prep that also includes sweet potatoes, this is the perfect “make once and eat all week” kind of meal. Just prep and store each ingredient in individual storage containers, then quickly assemble when ready.
Out of all the ground beef bowls and sweet potato bowls I’ve tried making, this burger version is by far my favorite. I may be a little biased because I’m a huge In-N-Out fan (it’s the one fast food chain I’ll make an exception for). But it satisfies my itch for a comforting, nostalgic meal that also includes my favorite meal prep ingredient: roasted sweet potatoes.
I’ve made this sweet potato burger more times than I can count lately…and that’s saying something! Sweet potatoes are one of those wholesome, nutrient-dense foods that just make my body feel good, and pairing them with ground beef for lots of protein + fiber makes this a truly nourishing meal.
The toppings include your standard burger toppings, but you can always adjust these to your liking. Want to make it dairy-free? Omit the cheese. Don’t love pickles? Leave them off. Just don’t forget the In-N-Out sauce, because I think it makes this burger bowl taste truly spectacular!
Burger Bowl Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes: Cut them into true ½-inch cubes. I found that this size gives you tender insides with slightly caramelized edges rather than soft, steamed chunks.
- Lean ground beef: I use 90/10 for the right balance of flavor and leanness. 85/15 works too, just drain any excess fat after browning. Ground turkey or chicken is great for a lighter, leaner bowl.
- Spice blend (onion powder, garlic powder, paprika): I use the same trio on both the sweet potatoes and the beef. And that’s intentional so that everything tastes cohesive, rather than like two separate dishes in a bowl. Plus, I love simplicity!
- Sauce: It’s a scaled-down version of my standalone In-N-Out copycat sauce, made with mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, and white vinegar. And I have to say, it’s the BEST burger sauce!
- Burger toppings: While you can adjust these to your personal preference, I use iceberg lettuce as it’s crispier and more burger-authentic than romaine. And I use Roma tomatoes that are deseeded before dicing, so they’re not watery. For cheese, cheddar cheese is classic, but you could also use Monterrey Jack or even crumbled goat cheese. And white onion feels more burger-ish to me than red onion, but you could of course use red onion if you have it.
How To Make The Sweet Potato Burger Bowl
First, season the sweet potato. Place the cubed sweet potato in a mixing bowl and add the olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss until every piece is evenly coated.
Then, roast the sweet potato. Arrange the sweet potato in a single layer on a sheet pan, ensuring there’s space between the cubes (crowding is the enemy of caramelization). Roast for 30 to 35 minutes at 425°F (200°C, stirring once halfway through, until the edges are golden and slightly crisp.
Meanwhile, cook the ground beef as the sweet potatoes roast. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef. Break it up with a spatula as it cooks, then add the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until fully browned with no pink remaining, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
Next, make the sauce (if you didn’t the day before). In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, white vinegar, and salt until smooth.
Lisa’s sauce tip: If you have a few minutes to spare, let the sauce sit in the fridge while the potatoes finish roasting. The flavors meld together, and it tastes noticeably after it’s had some time to sit.
Lastly, it’s time to assemble the bowls! Add a generous portion of roasted sweet potato to each bowl. Top with ground beef, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced pickles, and diced onion. Drizzle the sauce over the top and dig in!
How I Meal Prep This
If I’m planning ahead, I’ll prep each component on a Sunday morning so that assembly is super quick during the week. Just store everything in its own container (each item should last for around 4 to 5 days in the fridge). When you’d like to assemble, just reheat the roasted sweet potato and ground beef in a bowl in the microwave, then add your burger bowl toppings!
Lisa’s freezing tip: When I’m deep in meal prep mode, I’ll often make a double or triple portion of the seasoned ground beef so that I can freeze it and easily reheat it another month in the future. Then, I just need to prep the other ingredients, which are easy peasy!
More Healthy High-Protein Dinners
- Mediterranean Ground Beef Stir Fry: The easiest stir fry!
- Steak Salad: The best summer dinner.
- Mini Meatloaf Muffins: A true meal prep winner.
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas: The sheet pan makes it easy.
- Or check out this list of my favorite high-protein dinner recipes or ground beef recipes!
If you make this sweet potato burger bowl recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’d like to see more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my email community here.
Description
Ingredients
For the sweet potato
- 2 pounds sweet potato (2 to 3 potatoes), cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the burger meat
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, chopped extra fine
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- pinch kosher salt
For the toppings
- 3 cups shredded lettuce
- 4 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- ½ cup diced white onion
- ½ cup diced Dill pickles
Instructions
- Season the sweet potato. Preheat your oven to 425°F (200°C). Place the cubed sweet potato in a mixing bowl and add the oil, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Roast the sweet potato. Arrange the sweet potato in a dingle layer on a sheet pan, making sure there's space between the cubes. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring the potatoes halfway through.
- Brown the beef. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef. Use a spatula to break it up, then add the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned.
- Make the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, add the mayonnaise, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, and salt. Stir together.
- Assemble the burger bowls. Add a portion of the sweet potato to a bowl. Top with ground beef, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced pickles, and diced onion.
Lisa’s Tips
- Meal prep tip: Prep each component on a Sunday morning so that assembly is super quick during the week! Store everything in its own container (each item should last for around 5 days in the fridge). For assembly, reheat the roasted sweet potato and ground beef in a bowl in the microwave, then add your burger bowl toppings.
Nutrition
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How I Tested This Recipe
To be honest, this one didn’t need much testing after I nailed the recipe for my In-N-Out sauce. The roasted sweet potatoes have been on my website for years. And using the same seasoning on the both the sweet potatoes and ground beef seemed like a no brainer (garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika are such a great flavor combo).
The only thing I debated was adding pickles. I’m not much of a pickle girl, but I do feel like they added that perfect briny touch. I also liked them diced small in this burger bowl, more so than having them sliced on top of a burger. Of course, you can always adjust the toppings to your liking. Enjoy!
