Prep the vegetables by slicing 1 cup of grape tomatoes in half, slice ½ cup of red onion into thin strips, chop ½ cup of pickles, and shred the cheese to make 1 cup worth.
Slice and wash 2 romaine lettuce heats into thin strps. Pat dry with a kitchen towel or use a salad spinner to remove as much water as possible.
Bacon:
Cook 10 bacon slices in a frying pan over medium high heat until strips are crispy. Pat with paper towel to remove excess moisture, then crumble into small pieces. Drain the excess grease from the pan.
Ground Beef:
Add the 1 lb ground beef, 3 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper to a frying pan over medium high heat. Break the beef into smaller pieces with the tips of a spatula and mix evenly with the spices. Cook until the beef turns brown and is no longer pink. Drain any excess grease by swishing a paper towel with the tip of a spatula.
Salad Dressing:
In a small bowl combine the salad dressing ingredients: ½ cup plain greek yogurt, 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp mustard and ¼ tsp red pepper flakes. Mix together until smooth and creamy.
Salad Assembly:
Add a layer of chopped lettuce to serving plates or bowls. Add ½ cup of the cooked ground beef. Top with some sliced tomatoes, pickles, sliced red onion, shredded cheese, and crumbled bacon.
Drizzle the top with salad dressing and serve.
Recipe Notes:
REFRIGERATE – This salad is definitely best when served fresh. However, my husband still enjoyed eating it for lunch the next day. You can store the salad in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days.
The ground beef will have to be eaten cold at this point if the salad is already assembled.
Recipe Tips:
Keep the ground beef and dressing separate from other ingredients if you want to save some salad as leftovers. That way you can reheat the ground beef and drizzle the dressing just before serving to prevent the lettuce from wilting.
You can also use cooked and chopped burger patties in replacement of the ground beef. These can be cooked in the air fryer or on the barbecue. Chicken will also work for this recipe!
Salad dressing also tastes great as a regular burger topping! Store it in a sealed mason jar and shake it up just before serving. It’s easy and very delicious.