Cheeseburger Rice Bowls (Cheap and Easy Meal Prep Recipe)
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
These Cheeseburger Rice Bowls are everything I love about a classic cheeseburger turned into an easy, budget-friendly meal prep bowl. They are made with seasoned ground beef, fluffy rice cooked in beef broth, cheddar cheese, and a simple burger sauce that brings everything together.
I love this recipe because it gives me all the cheeseburger flavor without needing buns, a grill, or a pile of extra dishes. It is hearty, easy to pack for lunches, and reheats beautifully throughout the week.
I have been making more meal prep bowls lately because they make busy weeks feel so much easier. This is one of those recipes I can make on a Sunday afternoon and feel like I already have lunch handled for several days.
My family loves anything with ground beef, rice, and cheese, so these bowls fit right in with our favorite easy dinners like taco rice bowls, cheeseburger pasta, and other simple ground beef recipes. I especially like this one when I want something that feels a little fun but still uses basic ingredients I almost always have in my kitchen.
Table of contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I love these Cheeseburger Rice Bowls because they are simple, filling, and made with ingredients my family already enjoys. The ground beef is seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then simmered with a little beef broth to keep it flavorful and juicy.
Cooking the rice in beef broth is one of my favorite tricks for making a simple rice bowl taste like more than just plain rice. It gives the whole meal a richer flavor and makes the bowls taste more like a cheeseburger-inspired dinner instead of just beef over rice.
These ground beef rice bowls are also great for meal prep because the warm ingredients reheat well, and the fresh toppings can be added right before serving. I like that everyone can customize their own bowl with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, or extra burger sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These Cheeseburger Rice Bowls use simple ingredients that come together to make an easy ground beef meal prep recipe with classic burger flavor.
- Lean ground beef: This is the main protein in the rice bowls and gives them that classic cheeseburger flavor. I like using lean ground beef so the bowls are hearty without being too greasy. Ground turkey can also be used if desired.
- Small onion: The onion cooks with the beef and adds savory flavor. I dice it small so it blends right into the beef mixture.
- Garlic powder: Garlic powder gives the ground beef a simple, familiar flavor that works well with the burger sauce and cheddar cheese.
- Salt: Salt helps season the beef and bring out the flavor of the whole bowl.
- Black pepper: Black pepper adds a little extra flavor without making the recipe spicy.
- Uncooked long-grain white rice: Long-grain white rice makes a fluffy base for the bowls. It soaks up the beef broth and pairs perfectly with the seasoned ground beef.
- Beef broth: Beef broth is used to cook the rice and to simmer the beef. This adds extra flavor and keeps the bowls from tasting plain. Reduced-sodium beef broth can be used if you prefer.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Cheddar cheese gives the bowls that classic cheeseburger flavor. I like adding it while the rice and beef are still warm so it melts slightly.
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is the creamy base of the burger sauce.
- Ketchup: Ketchup adds sweetness and classic burger flavor to the sauce.
- Yellow mustard: Mustard adds tang and helps balance the richness of the mayo and cheese.
- Pickle relish: Pickle relish gives the burger sauce that little bit of pickle flavor that makes it taste like a cheeseburger.
- Dill pickle slices: Pickles are optional, but I love adding them after reheating for crunch and tangy flavor.
- Diced tomatoes: Tomatoes add freshness and make the bowls feel more like a loaded burger.
- Shredded lettuce: Lettuce is best added after reheating so it stays crisp.
How to Make Cheeseburger Rice Bowls
These cheeseburger meal prep bowls come together in just a few simple steps. I like to cook the rice first, then make the beef mixture while the rice is simmering so everything is ready around the same time.
My Best Tips for Cheeseburger Rice Bowls
For the best flavor, do not skip the beef broth. Cooking the rice in beef broth instead of water is a simple step, but it makes these ground beef rice bowls taste so much better.
One little trick that works for me in my kitchen is scraping up the browned bits from the skillet after adding the beef broth to the beef mixture. That small step adds a lot of flavor and makes the beef taste richer without needing extra ingredients.
If you are making these bowls for meal prep, I recommend storing the lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and burger sauce separately if possible. Reheat the rice, beef, and cheese first, then add the cold toppings right before eating. This keeps everything tasting fresh and prevents the lettuce from wilting.
If you want the cheddar cheese to melt into the beef and rice, add it while the ingredients are still warm. If you prefer the cheese to stay more visible on top, sprinkle it on after reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These Cheeseburger Rice Bowls are filling enough to serve on their own, especially for lunch or meal prep. They have rice, beef, cheese, and sauce all in one bowl, so you do not need much else.
If I am serving these for dinner, I like to set out the toppings separately so everyone can build their own bowl. Pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, extra shredded cheese, chopped red onion, and extra burger sauce are all great options.
You can also serve these bowls with a simple side salad, roasted vegetables, air fryer fries, or fresh fruit. For a more fast-food-style dinner at home, pair them with oven fries or tater tots.
Recipe Variations
There are so many easy ways to change up these cheeseburger bowls depending on what you have on hand.
For a lighter version, use ground turkey instead of ground beef. The flavor will be a little different, but the burger sauce and cheddar cheese still make it taste delicious.
For a bacon cheeseburger rice bowl, add cooked crumbled bacon over the top before serving. Bacon adds smoky flavor and makes the bowls feel extra hearty.
For a spicy version, add diced jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, or a little hot sauce to the burger sauce. You can also stir a little smoked paprika or chili powder into the beef mixture.
For a lower-carb option, serve the seasoned beef, cheese, sauce, and toppings over cauliflower rice instead of white rice.
For a Big Mac-inspired rice bowl, add shredded lettuce, diced pickles, sesame seeds, and a creamy burger sauce. You can also add a little finely diced onion on top for extra flavor.
How to Store Cheeseburger Rice Bowls
Store the meal prep bowls in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, store the rice, beef, and cheese together, then keep the burger sauce and fresh toppings separate until ready to serve.
If you already added the sauce to the bowls, they will still be fine, but the texture is best when the sauce is added after reheating.
How to Reheat Cheeseburger Rice Bowls
Reheat the rice, beef, and cheese in the microwave until warmed through. The exact time will depend on your microwave, but I usually start with 1 to 2 minutes, then stir and heat a little longer if needed.
Add the burger sauce, pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes after reheating. This keeps the toppings fresh and makes the bowls taste more like a cheeseburger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, these bowls are perfect for meal prep. Store them in airtight meal prep containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, keep the fresh toppings and burger sauce separate until ready to eat.
Yes, ground turkey can be substituted for the beef if desired. I recommend using beef broth with the turkey to help add more savory flavor.
Yes, you can use another rice if you prefer, but the cooking time and amount of broth may need to change depending on the package directions. Long-grain white rice works well because it cooks up fluffy and reheats nicely.
You can cook the rice in water, but beef broth adds extra flavor to the rice and makes the bowls taste much better. It is one of the easiest ways to make this simple meal prep recipe taste more like a full dinner.
Add the lettuce after reheating. Lettuce does not reheat well and can become wilted, so it is best added fresh right before serving.
The rice, beef, and cheese can be frozen, but I would not freeze the burger sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, or pickles. For best results, freeze only the cooked rice and beef mixture, then add fresh sauce and toppings after reheating.
Dill pickles, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, extra cheddar cheese, chopped onion, and burger sauce are all great toppings. You can also add bacon, jalapeños, or avocado if you want to change things up.
Yes, these bowls are great for make-ahead lunches because they reheat well and are easy to pack. I like that they feel more fun than a basic lunch but are still simple and budget-friendly.
These Cheeseburger Rice Bowls are such an easy way to turn simple ground beef and rice into a meal my family actually looks forward to eating. They are hearty, flavorful, and perfect for busy weeks when I want lunches ready to go.
I hope you give these cheeseburger meal prep bowls a try soon. If you make them, I would love for you to leave a comment and let me know how your family liked them.
Cheeseburger Rice Bowls
Ingredients
Rice Bowls
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 3 ½ cups beef broth, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Burger Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp pickle relish
Optional Toppings
Directions
- Cook the rice in the 3 cups of beef broth according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook until softened.
- Stir in the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour in ½ cup beef broth, scrape up any browned bits, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and pickle relish in a small bowl.
- Divide the rice among 5 meal prep containers. Top with the beef mixture and shredded cheddar cheese. Store the burger sauce separately or drizzle it over the bowls just before serving. Add pickles, lettuce, and tomatoes after reheating, if desired.
Notes
- Beef broth adds extra flavor to both the rice and the beef.
- Reduced-sodium beef broth may be used if preferred.
- For best texture, store lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and burger sauce separately until ready to eat.
- Reheat the rice, beef, and cheese first, then add the cold toppings.
- Ground turkey or ground chicken can be used instead of ground beef.
Nutrition Facts
⭐ Leave a comment and rating below — it helps other readers!
👩🍳 Did you make any changes or substitutions?
I’d love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen.
📌 Save this recipe so you can make it again.
📧 Want more easy family dinners like this in your inbox?
Join my free Dinner Idea Box newsletter for simple family dinners every week.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes You’ll Love
If you love these Cheeseburger Rice Bowls, here are a few more easy ground beef recipes that are perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep lunches, and family dinners. These simple recipes use familiar ingredients and come together without a lot of extra work.
