Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce

This delicious Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce combines the satisfaction of a classic cheeseburger with a fresh and flavorful salad. Featuring crisp romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, zingy dill pickle slices, carrots, black olives, red onion, and a generous sprinkle of crispy bacon and salty blue cheese crumbles. A drizzle of zippy Special Sauce provides the crowning touch to this burger-inspired creation.

Jump to:

• Ingredients Needed to Make this Burger Salad
• How to Make Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs
• What’s Special about Special Sauce?
• The Best Toppings for a Burger Salad: Variations
• Keeping it Fresh: Storage and Reheating Tips for Salad with Meatballs
• Essential Tools for Making this Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs
• More Delicious Salad Recipes to Explore
• Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce

Ingredients Needed to Make this Burger Salad

For the meatballs:

• Ground Beef
• Panko Bread Crumbs - You can easily swap these out for gluten-free panko bread crumbs if needed.
• Egg
• Dijon Mustard
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Dried Onion Flakes
• Dried Parsley
• Kosher Salt - Diamond Crystal kosher salt is a staple in my pantry.
• Cracked Black Pepper
• Cheddar Cheese - You’ll want to use block cheese so it can easily be sliced into cubes.

For the special sauce:

• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup
• Dill Pickle Relish
• Dijon Mustard
• White Vinegar
• Dried Dill
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Cracked Black Pepper

For the salad:

• Bacon
• Lettuce
• Avocado
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Black Olives
• Dill Pickle Slices
• Blue Cheese
• Red Onion

How to Make Easy Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

Learn how to create irresistible Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs that are the star of this burger-inspired salad. With a simple step-by-step process, you'll master the art of combining succulent ground beef, flavorful spices, and gooey cheddar cheese for a truly mouthwatering batch of cheesy meatballs at home:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit / 190 degrees Celcius. Line a baker’s half sheet with parchment paper and reserve to the side.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, panko bread crumbs, egg, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, dried chopped onion, dried parsley, kosher salt, and cracked black pepper. Mix until just blended.
3. Divide the mixed meat into 4 equal portions, forming quadrants in the bowl. This will help you portion out 12 meatballs evenly (3 meatballs from each quadrant).
4. Place a cube of cheddar cheese in the center and mold the beef mixture around it, forming a meatball. Repeat with all the mixture and cheese.
5. Arrange the meatballs on the reserved baking sheet and bake for 17-20 minutes, or until the meatballs are golden and cooked through. There will likely be some cheese beginning to seep out of the meatballs and that is perfectly okay. They should still be very cheesy inside.

What’s Special about Special Sauce?

Whether you call it special sauce, burger sauce, fry sauce, fancy sauce, or secret sauce -- This fresh and zesty sauce is the finishing touch that elevates a humble burger into a masterpiece and is a must for this absolutely delicious burger salad. This special sauce recipe is comprised of simple ingredients you will likely already have stocked in your fridge and pantry and can be made in 5 minutes or less!

What is Special Sauce Made From?

Special Sauce starts with a classic pink sauce base of creamy mayonnaise mixed with ketchup but gets a flavorful level up with briny dill pickle relish, zingy white vinegar, herbaceous dried dill, and a kick of spice from Dijon mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper. This easy sauce marries tanginess, creaminess, and a touch of sweet heat in each delectable drop.

How to Use Special Sauce

This versatile and easy sauce is a flavorful addition to so many dishes. Some of my favorite ways to use Special Sauce are:

• This Cheese-Stuffed Meatball Salad
• Smothered on top of traditional beef or turkey burgers
• On black bean burgers
• On fish burgers or fried fish sandwiches
• As a dip for fried fish, shrimp, or calamari
• As a dip for french fries, potato wedges, roasted sweet potatoes, or crispy smashed potatoes
• As a spread for sandwiches -- It’s particularly good on Reuben sandwiches in place of the traditional Russian dressing, turkey melts, and tuna melts
• Drizzled on top of roasted root vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, onions, radishes, and rutabaga

The Best Toppings for a Burger Salad: Variations

My favorite way to serve these Burger Salads to a crowd is by setting up a customizable salad bar, allowing everyone to craft their salads with their preferred toppings. Begin with a foundation of crisp salad greens, such as chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce, along with the indulgent Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs. From there, the possibilities for creative salad toppings are as diverse as your taste preferences:

• Bacon - For fans of bacon cheeseburgers, crispy bacon is an essential topping. I typically pre-chop the bacon and pan-fry it for that perfect crunch. Alternatively, you can bake it on a separate sheet in the oven alongside the meatballs and crumble it afterward.
• Avocado - Avocado is a universal favorite and I just don't know if there's a salad that wouldn't be 2 x tastier without the creamy richness it adds.
• Tomatoes - While I prefer the vibrant sweetness of sliced cherry tomatoes, you can also opt for diced hothouse tomatoes, akin to the classic burger. If available, the robust heirloom tomatoes are also a superb choice.
• Cheese - As if filling the meatballs with cheddar wasn't enough, I also like to top this salad with a second cheesy option. A salty blue cheese is my favorite choice, but feta cheese or mozzarella balls are also a great alternative.
• Olives - Despite being an unconventional burger topping, I find it essential in a salad. Black olives, with their briny richness, harmonize impeccably with this salad combination.
• Crunchies - Adding texture is key, and my preferred method is shredded or sliced carrots for an extra crunch. For a playful twist, introduce sunflower seeds or other delightful crunch-enhancing elements.
• Onions - A burst of oniony goodness can be achieved through thinly sliced red onions, vibrant chopped green onions, or the satisfying crunch of crispy fried onions.
• Pickles - While our preference leans toward sliced hamburger dills, cornichons offer an equally enjoyable alternative. For those who aren't pickle enthusiasts, sliced cucumber offers a refreshing crunch.
• Sauce Options: Enhance your Burger Salad with a finishing sauce. While I recommend the zesty Special Sauce, which perfectly complements the ingredients, you can also try classic options like ranch (This Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing is really tasty!), tangy Thousand Island, or rich French dressing.

Keeping it Fresh: Storage and Reheating Tips for Salad with Meatballs

If you are meal-prepping this salad into storage containers, arrange heavier, moisture-filled ingredients (like pickles and tomatoes) at the bottom, and place more delicate elements (like salad greens) on top. I prefer to store the Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce in separate containers from the rest of the salad fixings so that the meatballs can be easily reheated and the sauce can be added just before serving.

Essential Tools for Making this Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs

• A cutting board
• A chef’s knife
• A kitchen scale (or measuring cups for less precise measurements)
• Measuring spoons
• A large mixing bowl and a smaller mixing bowl
• A baker’s half sheet lined with parchment paper
• A silicone spatula

Are you looking to upgrade your cooking tools or replenish your pantry?

Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

More Delicious Salad Recipes to Explore

Love this tasty Burger Salad with Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs and Special Sauce recipe? Check out these delicious salad recipes that will satisfy your cravings for fresh and flavorful meals:

• BBQ Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
• BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Peaches and Cornbread Croutons
• Wedge Salad with Horseradish Blue Cheese Dressing
• Caesar Salad with Spicy Roasted Chickpeas, Jammy Eggs, and Avocado
• Tuna Nicoise Salad

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