Bunless Chili Cheese Burger

Name: Bunless Chili Cheese Burger
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 beef burger patty (about 1/3 lb); 1/2 cup chili con carne, beans skimmed off; 1/4 cup grated cheddar; Lettuce leaves, or other low carb toppings

By The Sugarfreechic Cook February 5, 2013

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Prep: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 15 min
Yield: 1 serving
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

7 g

Net carbs / serving

Calories: about 500 kcal
Protein: 35 g
Fat: 32 g
Fiber: 3 g

Serving size	1 serving
Calories	about 500 kcal
Net carbs	7 g
Total carbs	10 g
Fiber	3 g
Sugar	3 g
Protein	35 g
Fat	32 g

Values are estimates per serving.

Ingredients

Servings 1

1 beef burger patty (about 1/3 lb)
1/2 cup chili con carne, beans skimmed off
1/4 cup grated cheddar
Lettuce leaves, or other low carb toppings

Method

1. Grill or pan-sear the burger patty until cooked through to an internal 160°F (71°C).
2. Reheat the chili, skimming off the top of the pot to leave most of the beans behind.
3. Set the patty on a plate or a couple of lettuce leaves and spoon the chili over the top.
4. Sprinkle with the grated cheddar so it melts into the hot chili. Serve with a knife and fork, or fold the lettuce around it. Enjoy!

This bunless chili cheese burger is a grilled patty under a ladle of low-carb chili and melted cheese, about 7 grams of net carb once you skim the beans off the chili. It turns two leftovers into a real meal in the time it takes to reheat the pot.

Today for lunch I'm keeping things super simple. Since we opted out of having a Superbowl party this year we ended up with a ton of leftovers. I defrosted too much ground beef the other day when I made my chili con carne, so I grilled up some burger patties to keep on hand for an easy lunch, and combined the two. Making a bunless chili burger is also one of my favorite go to meals at BBQ get togethers. During the summer my friends and I love to go to a local event called the "Burger Bash." This is a big grilling get together with a salad bar and soups. I tend to grab a grilled burger patty, top it with the chili (skimming off the top of the pot to try to avoid any beans) and a sprinkle of cheese. Every time I do this I always overhear someone say "that is a great idea." So I figured I would make my own.

A diner chili-burger without the carbs

The chili cheeseburger is an American diner classic, a patty drowned in chili and cheese, usually on a bun that soaks through halfway down. The low carb version keeps everything good about it and drops the part that was holding the carbs. The trick is the chili itself: skim from the top of the pot so the beans stay behind, because the beans are where most of a bowl of chili's carbs live. What is left, seasoned ground beef in tomato and spice over another patty, is most of a plate of protein with the starch skimmed off.

Eat it with a fork or wrap it in lettuce

Without a bun to hold the stack, a loaded patty will slide apart, so give it a base. The simplest is a knife and fork, patty down and chili spooned over so it eats like an open chili plate. For something you can pick up, fold it into a couple of sturdy iceberg or romaine leaves that stand in for the bun and catch the drips. Either way, keep the chili on top rather than mixed in so the patty stays a patty. It belongs with the rest of my keto comfort dinners, the kind of food that tastes like the off-limits version and is not.

Sources:

USDA FoodData Central, nutrient reference for ground beef, cheese, and chili
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, safe minimum internal temperature for ground beef
Sugarfreechic test kitchen, bunless chili cheese burger notes

Frequently asked questions

Is a bunless chili cheese burger keto?

Yes. The patty and cheese carry no carbs, and the only carbs come from the chili, so skimming the beans off keeps a serving around 7 grams of net carb.

How do I keep it from falling apart without a bun?

Two ways. Eat it open with a knife and fork, chili spooned over the patty, or fold it into a couple of sturdy lettuce leaves like iceberg or romaine to hold the whole stack.

How do I keep the chili low carb?

Skim from the top of the pot to leave the beans behind, since the beans are where most of the carbs sit. A meat-forward chili con carne with tomato and spices stays low.

What is the safe temperature for the patty?

Cook ground beef all the way through to an internal 160°F. Unlike a steak, a burger needs to be fully cooked because grinding spreads any surface bacteria through the meat.