Who fancies a burger? With the summer holidays in full swing, nothing tempts the taste buds like a juicy patty and layers of your favourite toppings. At Slimming World, burgers are definitely on the menu, and Sal is serving up one of our all-time favourite recipes in her latest store-cupboard cook-in.

Slimming World chef Sal has been with us all the way through lockdown, sharing cook-along recipe videos to help you make delicious Slimming World meals using ingredients you’ve probably already got in your kitchen.

Cooking from her sister’s kitchen where she’s social distancing, Sal has already served up:

This week, Sal’s bringing us a burger in a bowl – and revealing the not-so-secret recipe for Slimming World’s super sauce! With this store-cupboard star, you can enjoy the flame-grilled flavours of the barbecue favourite, and lose weight along the way.

On the menu this week is a burger in a bowl. Sal tells us more…

“This recipe is spot on for summer! It’s a firm favourite with my family and I make it at least once a fortnight.

Burger in a bowl is a fantastic dish if you’re slimming, because you don’t feel like you’re missing out when everyone else is having a burger at the barbecue. This recipe has all the elements of a great burger, just without the bun that can quickly bump up your daily Syns when you’re Food Optimising. And if you add a drizzle of Slimming World’s super sauce, it’ll taste just like your favourite takeaway burger, too 😉.

This dish also makes the most of juicy tomatoes and crunchy lettuce, which are perfectly in season right now – yet another reason why this burger in a bowl is one of my go-to recipes at this time of year.”

Sal’s burger in a bowl tips

You could use Quorn or other Free meat alternatives instead of beef mince.
Any lettuce that has a crunchy texture is great for this recipe. We’ve used iceberg, but gem or cos would work just as well.
Tomatoes are deliciously in season now, so mix things up by using baby plum, cherry or even yellow varieties.
Ensure the pan is very hot when you add the meat, so it’ll turn almost crispy and caramelised by the time it’s cooked.

MORE ON THE BLOG: Make the most of sunny weather with our satisfying salads

Slimming World burger in a bowl

serves 4
1 Syn per serving
ready in 25 minutes

What you need:

low-calorie cooking spray
500g lean beef mince (5% fat or less)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ iceberg lettuce, roughly shredded
8 gherkins, sliced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

What you need for Slimming World’s super sauce:

3 level tbsp extra-light mayonnaise
5 tbsp fat-free fromage frais
1 level tbsp American-style mustard
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp garlic salt
¼ tsp onion granules
¼ tsp sweet smoked paprika

What you do:

1. Spray a large, heavy-based non-stick frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a high heat. Add the beef, onion and garlic and stir-fry for 7-8 minutes, or until the beef is cooked through and the onions have softened. Take the pan off the heat and drain any fat from the mixture. Season lightly.
2. Meanwhile, put all the sauce ingredients in a bowl with 4 tbsp water and whisk until well combined.
3. Mix together the lettuce, beef, red onion, tomatoes and gherkins, gherkins, and divide between 4 wide bowls. Divide the sauce between the burgers and serve hot.

MORE ON THE BLOG: Get your grill on with our sizzling barbecue ideas

Slimming World members have access to over 1,400 easy-to-make recipes on the website and app, as well as a handy Food Search tool to make meal planning easy. Add to that the support of an expert Consultant and the welcoming Slimming World community, and you’ll have all you need to set you up for a successful weight loss journey.

Please join in with the cook-along and let us know how you get on – we’d love to see what you’re creating, how you’ve made it work for you and the ingredients you have. And you can share your pics on social media, too, using #theSlimmingWorldblog