Bacon Cheeseburger with Secret Sauce

This Bacon Cheeseburger is a healthier take on an old classic, so you can get your burger fix without compromising on your macros! It’s juicy, piled with caramelized onions, and finished with my special secret sauce: a creamy, tangy blend with just a touch of sweetness that takes it over the top. Super tasty AND easy to make!

About This Recipe

There is just something about biting into a classic bacon cheeseburger. The ooey-gooey cheese, drippy sauce, and crunch of the toasty bun are the absolute best.

Now, there’s a time and a place for a healthier burger alternative, like a lettuce-wrapped burger, or perhaps a substitution with grilled fish or chicken, but sometimes you just need a classic, ordinary cheeseburger. (Okay, full disclosure, I did use turkey for this recipe, but still.)

This almost classic bacon cheeseburger tackles that craving but leaves you feeling good. You would probably never guess that this is a macro-friendly dinner! But it is.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ground turkey: I used organic Fulton Farms 93/7 lean ground turkey from Costco, labeled at just 4.5 fat/4 oz. It’s my favorite. You’re welcome to use lean ground beef!
• Seasonings: We’re keeping it simple and seasoning the burger patties with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• White onion: I like to use fresh white onion, but you can swap it for yellow onion in a pinch. It adds a nice crunch and mild bite to the burger.
• Non-fat Greek yogurt: This is the secret to a creamy, high-protein sauce without all the fat! It works as a great substitute for mayo and adds a good protein boost.
• Pickle juice: It might sound odd, but a quick splash of pickle juice is what gives this sauce its addictive, tangy flavor!
• Sweet relish: If you hate sweet relish, or just only want to buy one jar of pickles, you can use dill relish or finely chop pickles! I just love the sweet factor. If you skip the sweet relish, you’ll save a little over 1 carb per serving.
• Honey mustard: I love honey mustard and always have it on hand, but feel free to use yellow mustard instead. The honey mustard only adds 1 carb to the whole recipe, so it’s pretty much negligible either way.
• Ketchup: I use a small amount of ketchup in the secret sauce. You can swap it for sugar-free ketchup to save a carb or two!
• Brioche hamburger buns: My brioche buns are labeled at 3 fat and 23 carbs if you’d like similar or better macros. Another great option is a large Kaiser roll from the bakery section: slice the bottom thin, hollow out the top, and aim for 46 grams to match the 23 carbs. Don’t skip the pan-toast though!
• Cheddar cheese: I always go with a sharp cheddar for maximum flavor. Pre-sliced works great here, but freshly sliced from the deli will melt even better!
• Bacon: I use and love the precooked bacon from Costco. It makes it so easy to throw one piece on a meal and take it up a notch. It’s the only precooked bacon I’ve found that gets nice and crispy in the microwave. Not AS good as cooking your own. But good.

Dietary Adaptations 

GF: Swap the brioche buns for your favorite gluten-free burger buns or serve the patty lettuce-wrapped. Make sure you double-check any pre-seasoned bacon for hidden gluten too. For more gluten-free alternatives, visit My Go-to Gluten-free Product List!

DF: The only dairy in this recipe comes from the Greek yogurt in the secret sauce and the cheddar cheese. Swap the Greek yogurt for a plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt to maintain the same creamy texture and protein boost, and either skip the cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.

Vegetarian: Use a plant-based burger patty instead of ground turkey, and opt for plant-based bacon or omit it altogether.

How to Make

1. Weigh meat into 4 oz balls and place them on a plate or sheet pan. Season the meat liberally with kosher salt, garlic powder, and a few cracks of pepper. I go heavy on salt and garlic here.
2. Heat a heavy-bottomed pan to high heat. Next, spray your pan with a light mist of avocado oil spray and let it get nice and hot. 
3. Smash the meat patties as flat as you can, then place them in the pan, seasoned-side down. Season the uncooked tops while they cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip. If you are adding cheese, slap it on top and cook the other side for a couple of minutes.
4. Next, add sliced onion to a hot pan. Spray the onion with a mist of olive oil spray and sprinkle with kosher salt. Let your onions cook for a minute or two, then turn it down to medium heat. Cook the onions for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft and sweet.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, pickle juice, relish, honey mustard, and ketchup.
6. Spray the buns with olive oil spray and toast on a hot skillet until golden brown. There ya go— you’re ready to build your bacon cheeseburger with all your favorite toppings!

How To Store

Once your burgers have cooled down, wrap them up tightly in foil or plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Helpful Tips

• While this isn’t necessary to make these burgers, a food scale comes in super handy for weighing your ingredients. If you are looking for an excellent food scale, the My Weigh KD-8000 scale is the way to go. I’ve had mine for years and only have had to replace the batteries a handful of times. It can handle my big pots and weigh out little toppings for things like my nightly shake.
• I like to cook these in my cast iron skillet so I can cook multiple patties at a time and have dinner on the table stat! You’re welcome to cook these on the grill too.
• If your pan isn’t smoking hot before the patties go in, you won’t get that good crusty sear, so be patient and let it heat up all the way first!
• Don’t press down on the patties with your spatula while they cook— you’ll just squeeze out all the juices and end up with a dry burger.
• I like to build my burger with the sauce on the bottom bun first, so it doesn’t slide right off when you take a bite!

Serving Suggestions

I love to pair these bacon cheeseburgers with a simple salad, a side of parmesan carrot fries, or loaded smashed potatoes!

Similar Burger Recipes

Looking for more delicious burger recipes that are light and Macro-friendly like this bacon cheeseburger? Be sure to check out these other recipes!

• My Favorite Burger
• Pineapple Pork Jalepeño Sandwich
• Greek Turkey Burger
• Green Goddess Turkey Burger on Ciabatta
• Easy Buffalo Chicken Sandwich