Keto Cheeseburger Lettuce Wraps (Printable)

Juicy cheeseburgers wrapped in crisp lettuce, topped with pickles and creamy keto-friendly sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Cheeseburgers

01 - 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 4 slices cheddar cheese

→ For the Lettuce Wraps

07 - 1 large head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated, washed, and patted dry

→ For the Toppings

08 - 8 dill pickle slices
09 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
10 - 1 medium tomato, sliced

→ For the Secret Sauce

11 - 0.25 cup mayonnaise
12 - 1 tablespoon sugar-free ketchup
13 - 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish with no added sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
15 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 - 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
17 - 0.25 teaspoon onion powder
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Method:

01 - In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sugar-free ketchup, dill pickle relish, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Refrigerate until serving.
02 - In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder using your hands. Mix until just incorporated, being careful not to overwork the meat.
03 - Divide the seasoned beef into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a patty slightly larger than your lettuce leaves, handling the meat as little as possible to maintain tenderness.
04 - Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the beef patties in the hot pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until reaching desired doneness.
05 - In the final minute of cooking, top each patty with a slice of cheddar cheese. Cover the skillet to trap heat and allow the cheese to melt completely.
06 - Arrange two large lettuce leaves per serving on a plate, overlapping them slightly for structural support. Place a cheese-topped patty onto the lettuce base.
07 - Spread secret sauce over the cheeseburger patty. Layer with dill pickle slices, thinly sliced red onion, and tomato slices if desired.
08 - Fold the lettuce leaves around the filling to enclose the burger. Serve immediately while the lettuce is crisp and the patty is warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get a legitimate cheeseburger experience in 35 minutes flat, no complicated keto substitutions required.
  • The secret sauce tastes like it belongs on a fancy burger joint menu, but it's honestly just five pantry staples mixed together.
  • Lettuce wraps stay crispy right up until you bite into them, which feels like a minor miracle compared to soggy low-carb alternatives.
02 -
  • Don't form your patties ahead of time and let them sit in the fridge—they'll be harder to handle and won't cook as evenly; shape them right before the pan is hot.
  • The lettuce leaves need to be completely dry or the burger will slide around inside them like it's on an ice rink; I pat mine with paper towels until they look almost crispy.
03 -
  • Keep the lettuce leaves in ice water for 15 minutes before assembling if they're looking a bit limp; they'll perk up and stay crispy longer.
  • Make the sauce the night before so the flavors have time to get friendly with each other, and then you're just cooking burgers when hunger hits.
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