Grilled Onion Cheddar Burgers & Coleslaw

Delicious grilled onion Cheddar burger patties with red cabbage coleslaw salad make for a perfect gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly meal. Made with nutrient-dense beef, these cheesy hamburger patties are served without a bun, on top of or wrapped in lettuce. You can add a bun if you wish.


Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger patties on a bed of coleslaw, tomato and lettuce

Jump to: ℹ️ Overview | 🛒 Ingredients | 📷 How To Make |👨‍🍳 Nutrition Notes | 📝 Go To Full Recipe |🍽More Healthy Ground Beef Recipes


Grilled Onion Cheddar Burgers

My favourite thing about these naked burgers is the melted cheese over beef patties and the addition of grilled onions. They are perfectly savoury and juicy, with touch of ketchup to add a little acidity and sweetness.

For optimal nutrition, I like to use grass-fed beef and for extra flavour, Cheddar is my choice of cheese. You can use any type of cheese you like here. If you want to keep this meal low-carb or keto, serve the grilled onion cheeseburgers naked without a bun or you can try this recipe for keto burger buns. I use a sugar-free ketchup sauce.

Red Cabbage Coleslaw

Whenever I make hamburgers, I love a creamy cabbage coleslaw on the side. It’s a satiating salad that works particularly well with low-carb or keto burgers without a bun.

Made with red cabbage, grated carrots, red peppers and onions and a dressing of mayonnaise, yoghurt and mustard, this coleslaw salad is healthy, delicious and works well with burgers, grilled meats, chicken or fish. It’s great in tacos or as a side dish with almost any main dish.

You can make this slaw with white or red cabbage. I like the red cabbage because it adds a burst of colour AND has more antioxidants due to its pigments.

Creamy red cabbage coleslaw salad with grated carrots, red peppers and onions. Mayonnaise dressing for coleslaw.

How To make Grilled Onion Cheddar Burgers

  • Hamburger patties: I highly recommend using grass-fed beef. It’s only slightly more expensive but the taste and nutrition is far more superior and is worth that extra. The seasonings are pretty simple: salt, pepper, paprika and garlic. A lot of the flavour will come from grilled onions, Cheddar cheese and ketchup (I used Undivided Food sugar-free tomato ketchup).
  • Coleslaw: Shredded red cabbage, carrots, red capsicum (bell peppers), finely sliced onions, salt and pepper, mustard, mayonnaise and Greek yoghurt (I use this to lighten up the dressing and add a bit of tang). For a dairy-free version, use more mayo and a splash of lemon juice, omit yoghurt.
  • Step 1. Combine beef hamburger ingredients in a bowl and mix using your hands.
  • Step 2. Roll beef mixture into round, flat patties and set aside.
  • Step 3. Cut the onions into thin circles. If you like lots of onion on your burger, feel free to fry up a bigger batch.
  • Step 4. In a medium or large frying pan or a skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions and salt cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and slightly caramelised. Finish with a drizzle of Balsamic and stir through.
  • Step 5. Pan-fry or grill the hamburger patties over medium-high heat for 3 minutes on the first side.
  • Step 6. Flip over, spread a tablespoon of ketchup on each and top with a few slices of Cheddar cheese. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 more minutes. The cheese should melt while the patties are cooking.
  • Step 7. You can leave the patties in the pan or a skillet or transfer them to a platter with lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes. Or have lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes tucked on the side of the pan. Top each burger patty with grilled onions. You can sprinkle fried shallots or some chopped spring onions or even a little extra grated Cheddar.
  • Step 8. While the burger patties are cooking or ahead of time, slice and grate the vegetables for the coleslaw. Whisk the dressing and mix through the salad until well coated. Serve alongside the burgers.

Nutrition Notes

This low-carb burgers and coleslaw meal is designed for four servings. Here are macros:

Grilled onion Cheddar burger (per patty with toppings) : 418 calories, 8.6g total carbs, 1.2 g fibre (7.5 g net carbs), 32.8 g protein, 27.8 g fat. Nutrient-dense, especially high in B-vitamins (including B12 and folic acid), zinc, and iron. In fact, one serving will meet your daily requirements for B12 and 66% of zinc needs. Good amounts of calcium, too, 18% of daily value.

Red cabbage coleslaw: 149 calories, 9.3 g total carbs, 2.6 g fibre (6.7 g net carbs), 3.2 g protein, 11.4 g fat. High in vitamins, especially A, C and K and fibre. If you’re controlling calories, feel free to use light mayo or light yoguhrt.


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Grilled onion cheese burger recipe

Grilled Onion Cheddar Burgers & Red Cabbage Coleslaw

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Author: Irena Macri
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
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Calories: 577kcal
A healthy and delicious recipe for low-carb grilled onion Cheddar burger patties served with lettuce, tomatoes and a side of red cabbage coleslaw salad for a complete meal. This dish is nutrient-dense, low-carb and keto-friendly, and gluten-free.

Ingredients 

For the hamburger patties:

  • 500 g ground beef not too fatty (1 lb.)
  • 2 cloves garlic finely diced or grated
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of oil for cooking olive, avocado, coconut

Other bits:

  • 2 onions sliced into thin circles
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 100 g cheddar cheese sliced (3 oz.)
  • 4 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup (tomato sauce)
  • To serve: Lettuce leaves sliced tomatoes, fried shallots (the Asian ones) or chopped spring onions, pickles if you have some, extra ketchup.

Red Cabbage Coleslaw:

  • 4 cups red cabbage shredded
  • 1 small carrot grated
  • ¼ red onion thinly sliced
  • ½ red capsicum thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream or yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • A pinch of pepper

Instructions

  • Combine burger mixture in a bowl and mix through to incorporate. Make 4 round, flattened burger patties and set them aside. 
  • In a medium or large frying pan or a skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions and salt cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and slightly caramelised. Finish with a drizzle of Balsamic and stir through. 
  • Pan-fry or grill the burger patties over medium-high heat for 3 minutes on the first side. Flip over, spread a tablespoon of ketchup on each and top with a few slices of Cheddar cheese. Cover with a lid and cook for 3-4 more minutes. The cheese should melt while the patties are cooking. You can also pop the skillet under the grill in the oven if it’s heatproof.
  • You can leave the patties in the pan or a skillet or transfer them to a platter with lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes. Or have lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes tucked on the side of the pan. Top each burger patty with grilled onions. You can sprinkle fried shallots or some chopped spring onions or even a little extra grated cheddar cheese.
  • While the burger patties are cooking or ahead of time, slice and grate the vegetables for the coleslaw. Whisk the dressing and mix through the salad until well coated. Serve alongside the burgers.

Notes

  • The nutrition label below is for burgers and slaw (everything listed in ingredients besides veggie toppings).
  • You can use any melting cheese on top but I love Cheddar for extra flavour. The sharper, the better.
  • I highly recommend using grass-fed beef. It’s a little more expensive, but it is tastier and more nutritious. 

Nutrition

Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 1553mg | Potassium: 847mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 4146IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 274mg | Iron: 4mg
Keywords: Dinner, Coleslaw, Burgers, Beef Burgers, Grilled Onions, Cheddar, Cheeseburgers, Red Cabbage
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Credits: Recipe by Irena Macri | Photography by Lindsay Fordham of That LOFO Life.

Irena Macri
By Irena Macri

About the author: Hi, I’m Irena Macri. I share delicious recipes that I have cooked and loved. I am a published cookbook author, have been food blogging for over 10 years and have a Diploma in Nutrition. You will find many healthy recipes as well as my favourite comfort food. More about me here | Subscribe to my newsletter and freebies

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