🍃 Paleo & Whole30 Burger
✅ Naturally: 🍃 Paleo 🥑 Keto 🌾 Gluten-Free 🥛 Dairy-Free
Quality beef, real vegetables, and a compliant sauce. This is what a burger looks like with nothing left to strip out.
This is the "everything-free" burger: no bun, no dairy, no added sugar, no grains — which means it happens to be paleo, Whole30, keto, gluten-free, and dairy-free all at the same time. The two details that actually matter here are the bacon and the mayo. Most bacon is cured with added sugar, so look for a "no sugar added" or Whole30-compliant version. And most store-bought mayo is made with soybean or canola oil, which isn't Whole30 compliant even though it reads as "paleo-ish" — use an avocado-oil mayo instead.
🧾 Paleo & Whole30 Burger — Recipe Card
From I Love Hamburger — ilovehamburger.com
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb (680g) ground beef, 80/20 chuck (grass-fed if available)
- 8 slices sugar-free bacon (check the label — most bacon is cured with added sugar)
- 8 large butter lettuce or romaine leaves
- Compliant sauce: avocado-oil mayo + a little mustard + grated garlic
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Sliced tomato, red onion, pickles (check for added sugar)
- Kosher salt, black pepper, avocado oil for cooking
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp; set aside and keep a little fat in the pan.
- Form the beef into 4 dimpled patties. Season both sides with salt and pepper just before cooking.
- Sear the patties in the bacon fat (or avocado oil) over high heat, undisturbed, 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook 2–3 minutes more to 160°F (71°C) internal. No cheese here.
- Mix the mayo, mustard and garlic for the sauce.
- Lay out 2 lettuce leaves per burger, overlapping like a bun.
- Build: sauce, patty, bacon, avocado, tomato, onion, pickles. Wrap or eat open-faced.
👨🍳 Tips for the best Paleo & Whole30 Burger
- Most bacon has added sugar in the cure — look for "no sugar added" or "Whole30 compliant" specifically.
- Standard mayo uses soybean or canola oil, which is not Whole30 compliant even though it seems paleo-friendly — use an avocado-oil mayo instead.
- Many pickles have added sugar too — check the label or make quick refrigerator pickles.
- This same build is also keto, gluten-free, and dairy-free — one recipe covers every diet on this site.
✅ This recipe is written to already fit every diet we cover — no swaps needed. See the Specialty Diet Burger Guide for more.
Burger HQ Picks Recommended Tools for This Recipe
Pre-Seasoned 12" Cast Iron Skillet
Holds screaming-hot heat for the deep, even crust that makes a steakhouse-style burger. Lasts a lifetime.
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Frequently asked questions
Is bacon paleo?
Quality bacon without added sugar or fillers fits paleo. For strict Whole30 you specifically need a "no sugar added" or Whole30-compliant bacon, since most bacon is cured with sugar.
Is mayo paleo or Whole30 compliant?
Homemade or avocado-oil mayo is both paleo and Whole30 compliant. Most standard grocery-store mayo uses soybean or canola oil, which is not Whole30 compliant.
Can I eat a burger on Whole30?
Yes — lettuce-wrapped, no cheese, sugar-free bacon, and a compliant sauce, exactly like this recipe.