Jul 09 2026
RestaurantsThe MonicaKeto Court* Recipe

Keto Court* Recipe

Inspired by The Monica
Time50m
Serves4

substitute vegan beyond burger & vegan cheese PB +1.95

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Ingredients

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Almond flour buns (keto)

Fresh toppings & condiments

Method

Almond flour buns (keto)

  1. 1

    Preheat & mix dry

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk together almond flour, psyllium husk powder, baking powder and 1/2 tsp fine salt until evenly combined.

  2. 2

    Add wet ingredients

    In a separate bowl whisk the 4 large eggs, melted butter and apple cider vinegar until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until a thick, slightly sticky dough forms. Let rest 2 minutes; psyllium will absorb and firm the dough.

  3. 3

    Shape buns

    Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (about 1/4 of the dough each). With damp hands shape each portion into a round bun (about 3-4 inches diameter) and place on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart. Pat each bun top slightly to flatten.

  4. 4

    Bake

    Bake in the center of the oven 22–28 minutes, until golden-brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack 10 minutes before slicing horizontally. Brush cut sides lightly with the 2 tbs butter and toast cut sides in a skillet or under broiler 1–2 minutes until golden if desired.

Patties & cooked toppings

  1. 5

    Season and form patties

    In a bowl combine ground beef, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp onion powder. Mix gently until evenly combined; avoid overworking. Divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties slightly wider than the buns (they will shrink while cooking). Make a shallow dimple in the center of each patty to promote even cooking.

  2. 6

    Cook bacon

    Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon slices and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 6–10 minutes depending on thickness. Transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and keep warm in a low oven if desired. Reserve a small amount of bacon fat in the pan for extra flavor or wipe pan clean and proceed with oil.

  3. 7

    Cook beef patties

    Wipe the skillet if needed, add 1 tbs olive oil and heat over medium-high. Add patties (work in batches if necessary) and cook without moving 3–4 minutes per side for medium, longer for well done. In the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a cheddar slice and cover the pan briefly (30–60 seconds) to melt the cheese. Transfer patties to a plate and let rest 3 minutes.

Fresh toppings & assembly

  1. 8

    Prep fresh toppings

    While patties cook, slice the avocado, separate and wash the lettuce leaves, and have pickle slices ready. If using plant-based mayo for vegan substitution, use the plant-based mayo here instead of regular mayo.

  2. 9

    Toast buns (if not already)

    If you didn't toast buns after baking, brush cut sides with butter and toast quickly in the skillet over medium heat until golden, about 30–60 seconds per side.

  3. 10

    Assemble burgers

    Spread about 1 tbs mayonnaise and 1/2 tbs Dijon mustard on the bottom half of each bun. Place 1–2 lettuce leaves on the mayo to create a moisture barrier. Place the cheeseburger patty on top of the lettuce, add 2 bacon slices, 2–3 slices of avocado, and 2 pickle slices. Cap with the bun top and press gently. Serve immediately.

Optional vegan substitution (+$1.95)

  1. 11

    Swap components

    To make the burger vegan: replace the beef patties with 4 Beyond Burger patties and replace cheddar and mayo with vegan cheese slices and plant-based mayonnaise from the ingredients list. Use the almond flour buns as-is (they are not vegan because they contain eggs and butter). If you need a fully vegan bun, substitute a store-bought vegan keto bun or lettuce wrap instead and follow the same assembly steps.

  2. 12

    Cook Beyond Burgers

    Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook Beyond Burger patties per package instructions, typically 3–4 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. In the last minute, top each patty with a vegan cheese slice and cover briefly to melt. Assemble burgers using plant-based mayo and the remaining toppings as in the assembly section.

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