Add flavor and nutrition by making a blended burger with the addition of mushrooms. Blended burgers with half mushrooms and half ground beef or lamb are packed with umami flavor and offer a healthier twist to a traditional burger. Plus, mushrooms provide important immune-supporting nutrients like B vitamins, selenium, and vitamin D.
Ingredients
Basil Avocado Pesto
- 1/2 medium avocado
- 3 tablespoons walnuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- 4 cups fresh basil
- 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 tablespoons water
- 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Mushroom Mixture
- 1 3/4 lb white or crimini mushrooms, diced small
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Burger
- 16 ounces beef or lamb, ground
- 8 ounces mushroom mixture
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for the pan)
- 5 ounces fresh sliced mozzarella
To Assemble
- 5 whole wheat buns
- 5 tablespoons basil avocado pesto
- 2/3 cup caramelized onions
- 1 1/4 cups fresh baby arugula
Directions
-
Make the basil avocado pesto: To a small blender, add all the ingredients forย the pesto; process until smooth. Remove from blender and placeย covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.ย
-
Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF.ย
-
Inย a medium bowl, mixย mushrooms, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place mushrooms in a single layer on parchment lined baking trays, and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes.
-
Allow mushrooms to cool, then in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process mushrooms until they are chopped fine with some texture remaining.
-
In a large bowl, mix the beef or lamb, 8 ounces of the mushroom mixture, salt, pepper,ย Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and eggย together. Form 5, 5-ounce patties and place on a parchment lined sheet pan, and place in the refrigerator to cool for 15 minutes.
-
Preheat a large skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot and coats the entire pan,ย cook the patties for approximately 4 minutes on each side or until they are an internal temperature of 165ยฐF. Turn off the heat, place one ounce ofย mozzarella on eachย burger and allow them to rest for 5 minutes.
-
Serve each pattyย on a whole wheatย bun and top with 1 tablespoon basil avocado pesto, 2 tablespoons caramelized onions, and 1/4 cup fresh arugula.
-
Recipe adapted from aย workshop at theย Goldring School of Culinary Medicine at Tulane University.