Beef & Mushroom Mediterranean Blended Burger

Description

Whether it’s tender lamb served with kalamata olives or warm and spicy chicken shawarma, Middle Eastern dishes are packed with flavor. Luckily, there’s a way to mimic popular Mediterranean flavors without expensive lamb or time-consuming kitchen prep.

In this burger recipe, we stuck to the traditional beef (but this recipe also works well with ground lamb if you prefer!) but added diced mushrooms* to create an umami-rich, blended masterpiece. This helped keep the patties a little healthier than straight beef— by cutting down on your caloric, fat, and salt intake— (not to mention being less pricey than lamb.)

But while the savory patty is delicious, it’s the toppings that transport you to the tastes of the Mediterranean Sea! Jarred Romesco sauce brings out notes of pine nut, spicy peppers, and garlic, without the ambitious homemade effort. This tasty sauce also pairs quite romantically with sautéed onions and peppers, creamy feta, and fresh arugula. Go wild and plate with some chopped Greek salad or spicy Escarole for the authentic package.

Mediterranean-Blended-Burger-e1508358408699

*If you’re new to combining mushrooms with meat, be sure to read our Introduction to Blending Ground Beef & Chopped Mushrooms.

Ingredients

8 ounces Monterey® Baby Bella or White mushrooms*
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 oz pack of crumbled feta cheese
6.5 oz jar of Matiz Romesco sauce
2 sweet peppers, sliced and sautéed
Half a red onion, sliced and sautéed
A small bowl of arugula
4 hamburger buns

Optional toppings: kalamata olives, a splash of lemon juice or a pinch of lemon zest, oregano, or rosemary

*Our Monterey® White and Baby Bella mushrooms are also available nationwide in High Vitamin D varieties, in both 8 oz and 16 oz packages. Check out where you can buy your vitamin-rich mushrooms here.

Instructions

STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS

Clean your mushrooms with our tips for preparing mushrooms here, careful NOT to rinse.
Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse a few times until they’re finely diced.
In a skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and add mushrooms, sautéing 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.*

*Be sure to read our post on How to Cook Mushrooms for tips on sautéing your mushrooms to achieve the perfect flavor and texture.
Remove the sautéd mushrooms from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
While mushrooms are cooling, peel and sliced onion into strings or keep as rings. Rinse and chop your sweet peppers, slicing or cubing.
Transfer cooled mushrooms to a medium bowl. In a separate bowl with your raw beef, add salt, and blend with diced mushrooms until combined. Form into four patties.*

*Check out How to Grill Blended Burgers Like a Pro for more tips.
Turn two burners on medium and add one tablespoon of olive oil into each. In one pan, cook your onion and sweet peppers, stirring occasionally until tender. Once warmed to medium, kick the empty pan up to medium-high heat and cook your blended patties until the desired doneness, usually 4-5 minutes on each side.
Turn off your burners and allow the pans to slightly cool. Stick the buns in the toaster oven for a few minutes, just to give them a warm crisp.
Open your Romesco sauce and use a knife to spread it on the bottom bun. Place the blended burger on top. Add a bit of fresh arugula, your sautéed onion and pepper, fresh feta cheese, and kiss together with your top bun.
Serve with your favorite picnic sides.

GRILL INSTRUCTIONS

Follow Steps 1-6 above.
Preheat your grill to medium.
Grill the burgers until desired doneness, usually 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare— brushing the burgers with the glaze about halfway through.*

*Be sure to check out these grilling tips to understand the best cooking temperature and positioning on the grill.
Remove from the grill and let sit long enough to cool for adding toppings. Open your Romesco sauce and use a knife to spread it on the bottom bun. Place the blended burger on top. Add a bit of fresh arugula, your sautéed onion and pepper, fresh feta cheese, and kiss together with your top bun.
Serve with your favorite picnic sides.

SIMILAR RECIPES

After you get your feet wet making this basic (yet delicious!) blended burger, you may be ready to try some more inventive creations. Print some of our favorite blended mushroom burger recipes, today:

GRILLING YOUR BLENDED BURGERS

While blended mushroom burgers can easily be made right on the stovetop, they’re also a popular choice to grill!

In our Summer Grilling ebook we explain all the important basics for grilling Portabellas, mushroom kebabs, and— of course— mushroom blended burgers. Oh, and we threw a few cold picnic dishes and even mushroom cocktails in there for good measure. Download your free how-to grill-mushroom guide with over a dozen delicious recipes, today!

STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS

Clean your mushrooms with our tips for preparing mushrooms here, careful NOT to rinse.

Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse a few times until they’re finely diced.

In a skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and add mushrooms, sautéing 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.*

*Be sure to read our post on How to Cook Mushrooms for tips on sautéing your mushrooms to achieve the perfect flavor and texture.

Remove the sautéd mushrooms from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

While mushrooms are cooling, peel and sliced onion into strings or keep as rings. Rinse and chop your sweet peppers, slicing or cubing.

Transfer cooled mushrooms to a medium bowl. In a separate bowl with your raw beef, add salt, and blend with diced mushrooms until combined. Form into four patties.*

*Check out How to Grill Blended Burgers Like a Pro for more tips.

Turn two burners on medium and add one tablespoon of olive oil into each. In one pan, cook your onion and sweet peppers, stirring occasionally until tender. Once warmed to medium, kick the empty pan up to medium-high heat and cook your blended patties until the desired doneness, usually 4-5 minutes on each side.

Turn off your burners and allow the pans to slightly cool. Stick the buns in the toaster oven for a few minutes, just to give them a warm crisp.

Open your Romesco sauce and use a knife to spread it on the bottom bun. Place the blended burger on top. Add a bit of fresh arugula, your sautéed onion and pepper, fresh feta cheese, and kiss together with your top bun.

Serve with your favorite picnic sides.

GRILL INSTRUCTIONS

Follow Steps 1-6 above.

Preheat your grill to medium.

Grill the burgers until desired doneness, usually 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare— brushing the burgers with the glaze about halfway through.*

*Be sure to check out these grilling tips to understand the best cooking temperature and positioning on the grill.

Remove from the grill and let sit long enough to cool for adding toppings. Open your Romesco sauce and use a knife to spread it on the bottom bun. Place the blended burger on top. Add a bit of fresh arugula, your sautéed onion and pepper, fresh feta cheese, and kiss together with your top bun.

Serve with your favorite picnic sides.

GRILLING YOUR BLENDED BURGERS

While blended mushroom burgers can easily be made right on the stovetop, they’re also a popular choice to grill!

Beef & Mushroom Mediterranean Blended Burger

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