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Description
We all love a fresh-off-the-grill slider, don’t we? The bite-sized burgers are easy to grab and go as you walk around the cookout scene. They also make amazing appetizers before the steaks and hot dogs have their time on the grates!
But now more than ever, summertime party-goers are looking for healthy options. That’s why this recipe skips the bun and kisses these sliders between two crisp, rounded apple slices. The result? A delicious savory-sweet combination.
It also cuts calories by blending finely diced mushrooms with the beef*. While some make turkey or chicken sliders for a lower-cal and carb option, these blended beef sliders achieve a similar effect— with the same savory beef taste you crave when you think “burger.” Best of all, when choosing High Vitamin D mushrooms for your blend, you’re sneaking in extra nutrients. That’s a win-win if we’ve ever seen one!
As if it couldn’t get any better, these light and healthy blended beef sliders are also easy to make. A special thank you to Chrissy from Snacking in Sneakers for this creative addition.
*If you’re new to combining mushrooms with meat to add flavor and reduce fat and salt, be sure to read our Introduction to Blending Ground Beef & Chopped Mushrooms before firing up the grill.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Monterey® Baby Bella mushrooms*,
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb 85/15 ground beef
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 5 slices of cheddar cheese, cut into quarter squares
- 3 apples
*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
- 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. If you don’t have a food processor, finely mince your mushrooms by hand or with the help of an egg slicer or slap chop device.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Remove from heat and transfer mushrooms to a mixing bowl. Let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the ground beef, salt, onion powder, and pepper to your mushrooms. Mix until combined, and form into 10 small slider-sized patties with your hands.
- Place the patties on a plate in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, prepare your grill. If using a gas grill, heat to medium-high. If using a charcoal grill, you should be only able to hold your hand about a half foot above the grates for 4-5 seconds before needing to pull it away*
*If you can hold it there for a long time, wait for it to heat up more. - Place your patties on the grill on direct heat.* Cook around 3 minutes on the first side, and around 3-4 minutes on the second side— or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
*Check out these grilling tips to understand the best cooking temperature and positioning on the grill when grilling with mushrooms. - Move your burgers to indirect heat and add two quarter-squares of cheese to each burger. Let the cheese melt, then transfer your mushroom blended beef patties to a clean plate.
- Slice the apples into 20 thin rounds. Place each slider burger on an apple slice, and top with another apple slice to mimic a bun!
- Serve warm as an appetizer before enjoying your other picnic favorites!
STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS
- Follow Steps 1-4 above to prepare your patties.
- Slice the apples into 20 thin rounds.
- In a skillet, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat and add blended burgers. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, flipping over halfway through.
- Move your burgers to indirect heat and add two quarter-squares of cheese to each burger. Let the cheese melt, then transfer your mushroom blended beef patties to a clean plate.
- Place each slider burger on an apple slice, and top with another apple slice to mimic a bun!
SIMILAR RECIPES
It’s grilling season, baby! Luckily, we have a whole collection of grill-based recipes featuring mighty mushrooms. Print some of our favorite recipes, today:
- Portabella Steak
- Grilled Caprese Salad Kebabs with Rosemary “Skewers”
- Blended Turkey & Mushroom Burger with Avocado
HOW DO YOU GRILL MUSHROOMS, ANYWAYS?
Even the most experienced grilling pros often don’t know the proper way to grill mushrooms for peak flavor and texture.
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!
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