This awesome Grilled Caprese Burger recipe is packed with the amazing flavors of fresh mozzarella, pesto, tomato, and fresh basil. It is the epitome of summer in between two buns!
Hi there! This is Olivia from Olivia’s Cuisine, stopping by to share this delicious Grilled Caprese Burger recipe with you.
I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and create a burger topped with my favorite summer salad. The results? Traditional Italian flavors meet a classic American: Caprese Burger. Seriously, you have to try this!
This burger might look intimidating, but it is actually quite easy to make and you will only need 5 main ingredients. The beauty of it is that it can be fully customized to your preferences. For example, I kept my condiments to a minimum – only pesto sauce – so I could let the Caprese flavors shine. However, if you like to go crazy with mayo, ketchup, or mustard, go for it! If you like pickles, add those too. It is your burger, after all, and there are no rules in Burgerland.
I was also tempted to make a balsamic glaze to add to this burger, but I thought it would be too busy. So between pesto and balsamic glaze, pesto won! What a battle of champions, huh?
My basil plant is growing leaves like crazy, so I made my pesto sauce from scratch. However, you can absolutely use the store-bought version, if you prefer. I just think homemade tastes better.
Home Chef Tip: If you live in an apartment and/or don’t own a backyard grill, you can make perfect burgers at home using a cast iron pan. Some chefs even prefer that over grilling it on fire! The trick to not smoke up your whole house is to use just a little bit of canola oil (or grapeseed, if you can afford it!), because it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. Believe me, I had my fair share of fire alarms going off! Also, if you add the oil to the pan and it smokes, your pan is too hot. Take it off the burner for a couple of minutes and try again. The oil is supposed to get shiny and to bead slightly. That’s how you know it is time to grill the patties!
So, no more excuses. Whether outside or inside, you absolutely need to make this Caprese Burger.
Now let’s fire up the grill (or the cast iron pan) because we have some serious burger making to do!
Home Chef Tip: If you live in an apartment and/or don't own a backyard grill, you can make perfect burgers at home using a cast iron pan. Some chefs even prefer that over grilling it on fire! Just remember to use a high smoke point oil, like canola or grapeseed, so you don't smoke the whole apartment.
Ingredients
- 2 burger buns
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound ground beef
- A dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 large tomato, sliced into two 1/2-inch rounds
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into two 1/2-inch rounds
- 1/4 cup pesto sauce
- Fresh basil leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Start by splitting the buns open, buttering the cut sides and placing it cut side down on the grill or pan, over medium heat. Grill until light golden brown, about 1 minute. If you like a little toastier, let it grill for longer! Reserve.
- In a large bowl, combine all burger ingredients, mix well and shape into 2 balls. Shape each ball into a round burger patty. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Place a cast iron pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the oil (if using the cast iron method) and, when shiny and beading, cook the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on the first side, about 3 minutes. Flip over the patties and cook until golden brown and charred on the second side, 3 minutes for medium rare, or until cooked to desired doneness. Add the mozzarella cheese and cook for an extra minute, covering with a lid to let the cheese melt. (If using a gas or charcoal grill, tent the burger with aluminum foil to melt the cheese.)
- To assemble the burgers, place the grilled patties on the bottom buns and top with the pesto sauce, the tomato slices, and the fresh basil. Add the top halves of the bread and serve.
We hope you love this Grilled Caprese Burger recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Olivia from Olivia’s Cuisine, as much as we do. If you enjoyed this simple and indulgent recipe, be sure to visit our Grilling Section for more recipes like it. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a single healthy recipe. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook, follow us on Pinterest, and stop by our Google+ Community to see all of the amazing recipes our community members are sharing. Enjoy!
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