Have trouble choosing between making a pizza or a burger for your guests? Why not try both at the same time. A delicious, unexpected, and filling combo that will impress anyone. Everyone will ask you for the recipe that fulfills their fusion cravings.
Don’t be afraid of offending anyone who appreciates Italian cuisine. Even Italians eat a deep-dish pizza when no one is looking. Anyway, taste is king when it comes to food, and this burger is worth ruffling a few feathers. This recipe makes four 1/4 pound burgers. You can multiply it to make more. Without further ado, let’s get down to the recipe!
Ingredients:
- Whole-wheat hamburger buns
- One pound of beef that’s 80% lean meat and 30% fat
- One pack of Pepperoni slices
- One pack of mozzarella cheese slices
- Grated parmesan cheese
- one big or two small red onions
- Fresh basil leaves
- arugula leaves
- one jar of marinara sauce or your favorite Italian sauce
- Five or six cloves of garlic
- sliced Black olives
- Mayonnaise
- sundried tomatoes
- olive oil
- Long sandwich toothpicks
Method
Step One
Separate the pound of meat into four balls. We chose to keep this rich in fat so that our burger tastes amazingly juicy. Flatten the balls into patties. Make sure there is a little dip in the center since the patties will shrink when they cook, and this will make sure they don’t get too thick in the center.
Step Two
Heat up some olive oil in a cast-iron pan and toss in a couple of garlic cloves to flavor the oil. When the oil is very hot, carefully place your patty to avoid oil splatters. You should hear the meat sizzling, or else you put it in too early, and the oil was not hot enough. If your pan is big enough for two or three patties without them touching, then cook them together to save time.
Step Three
Baste the burger patties by spooning oil over them to ensure that they cook evenly. When you see the edges start to turn brown or when they move easily and don’t stick to the pan, that is when you know you can flip them. Flip your burgers and continue to baste the other side until they are done.
Step Four
If you have a cooking thermometer, cook the burger until it reaches 146°F for medium-rare or 160°F for medium. If you do not have a cooking thermometer, a good way to know how much your burger has cooked is to check to see how firm it is and compare it to the flesh of your hand between the thumb and index finger.
If it is as firm as the flesh between your thumb and index finger from the back of your hand, then it is rare. If it’s like the same place, but from the front of your hand, then it’s medium, and if it is as firm as the same area in the front of your hand, stretched out, then it is well done. You can use the same trick can be used for grilled burgers.
Step Five
Let your burger rest for five minutes on a rack to reabsorb all its juices in the meat. If you put it in your bun now, all the juice will soak into the buns and make them soggy. While your burgers are resting, you can cut your onions and tomatoes into thin slices.
Step Six
Drain the oil from your cast iron pan but leave a thin film of oil and toast the insides of the buns. The beefy flavor seeped into the olive oil will add a refined taste to the buns. Also, toasting them in olive oil will make them taste like a pizza crust since pizza dough is usually made with a little bit of olive oil.
Step Seven
Line up all your pizza burger toppings to get ready for assembly. Make sure your fresh basil leaves and arugula are washed and dried, your tomato, onions, grated and sliced cheese, pepperoni, and sliced black olives are prepared, and your sauce jars are opened.
Step Eight
To assemble your burger:
- Start with your bottom bun, and spread an even layer of mayonnaise and marinara on it.
- Place your patty on your bottom bun and top it with a mozzarella slice and a generous helping of grated parmesan cheese.
- Add another spoon of marinara sauce over the cheese.
- Add your tomatoes, olives, onions, basil, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and finally, your top bun.
Secure everything with a sandwich toothpick topped with a whole olive to serve with elegance and hold everything together.
Serving Options
Your Pizza burger is ready to wow your guests or be a weekend cheat day indulgence for yourself. Some great sides for your burger are
Classic Fries Sprinkled With Your Favorite Italian Herb Mix
Make thin or thick-cut fries as you would normally but toss them in your favorite herb mix for a fun Italian twist
Baked Potatoes Topped With Cheese and Black Olives
Simple baked potatoes are a healthier option than fries, and they can be topped. with black olives for an Italian feel
Battered Fried Pasta Shells With Parmesan
Boil large pasta shells, coat them in a thin batter (made of eggs, milk, and flour), and fry them for a fun pasta-themed snack sprinkled with parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.
Our Final Thoughts
Enjoy a fun, creative way to enjoy the flavor of burgers and pizza together and surprise your friends next time you have company with a great new recipe find. Share the love with this rich, juicy burger that your friends will not forget.
Next time, try out your favorite pizza toppings and mix and match new flavors with this innovative way to design delightful burgers. Anchovies, pineapple or mushrooms, jalapenos, and endless alternative toppings to choose from make choosing a burger as exciting as ordering a pizza.
Go wild and make individually designed pizza burgers for each family member so that everyone can enjoy their favorite pizza flavor. Pizza burger night will be your next favorite family tradition.
