mohamed shili This Italian Super-food Burgers recipe is a juicy and flavorful recipe, which is made with lean minced beef and cannellini beans. It’s a healthy twist on the classic, ready in about an hour.
Italian Super-food Burgers Recipe Ingredients
- 2 small red onions
- 100ml cheap balsamic vinegar
- 500g lean minced beef
- 1 x 400g tin of cannellini beans
- 1 large free-range egg
- 6 wholemeal buns
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- ½ a small white cabbage (500g)
- 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt
- 1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried red chilli flakes
- 1 lemon
- Olive oil
- 1 x 125g ball of mozzarella cheese
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 2 ripe mixed-colour tomatoes
- 100g rocket
How To Make Italian Super-food Burgers
- Make the Balsamic Onions: Peel and thinly slice the red onions. Place them in a small saucepan with the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cook over a low heat for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, jammy, and the vinegar has reduced to a syrupy glaze.
- Prepare the Slaw: While the onions cook, finely shred the cabbage. In a medium bowl, whisk together the natural yoghurt, English mustard, red chilli flakes, and the juice of half the lemon. Add the shredded cabbage and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix the Burger Patties: Drain and rinse the cannellini beans, then lightly mash them in a large bowl with a fork. Add the minced beef. Pick the leaves from the rosemary sprigs, finely chop them, and add them to the bowl along with the egg and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Gently mix with your hands until just combined.
- Shape and Cook the Burgers: Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties, slightly larger than your buns. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the burgers for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through.
- Melt Cheese and Toast Buns: Slice the mozzarella. During the last minute of cooking, top each burger patty with a slice of mozzarella and cover the pan to let it melt. Meanwhile, toast the cut sides of the wholemeal buns under a hot grill (broiler) or in a dry pan.
- Assemble the Burgers: Spread the toasted buns with any remaining pan juices. Layer the burgers with a pile of the creamy slaw, the cheesy burger patty, a spoonful of the balsamic onions, a slice of tomato, and a handful of rocket. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- How to keep the burgers moist? The mashed cannellini beans are the secret! They add a huge amount of moisture to the lean beef, keeping the patties juicy and adding a boost of fiber. Also, be careful not to overwork the meat when mixing.
- How to get the best balsamic onions? The key is low and slow heat. Don’t rush this step. Allowing the onions to cook down gently in the balsamic vinegar is what makes them incredibly sweet and tender.
- Can I make parts of this ahead of time? Absolutely. The balsamic onions and the slaw can be made a day in advance and stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You can also form the raw burger patties and keep them refrigerated, separated by parchment paper, for up to a day.
- Can I grill these burgers? Yes, they are great on the grill! Just be sure to oil the grates well and cook over a medium-high heat. Be gentle when flipping, as the bean mixture makes them slightly more delicate than all-beef patties.
What To Serve With Italian Super-food Burgers
These hearty burgers are a complete meal on their own, but they are fantastic with classic sides:
- Crispy baked sweet potato fries
- A simple side salad with a lemon vinaigrette
- Thick-cut, oven-roasted potato wedges
How To Store Leftover Burgers
- Refrigerate: It’s best to store the components separately to prevent the buns from getting soggy. Cooked burger patties, the slaw, and the onions will all keep in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Italian Super-food Burgers Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 burger
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 42g
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Sodium: 950mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Why add beans to a burger?
Adding cannellini beans is a u0022super-foodu0022 trick that does three great things: it adds plant-based protein and fiber, it makes the lean beef go further, and it helps to keep the burger patties incredibly moist and tender.
Can I use a different kind of cheese?
Yes. While fresh mozzarella is a classic Italian choice, this burger would also be delicious with a slice of provolone, fontina, or even a tangy goat cheese.
Is there a substitute for the balsamic onions?
The balsamic onions are a key flavor component. If you don’t have balsamic vinegar, you could make standard caramelized onions by cooking the onions in butter and oil over a low heat for 30-40 minutes until they are deep golden brown and sweet.
Try More Recipes:
- Louie and Gennaro’s ‘ultimate’ cheeseburgers Recipe
- Burgers & Sliders Recipe
- Jamie Oliver 15 Minute Meal British Burgers
Italian Super-food Burgers Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian-InspiredDifficulty: Easy6
20
minutes30
620
kcalA healthy and juicy twist on a classic burger, featuring a lean beef and cannellini bean patty topped with melted mozzarella, sweet balsamic onions, and a creamy chili slaw.
Ingredients
Burger & Toppings: 500g lean minced beef, 1 tin cannellini beans, 1 egg, 2 sprigs rosemary, 100g mozzarella, 2 tomatoes, 100g rocket.
Balsamic Onions: 2 red onions, 100ml balsamic vinegar.
Slaw: ½ white cabbage, 3 tbsp natural yoghurt, 1 tsp English mustard, 1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 lemon.
Directions
- Make the balsamic onions by simmering sliced red onions in balsamic vinegar over a low heat for 20-25 minutes until jammy.
- Make the slaw by tossing shredded cabbage with a dressing of yoghurt, mustard, chilli flakes, and lemon juice.
- Make the patties by gently mixing the minced beef with mashed cannellini beans, a beaten egg, and chopped fresh rosemary. Form into 6 patties.
- Pan-fry the burgers for 4-5 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Top the burgers with mozzarella during the last minute of cooking and cover to melt.
- Toast the buns.
- Assemble the burgers with the slaw, cheesy patty, balsamic onions, tomato, and rocket.
Notes
- The most important tip for a juicy burger is to not overmix the meat and bean mixture. Combine it gently with your hands.
- For the best flavor, allow the balsamic onions to cook down slowly until they are sweet and jam-like.
- Using mashed cannellini beans is a fantastic “super-food” trick to add moisture and fiber to lean beef.
- Don’t forget to toast your buns! It adds great texture and prevents the bottom bun from getting soggy.