Caprese Burgers with Homemade Basil Pesto
Inspired by my favorite salad, these burgers are topped with fresh mozzarella cheese, beefsteak tomatoes, and homemade basil pesto, Enjoy!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
BURGERS:
- 1 1/4 lbs. ground sirloin beef
- 1/2 c. fresh basil pesto recipe below OR store-bought
- 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 1/2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
PESTO MAYONNAISE:
- 1/2 c. mayonnaise
- 1/4 c. fresh basil pesto recipe below OR store-bought
- 4 ciabatta or hamburger buns halved
- 1 lg. beefsteak tomato sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
- basil leaves for garnish
HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO:
- 2 c. fresh basil leaves packed
- 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 c. pine nuts or walnuts
- 3 med. sized garlic cloves minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- BURGERS: Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and Montreal steak seasoning. Form the mixture into four 4-inch-diameter patties, each about 3/4-inch thick.
- Grill, covered for 5 minutes. Turn the burgers over and place a slice of mozzarella on top. Cook for about 5 minutes longer until the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is slightly melted. Allow the burgers to rest for 5 minutes.
- PESTO MAYONNAISE: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and pesto until smooth.
- ASSEMBLE THE BURGERS: Grill the cut side of the buns until lightly toasted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the pesto mayonnaise over the bottom of the grilled buns. Top with burgers, tomato slices, and some basil leaves. Cover with top buns and serve.
- HOMEMADE BASIL PESTO: Combine the basil with the pine nuts, and pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.
- Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
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