Caprese Salad is one of my favorite appetizers. I had the urge for some Buffalo Mozzarella and came into some local meat so I thought, why not a Caprese Burger? It only seemed fitting to add in some Garlic Basil Parmesan Fries, because what’s a burger without it’s fries?!
I love a good burger. I know it’s such a simple food and basically just mashed up meat that no one knew what else to do with but I’m a sucker for a good burger. When I travel I love to find a local burger because I feel like it says so much about the area and is usually a different flavor combo than I’m use to. I also love when a burger is cooked properly. If it’s still red inside, I’m all in. When it’s overcooked I’m displeased, but hate wasting food so would most likely eat it anyway. It melts in your mouth far more if you get over the fact that it’s a little underdone. However, to each their own, cook your food as you wish, just take my burger off first 🙂
Local Meat
I have to give a shout out to my friend Jackie. I’ve known her ever since I joined CrossFit Aevitas. She’s a super mom if there ever were such a thing. 3 kids, full time job, regular Crossfitter, runner and lives on a farm. We go to her farm once a year to celebrate summer and the beauty that is where she lives. We get to see the cows in all their glory and the rest of the wild life. My favorite part might be the annual tractor ride around the property. Any who, I was super excited to know that I could purchase part of a cow from her farm this year and hopped on the opportunity.
Local meat with no hormones added and from a friend who raises them, win-win-win. I had the meat for all of one day, let the 1st package of ground meat thaw and got to cooking. Boy oh boy did it live up to the hype. Rich in flavor, juicy and down right delicious. I was pumped with how good the burger turned out. Now I will have to try the rest of the cuts that I got, stay tuned.
You Want Fries with That?
Fries are a weakness of mine. I guess I have a lot of weaknesses as it comes to food but put fries in front of me and I want to eat every last one. I try not to order them often when I go out as I know they are laden with poor quality oils and who knows where those potatoes even came from anyway. Not to mention they are usually fried and full of empty nutrition-less calories. While I don’t count calories I certainly want what I do eat to be as rich in nutrition as possible, unless it’s Phish Food Ice Cream, then I just need that to feed my soul .
Sometimes I can’t resist but most times I feel better with a side salad so I’m never sad about that. However, a burger goes incredibly well with fries. It’s a nice carbohydrate rich compliment to a protein star. The good part is that fries are incredibly easy to make at home. You can bake them and won’t even miss the taste of a generic fryer. Add parmesan cheese and you wonder why you don’t make these every night of the week. By adding basil, it ties these fries nicely to the Caprese Burger. I enjoyed them dipped in the leftover balsamic vinegar marinade but would also be delicious with some ketchup (here’s my favorite ketchup).
Caprese Burger, Home of the Caprese Burger, Can I Take Your Order?
The nice thing about a burger is that most people will eat it. So my goal is to make it as healthy as possible. I know, ho-hum who wants to be healthy when they’re eating a burger. Just entertain me for a second and try this out. If you think it tastes too healthy, well then I guess I have failed you. However, if burgers are going to be a part of your daily life, I want them to add to your health not detract. So stop buying burgers that have crap in them and start making them yourself, even beginners can excel at burgers.
Since burgers and fries are pretty dang American, it’s good timing for this recipe since Memorial Day weekend is this coming weekend. Why not have a burger-off with your friends and see who can make the best burger? Hint: you will win with this. Okay, maybe you won’t but your tastebuds will win and that pretty much makes everyone a winner. Second hint: if you are my friend you might need a different recipe because otherwise we’ll all be making the same burgers on Memorial Day 😉
Last bit before I let you go on eating this deliciousness. I ate the Caprese Burger atop a gluten-free bun. I don’t always eat a burger on a bun, because usually I just want the meat and toppings. However, after a long day, a juicy burger on a bun sounds delicious. These are my all time favorite gluten-free buns, if you are curious!
I love the combination of mozzarella cheese, basil and tomato any day of the week. Add a nice juicy burger patty to the mix and it’s a meal that will leave you satisfy but keep you coming back for more. Enjoy!
Pro tip: when forming your burger patties, make a depression in the middle of the burger with your thumb, it will help to prevent the burger from ballooning up in the middle and help it to cook evenly.
Preheat oven to 400°F & a line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt & pepper until evenly coated.
Arrange potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes until crisp, turning once. Add basil and toss before serving.
Caprese Burger
Preheat grill to medium/high heat
In a large bowl, mix ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, basil, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt & pepper. Form into 4 equal patties (~1/4lb each), set aside until grill is heated. Place on grill for 4-5 minutes/side or until cooked to desired doneness.
Meanwhile, mix balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper in a medium bowl and add tomatoes to marinate until burgers are done.
If desired, top burger with a slice of mozzarella last minute of cooking.
Assemble burger with tomatoes, fresh basil & caramelized onions, drizzle with remaining marinade from tomatoes and enjoy with a hamburger bun if desired.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 burger
What is the most exotic burger you have ever had? I’m always looking to try something new, share below!
