Blended Burgers

Blended burgers are a savory combination of ground beef and chopped mushrooms formed into juicy burger patties.

I am always looking for new ways to serve up a better burger, and blended burgers are a must for any mushroom lover. These hearty patties use less meat but have all of the rich beefy flavor I crave while also being infused with the delicious flavor of savory mushrooms in each bite. Best of all, not only do these mushroom burgers pack in more flavor, they have fewer calories than regular burgers!

What are blended burgers?

Blended burgers are traditional hamburger patties that are combined with finely chopped mushrooms. For best results, the mushrooms should be sauteed prior to mixing with the ground beef. Additional flavors, such as minced garlic can be mixed in as well. These cook up deliciously juicy like your favorite classic burgers, but with more flavors packed into each bite. What isn't to love?

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Ground beef - Whenever you make homemade burgers I recommend using 80/20 beef. Anything leaner than 90/10 beef will create very dry burgers.
• Baby bella mushrooms - You can also use white button mushrooms.
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Salt and black pepper - I recommend using fresh ground black pepper for the best flavor.

Optional: Two teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce would be a great addition as well.

Try using this blended burger recipe with my Gyro burgers too!

How to make blended burger patties

Begin making this blended burger recipe by chopping up the mushrooms into small pieces. It will take a long time to do it by hand, so I recommend using a food processor. However, a blender also works if you pulse it. These get sauteed with garlic in a nonstick skillet until they are tender, then let them cool to room temperature.

Important! - To create tender patties, it is important that you buy fresh packages of ground beef where you can still see the individual strands of the beef from coming out of the meat grinder. This is true anytime you make beef burgers. You'll find the best ground beef is typically available at your grocery store's meat counter. You do not want to buy ground beef that has been firmly packed into tubes for packaging, this compacted beef will make dense burgers.

Gently crumble your ground beef into small pieces and add them to a large bowl. Pour in sauteed mushrooms as well and mix to combine very gently. For the most tender burgers, you are aiming to mix everything together without squishing or compacting the beef.

How to form burger patties

The key to this mushroom burger recipe is making the perfect patties. To do so, gently form your meat mixture into ⅓ pound rough balls, just firmly enough that it holds together. Press down firmly on the meat with a flat bottomed plate or burger press to form your patties. Placing wax parchment paper above and below the patty will help prevent sticking.

Tip: Burgers shrink during cooking. Always press your patties wider than the buns you will be serving them on or the smaller patties will be overwhelmed by the larger bun.

Alternatively, you can make fast-food style burgers by making them less than a quarter-pound each and firmly smashing them in a hot skillet to sear.

Best topping for blended burgers

Since these burgers are infused with the flavor of fresh mushrooms, Swiss cheese is a great choice. After all, mushrooms and Swiss is a classic combination. However, I like using Muenster cheese as well.

Typically I like using green leaf lettuce on most of my burgers, however, I think baby spinach is a good fit for these. Caramelized onions would be an incredible topping, particularly if served with my peppered balsamic mayo. However, there is no shame in keeping things simple with just a little red onion and a swipe of mayo.

I recommend brioche hamburger buns because they have good flavor and a light texture that doesn't distract from the mushroom patties. Alternatively, potato buns are also great.

This recipe was originally published May 18, 2020 on FoxValleyFoodie.com.