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When I first started cooking I thought the caprese salad was one of the most elegant dishes to prepare. The beautiful colors, the fresh taste, the tang of balsamic, and the fact that it is a salad made mostly of cheese makes it a crowd favorite. I always loved it because of its versatile presentation options. For cocktail parties I would make cute caprese skewers or pile the salad on some toasted baguette slices for bruschetta. I thought I had seen caprese in every fashion until my mom suggested a caprese burger.
Intrigued, I set to work, testing and retesting recipes until I found a winner. This burger takes all the elements of the classic salad and presents them in an entirely new format. The cheese gets stuffed in the burger patty and the basil replaces what might normally be lettuce. The kicker? Instead of ketchup or mustard this burger gets a drizzle of sweet balsamic reduction. Make this burger using farmer owned ingredients and you’ll be sure to impress!
Stuffed Caprese Burger
Makes 4 burgers
Ingredients
FOR THE BURGER
1# ground beef
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper
4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, patted dry
4 burger buns of your choice
TOPPINGS
8-10 fresh basil leaves
4 slices prosciutto
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
Balsamic reduction
Directions
Begin by making the burger patties. Place your ground beef into a large bowl. Break it up lightly with a fork.
Add in the mustard, soy sauce, chopped onion, and egg.
Mix lightly with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the ground beef mixture into eight equal portions. Flatten the portions into rounds. (I like to use the lid of a quart container as a guide.) Place a slice of cheese on four of the burger rounds. Next, cover the cheese with the other four burger rounds. Press together lightly so the top sticks to the bottom and crimp the edges with your finger.
Place the burgers in the refrigerator to chill for thirty minutes before cooking.
Meanwhile make the crispy prosciutto. Place four slices of prosciutto on a baking sheet and transfer to a 400 degree oven for six to eight minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
Next get ready to cook the burgers and make the balsamic reduction.
Place a quarter cup of balsamic in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook at a boil until reduced by half. The balsamic should be the consistency of syrup. This will take about ten minutes depending on the size of your saucepan. Set aside.
The burgers can be cooked on the grill or in a large sauté pan on top of the stove. I cooked these on top of the stove.
If cooking on top of the stove, heat the three tablespoons of canola oil in a nonstick sauté pan. When the oil is very hot and has a shimmery appearance, carefully add your burgers. Cook three to four minutes on the first side then flip and cook three to four minutes on the second side. A little more or less depending on how well done you like your burgers.
Once the burgers are cooked to your liking (note: burgers should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160 F), remove from pan and set aside to rest for a few minutes. This will allow the juices to settle back into the meat.
To assemble, place the burger patty on the bun (I toast mine) and then top with crispy prosciutto, tomato slices, basil, and a drizzle of the balsamic reduction.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
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Stuffed Caprese Burger
- Prep Time: 1 hr
- Total Time: 1 hr
- Yield: 4 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
This burger takes all the elements of the classic Caprese salad and presents them in an entirely new format. The cheese gets stuffed in the burger patty and the basil replaces what might normally be lettuce. The kicker? Instead of ketchup or mustard this burger gets a drizzle of sweet balsamic reduction.
Ingredients
FOR THE BURGER
- 1 Lb ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, patted dry
- 4 burger buns of your choice
TOPPINGS
- 8–10 fresh basil leaves
- 4 slices prosciutto
- 1 small tomato, thinly sliced
- Balsamic reduction
Instructions
Begin by making the burger patties. Place your ground beef into a large bowl. Break it up lightly with a fork.
Add in the mustard, soy sauce, chopped onion, and egg.
Mix lightly with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the ground beef mixture into eight equal portions. Flatten the portions into rounds. (I like to use the lid of a quart container as a guide.) Place a slice of cheese on four of the burger rounds. Next, cover the cheese with the other four burger rounds. Press together lightly so the top sticks to the bottom and crimp the edges with your finger.
Place the burgers in the refrigerator to chill for thirty minutes before cooking.
Meanwhile make the crispy prosciutto. Place four slices of prosciutto on a baking sheet and transfer to a 400 degree oven for six to eight minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to remove the excess oil.
Next get ready to cook the burgers and make the balsamic reduction.
Place a quarter cup of balsamic in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook at a boil until reduced by half. The balsamic should be the consistency of syrup. This will take about ten minutes depending on the size of your saucepan. Set aside.
The burgers can be cooked on the grill or in a large nonstick sauté pan on top of the stove. I cooked these on the stove.
If cooking on the stove, heat the three tablespoons of canola oil in a nonstick sauté pan. When the oil is very hot and has a shimmery appearance, carefully add your burgers. Cook three to four minutes on the first side then flip and cook three to four minutes on the second side. A little more or less depending on how well done you like your burgers.
Once the burgers are cooked to your liking (note: burgers should be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 160 F), remove from pan and set aside to rest for a few minutes. This will allow the juices to settle back into the meat.
To assemble, place the burger patty on the bun (I toast mine) and then top with crispy prosciutto, tomato slices, basil, and a drizzle of the balsamic reduction.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
