It’s warming up outside, which means barbecue season is here. Our first grill meal this year was a delicious gourmet burger that’s become a favorite.
As a kid I always favored chicken fingers and avoided hamburgers when we ate out. It wasn’t until high school that I gave burgers a fair chance, and even then I preferred my mom’s thick, juicy grilled patties—nothing like fast-food slices. Over time I developed a taste for well-made, thick burgers at sit-down restaurants, though I still love a good chicken finger.
In college I majored in dietetics and took a food service management lab where students ran a small lunch cafe. We rotated through roles—production manager, baker, cook—and prepared a variety of meals. One standout was this burger: unique in flavor, layered with two kinds of cheese, finished with a sun-dried tomato mayo, and packed with savory ingredients. It’s best on the barbecue, but we’ve also used an indoor grill like a George Foreman with excellent results. I like to serve it with sweet potato fries; homemade fries are delicious but frozen ones baked in the oven are convenient and still tasty. Cutting raw sweet potatoes can be a chore, so frozen fries save a lot of prep time.
Print Recipe
Gourmet Burgers
15 mins
20 mins
35 mins
8 large burgers
Garnish and Glaze
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/3 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 5 ounces frozen spinach (about half of a 10 oz box)
- 4 ounces feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 8 slices provolone cheese
- 8 slices deli ham
- 8 hamburger buns
- 1 cup fresh spinach
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, minced sun-dried tomatoes, and ketchup. Cover and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest.
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In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chopped onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender. Add the frozen spinach and cook until it’s thawed and well combined. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly.
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In a large bowl, mix the cooked vegetables with crumbled feta, salt, and the ground beef. Combine gently to avoid compacting the meat too much.
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Divide the mixture into eight portions (about 2/3 cup each) and form patties roughly 1/2 inch thick.
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Preheat the grill to medium-high. While the grill heats, quickly pan-fry the ham slices in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, about 1 minute per side. Keep the fried ham warm under foil.
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Grill the patties approximately 6 minutes per side, or until cooked to your preference. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a slice of provolone to melt. If you like, butter the insides of the buns and toast them on the grill for the final minute.
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Assemble each burger: place the grilled patty on the bottom bun, add a slice of fried ham, a few fresh spinach leaves, and spread the sun-dried tomato mayo on the inside of the top bun. Close and serve.
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Serve with sweet potato fries and enjoy.
Share your results
Tag @GarnishandGlaze on Instagram and use the hashtag #GarnishandGlaze
Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day—may your day be full of green, good company, and tasty food!
Recipe Source: Slightly adapted from BYU’s Pendulum Court Cafe Gourmet Hamburgers. Measurements were adjusted and a few ingredient amounts were tweaked.