Italian Meatball Burger Recipes

ITALIAN MEATBALL BURGER

Steps:

• Prepare grill.
• Remove casings from sausage. Combine sausage, oregano, basil, salt, fennel seeds, and ground sirloin. Divide beef mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2 inch patty.
• Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes. Turn patties over; grill 2 minutes. Divide fresh mozzarella cheese evenly over patties, and grill an additional 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes.
• Place rolls, cut side down on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half, top with 2 tablespoons of sauce, and top with other half of roll.
• Raw burgers freeze well.

SMASHED MEATBALL BURGERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the egg, breadcrumbs, milk and Parmesan and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for another minute. Set aside to cool.
• Add the ground beef and ground pork to a medium bowl, spreading it out, and sprinkle the surface evenly with 1 teaspoon salt, a few turns of black pepper, a good pinch of crushed red pepper, the oregano and the parsley. Add the cooled onion mixture to the meat mixture. Mix with your hands quickly until just combined (don't overmix). Divide into 6 parts and shape into balls. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or a griddle over medium heat and add a thin layer of oil. Cook the meatballs on one side until a brown crust is formed, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and cook for 2 minutes; then smash with a big metal spatula. Top each with a slice of cheese and cook until the cheese is melted and the internal temperature is 160 degrees F, about 5 more minutes.
• Toast the rolls or focaccia either in a skillet or the oven, then spread each side with marinara sauce. Top each with a patty and 2 big leaves of basil. Enjoy!

GRILLED ITALIAN BURGERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup cheese and seasonings. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 1/2-in.-thick patties., Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat until a thermometer reads 160°, 4-5 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; grill, covered, until cheese is melted, 1-2 minutes longer. Serve with marinara sauce.

JUICY LUCY MEATBALL BURGER

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Mix the meatball mix, parsley, Parmesan, fennel, 2 of the garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of pepper in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 4 equal balls. Working with one ball at a time, divide it in half and flatten to make 2 patties about 5 inches in diameter. Fold 2 slices of mozzarella into quarters and place into the center of the patty. Top with the other patty and press the meat together very tightly, forming a large patty shape with the cheese secured inside. Repeat with the remaining balls and 6 of the cheese slices. (At this point, you can freeze the burgers. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking.)
• Cook the pancetta in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, flipping once, until the fat has released and it's crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the burgers to the pan and cook, flipping once and topping each patty with 1 slice of the remaining cheese with 1 minute of cooking time left. Cook until nicely golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 150 degrees F for medium, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl and stir in the remaining garlic. Place the hamburger buns onto a baking sheet and brush both sides with the garlic butter. Broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons marinara sauce on each bottom half of the buns. Place a burger patty on top of the bottom half of the bun. Then top each burger with a spoonful of marinara, 2 pieces of pancetta, a sprinkle of Parmesan and the top half of the bun.