Delicious Italian Burger Recipe

Ballistic BBQ host Greg Mrvich has been known to grill up many a delicious burger, but even he thinks his Italian version is something special. Watch him assemble this Italian Burger recipe . . . and don’t be surprised if you end up blurting out, “Sì grazie!”

Greg’s cheeseburger Italiano is inspired by his love of Italian food. Simple dishes like pizza Margherita, caprese salad, and mozzarella with basil leaves are familiar tastes he’s looking to incorporate into this recipe.

Greg begins by pressing three ounces of Italian sausage down onto his griddle with a five- millimeter smasher. Sausage alongside a hamburger, you ask? You bet. That’s only the first wrinkle in what makes this Italiano a “working-class special.” Next, he places four ounces of 80/20 ground beef—which has been flattened and partially cooked in the sausage fat—on the grill. (While using mild sausage is fine, don’t be afraid to go with a spicier variety if you prefer a little more kick.)

Greg runs his griddle at medium-high heat (around 400 degrees), keeping his two main burners on, third burner on low (around 200 degrees), and fourth burner completely off.

Greg also melts shaved parmesan cheese on a square of parchment paper. The cheese will form a crisp, adding a nice, crunchy texture, and a bit of what he calls that parmesan “funk” to the burger. 

Greg’s decided to serve his burger on a Crustini bun that’s been anointed in sausage fat before being gently toasted over indirect heat.

Additional ingredients like mozzarella cheese, paper-thin-sliced cherry tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil with a balsamic reduction put the finishing Italiano touches on this burger. Oh, and don’t forget the fresh basil leaves!

Buon appetito!

Delicious Italian Burger Recipe

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings

1

servings

Total time

1

hour 

This burger recipe was inspired by my love of simple, “Classic Italian” food. I didn’t want to go the obvious route of slapping on some pizza sauce with some cheese and calling it “good.”  I wanted to make a burger that native Italians would love!
 
The following are one-burger portions, so simply multiply to make more.

Ingredients

• 1 3 oz. Italian sausage patty

• 1 4 oz. beef patty (80% lean, 20% fat blend suggested)

• 1 tbsp. shaved parmesan cheese

• 2 ozs. mozzarella cheese

• 4 cherry tomatoes (sliced paper-thin)

• 6 fresh basil leaves

• 1/4 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar reduction (instructions below)

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Prep all ingredients in advance.
• Preheat griddle to medium-high (400 – 425 degrees).
  
• Place Italian sausage ball on griddle top, cover with a small square of parchment paper, and smash with spatula or “burger smasher.” Hold pressure for 10 seconds.
  
• Place a small square of parchment paper on the griddle surface and spread parmesan cheese in a circular shape. An “egg-ring” makes this easy. Cover cheese with a “burger dome” or stainless steel bowl.
  
  
• Flip sausage after about three minutes and cook an additional three minutes.
  
• Place the ground-beef ball on the griddle, topped with a parchment square, and smash with a spatula or burger smasher. Hold pressure for 10 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, and top with mozzarella cheese. Dome the patty (optional, but helps speed up the process).
  
  
• While the burger is cooking, toast Crustini buns on the griddle top.
  
  
• Check parmesan cheese. Once it’s bubbling, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool so the cheese becomes very crisp.
  
  
• When the top of your burger patty starts looking moist, it is ready to flip.
  
• Remove toasted buns from the griddle.
  
• Place sausage patty on the heal section of the bun.
  
• Place parmesan crisp on top of sausage.
  
• Place burger patty, with melted cheese, on top of crisp.
• Top the burger with a layer of very thinly sliced cherry tomatoes. (I used a “mandolin” to slice mine.).
  
  
• Top the tomatoes with 6 fresh basil leaves.
• Drizzle on a little olive oil.
  
• Drizzle on a little balsamic reduction.
  
• Crown with the top bun.
  
• Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Balsamic reduction, or “glaze,” can be found in most markets. But, if you’d like to make it, the process is very easy.

Bring 2 cups of a high-quality balsamic vinegar to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally until the vinegar thickens and is reduced to about 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat and allow to cool completely (about 15 minutes).