Bruschetta Burgers

We are all about next level flavor in this household! We’re constantly looking for ways to elevate regular recipes to try something new. This past weekend’s flavor experiment – Bruschetta Burgers!

We topped a tasty organic beef patty with some delicious bruschetta made with Pure Flavor®’s Organic Juno® Bites Red Grape Tomatoes and fresh basil. The sweetness from these tomatoes was spot on for the fresh addition we were looking for for these burgers! Paired with a thick slice of creamy buffalo mozzarella, it was exactly what our tastebuds wanted!

The best part, this easy burger recipe was made with all organic ingredients! Check it out!

To get started, gather the following ingredients:

Bruschetta:

• 1 Dry Pint Pure Flavor® Organic Juno® Bites Red Grape Tomatoes, quartered
• 6 – 8 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
• 1 – 2 tablespoon Organic Garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Organic Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt/Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Burgers:

• 1 lb. Organic Ground Beef
• 1 tablespoon Organic Minced Onion, dried
• 2 teaspoon Organic Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Organic Thyme
• 4 Thick Slices of Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese
• Fresh Cibatta Rolls, split
• 1 Organic Garlic Clove, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon Organic Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt/Fresh Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoon Organic Balsamic Glaze (or prepare your own*)
• Additional Fresh Basil Leaves, optional

Set the stage!

This recipe requires just a little bit of prep for the flavors to be exactly the way you want them. I prefer to make bruschetta about 30 minutes ahead of serving time, just to let the flavors marinate a little.

Make the bruschetta while you preheat the grill.

Preheat your grill so it will be nice and hot when you drop the burgers. You want your grill set to medium-high heat, or about 400° to get those beautiful char marks on the burgers.

While your grill is preheating grab your Juno Bites, olive oil, minced garlic, basil leaves, salt, and pepper. Great bruschetta doesn’t need much to be delicious. It’s all about appreciating the ingredients and letting them shine a bit.

In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, and chopped basil and give it a gentle stir or toss. Gently! You’re not looking for salsa texture, you want to see each ingredient individually. Drizzle with a little olive oil, and season to your preference with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Cover the bruschetta with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes while you season the burger patties.

Prep the burger patties and ciabatta rolls for the grill.

Since this recipe is really about what flavors are sitting on top of the burger, you just want to focus on good classic seasonings for the patty itself.

We used 90/10 organic ground beef, which turned out great! But if you can find 80/20 organic ground beef, I’d grab it! In my opinion, 80/20 is the best lean to fat ratio for burgers. The higher fat content helps keep them juicy as they cook on the grill. Make sure the beef is bright red and crumbles easily.

Season the ground beef in a large bowl with the garlic powder, minced onion, thyme, salt, and pepper. Crumble the ground beef and gently mix in the seasoning with your hands. Don’t overwork the ground beef or the burgers will be tough!

Gently press the patties into 4 evenly sized balls, one quarter pound each. You can use a food scale if you’d prefer for precise measurment. Gently press down in the center of each patty before taking them to the grill.

For the ciabatta rolls, split them down the middle, gently rub each side of the rolls with a garlic clove, brush with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Super easy!

Time to grill!

We like to grill our hamburgers on medium-high heat (400°) for about 4 minutes on each side. We prefer medium burgers, but you can reference these cooking times to find your perfect bite!

• Medium-rare (red in the middle, 130° - 135°): 3 minutes each side.
• Medium (pink in the middle, 140° - 145° internal temp): 3 to 4 minutes each side.
• Medium-well (a bit of pink in the middle, 150° - 155° internal temp): 4-6 minutes each side.
• Well-done (no pink, 160° internal temp): 8-10 minutes each side.

When you’re confident your burgers are cooked to your liking, add the thick slices of mozzarella on top and let them melt just a little. Just enough to slide over the top of the burger but still give a little pull. That’s the best part!

Toast the ciabatta rolls on the top rack of your grill (or over indirect heat) to give them a little golden crust.

Head inside and build your burgers!

Start with the bottom of a ciabatta roll, add a few basil leaves if desired, top with a burger patty with the melty mozz’, a spoonful of bruschetta and a little drizzle of balsamic glaze*. Absolutely out of this world good.

*What if I can’t find organic balsamic glaze?

If your grocery store does not carry pre-made balsamic glaze and your short on time to order some, don’t fret! Making balsamic glaze is easy!

Just add 2 cups of balsamic vinegar to a deep saucepan, turn the heat to medium, bring it to a simmer. Depending on how powerful your stove it, this can take about 6 – 8 minutes. Once the vinegar is simmering, turn the heat to low and allow it to simmer for another 35 – 40 minutes stirring occasionally. Your glaze should reduce by half and slide off the back of a spoon easlily. If you like your balsamic glaze a little thinner, shorten the simering time by about 10 minutes.

I hope you love these Bruscheta Burgers and take a few minutes to enjoy the good things in life, great food and good company!

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to post a rating and comment!

I’d love to see your pictures on Instagram too! Tag @a_toastedcrumb and @pureflavor!

This post is sponsored by Pure Flavor®. Learn more about Pure Flavor and their commitment to supporting healthier lifestyles by visiting their website.