Grilled Italian Bunless Burgers

Grilled Italian Bunless Burgers are Mediterranean-flavored patties packed with delicious ingredients. These unique burgers make a great summer meal.

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I love a summertime meal I don’t have to cook indoors. That means a cookout for me! But sometimes I want to shake up the regular BBQ menu and make a lighter meal everyone will still devour.

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I dig the bunless burgers at 5-Napkin Burger. They serve them on a salad. Delish! I also love any restaurant that serves it up “protein-style,” sans the bun, with all the goodness. I wanted to create my own low-carb burger recipe, with lots of flavor.

Admittedly, sometimes I overdose on my addictive out-of-this-world BBQ Ribs. Oh, they are delicious. However a little healthy grilled meal, like these alternative burgers, are quite perfect in the mix of BBQ meals.

Some simple Italian ingredients are all it takes to put these unique burgers together in under half an hour.

I started with ground beef and mixed in spicy Italian sausage for flavor in these unique burgers. You’ll be surprised, the heat doesn’t come through, so little mouths can still enjoy the burgers. Parmesan cheese and chopped, roasted red peppers are gently mixed into the meat, and of course a pinch of salt. That’s enough to create the most juicy, flavorful patties you’ve had all summer.

I had basil growing in my herb pots, so that was easy to get! And fresh mozzarella is a real treat for this meal. Use any type of lettuce you want. It acts as the bun for these unique burgers. I like red leaf lettuce but romaine and iceberg works, too.

The patties are big! Well listen, not too big. If you were to serve these on a bun they would fit perfectly, even after a little shrinking on the grill. I used about 2/3 cup of meat mixture for each patty. Flatten to about 1 inch thick. I like to press mine a little thinner in the center (did you know that’s where they shrink in? This trick helps your burgers stay flat, instead of turning into balls!)

The kids are going to love using lettuce as the bun, on these tasty bunless burgers! It’s major eat-with-your-hands stuff.

Let them pile on some cheese and a tomato with basil if they want, and then wrap that in their new “bun.” Italian Bunless Burgers for the win!
The burgers are so flavorful you really don’t need any other condiments. And that fresh mozzarella makes it more divine.

Go ahead and serve the patties 5-Napkin Burger style… on a salad. I drizzled mine with a balsamic vinaigrette, but a creamy Italian dressing would be fantastic, as well.

5 from 9 votes

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Grilled Italian Bunless Burgers

Work Time

25 mins

Cook Time

6 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

These flavorful grilled Italian burgers are awesome served on a salad or wrapped protein-style in lettuce. Try with fresh mozzarella and basil for a healthy summer meal. 

Course: Main Course

Yield: 8

Calories: 404 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 8 oz spicy Italian sausage casings removed
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 (12-oz) ball fresh mozzarella
• 1 tomato
• Lettuce leaves or salad
• Basil leaves
• Italian or Balsamic vinaigrette optional

Instructions

1. Combine the ground beef, sausage, roasted peppers, salt and Parmesan and mix together, don't over mix.

2. Heat grill to medium high heat. While grill heats, form mixture into 8 patties, using about 2/3 cup of meat mixture for each. Press to 3/4-to-1-inch thick. Grill, turning once, until just cooked through, about 6 min total.

3. Slice the mozzarella and serve patties with a slice of mozzarella and sliced tomato wrapped in a lettuce leaf. Add basil leaves if desired. Alternately serve patties over a salad with diced mozzarella and tomatoes, drizzled with vinaigrette. 

Nutrition Facts

Grilled Italian Bunless Burgers

Amount Per Serving

Calories 404 Calories from Fat 288

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 32g 49%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Cholesterol 104mg 35%

Sodium 597mg 25%

Potassium 427mg 12%

Total Carbohydrates 1g 0%

Protein 24g 48%

Vitamin A 4%

Vitamin C 8.2%

Calcium 6.5%

Iron 14.9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I’d also suggest this no-bake cheesecake recipe that I put in little jars for a backyard dessert. Listen, summer is no joke – I am serious about my barbecues… and my treats!

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Recipe, text, photography Tara Teaspoon. Orginally published in IHeartNaptime.net.