Italian Garlic Bread Burgers
The bun is the trick: frozen mozzarella garlic cheese bread, toasted on the grill and cut into burger-sized 'buns.' With ripe tomato and a stack of fresh basil leaves, an ordinary patty turns into something you'd order twice at a trattoria.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
- 1 package (11.75 oz) frozen mozzarella and garlic cheese bread
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tomato slices
- 12 large fresh basil leaves
Method
- Heat the bread according to package directions for grilling, watching closely so it does not burn on the bottom.
- Meanwhile, lightly shape the ground beef into four patties about 3/4 inch thick. Place the patties on the grid over medium, ash-covered coals.
- Grill, uncovered, 13 to 15 minutes to 160°F doneness, turning occasionally.
- Cut the bread crosswise into four 'buns.' Season the burgers with salt and pepper as desired.
- Place the burgers on the bread, then top with tomato and basil.
Notes from the Grill
If mozzarella garlic cheese bread is not available, substitute regular garlic bread and top each burger with a slice of mozzarella two minutes before it comes off the grill. Ground beef is a strict 160°F proposition - color is not a doneness test. Shape the patties with a light hand and dimple the centers so they grill flat instead of doming.
Serving Ideas
Lean into the trattoria theme: a tomato-cucumber salad with red onion and oregano on the side, and a bowl of olives while the grill works. The garlic-bread bun is rich, so skip the cheese on the patty itself unless you are committed to excess - in which case provolone outperforms mozzarella for flavor. A dozen basil leaves sounds like a lot until you taste why: they are the salad on this burger, not the garnish.