Description
Mouthwatering pizza burgers blend classic American cheeseburger flavors with Italian pizza ingredients. Melted mozzarella, pepperoni, and marinara sauce create a delicious crossover meal that satisfies cravings for comfort classics.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 lb (454 grams) ground beef
- 1/2 lb (227 grams) ground sausage (bulk or Italian)
- 2 ounces (57 grams) pepperoni, diced
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
Remaining Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 6 English muffins
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Sear the ground beef and ground sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, introducing butter, mushrooms, and onions midway through cooking. Continue until meat achieves a rich brown color and vegetables become tender.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and incorporate garlic and marjoram. Stir constantly for one minute to release aromatic flavors.
- Pour marinara sauce into the skillet, seasoning with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Allow mixture to gently simmer for 7-10 minutes, developing deep flavor profiles.
- Prepare English muffins by splitting and toasting under broiler until edges turn golden and crisp, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Distribute meat mixture evenly across toasted muffin halves, creating a uniform base layer. Strategically arrange diced pepperoni across the surface.
- Generously sprinkle mozzarella cheese over pepperoni, ensuring complete coverage of each burger.
- Position assembled pizza burgers under broiler for 2-3 minutes at high temperature. Remove when cheese becomes completely melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Transfer immediately to serving plates, ensuring optimal temperature and cheese consistency.
Notes
- Meat Selection Choose lean ground beef and sausage for a healthier version, which reduces excess grease and keeps the burger lighter.
- Mushroom Magic Sauté mushrooms thoroughly to release their natural moisture and concentrate their rich, umami flavor before mixing with meat.
- Cheese Flexibility Experiment with different cheese blends like provolone or a pizza cheese mix to customize the pizza burger’s taste profile.
- Gluten-Free Option Swap English muffins with gluten-free alternatives or use portobello mushroom caps as a low-carb, vegetable-based base for those with dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Broiling
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg