Grilled Chimichurri Burger

Our juicy, grilled, chimichurri burger is flavored both inside and out with a special version of Argentina's iconic parsley-garlic sauce.

One of the first things we think of when grilling season rolls around is a juicy burger topped with lettuce, tomato and a dollop of ketchup.

But, every now and then, it's nice to shake up tradition with something a little different and this boldly-flavored Chimichurri Burger does just that.

What is a chimichurri burger?

Originating in Argentina, chimichurri is an intensely-flavored condiment made with fresh parsley, garlic and olive oil.

Frequently served as an accompaniment for grilled steak, it makes an equally delicious flavoring for burgers.

This burger uses a special version of our Chimichurri Sauce recipe, and includes it as both as a topping, and a flavoring that's mixed into the ground beef before forming the patties.

Our secret to perfectly juicy grilled burgers:

Read through our Tips for Making Better Burgers and you'll find that we use a standard formula to make consistently juicy grilled burgers.

One of our tips is to always add a small amount of panko crumbs (1 tablespoon per pound of ground meat) to our burgers. This helps to retain the natural meat juices in the burger during grilling.

Adding the panko crumbs doesn't change the flavor or texture of the beef in the slightest. Unlike dry breadcrumbs, panko crumbs have a coarse texture that simply absorbs meat juices, without adding density to the texture of the burger.

You can use this technique with just about any kind of ground meat. It's particularly good for turkey burgers where maintaining juiciness can be a bit of a problem.

For most burger recipes, we also include a tablespoon of mayonnaise along with the panko for extra moisture, but the olive oil in the chimichurri sauce takes its place in this recipe.

Grilled Chimichurri Burger

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Our juicy, grilled chimichurri burger is flavored both inside and out with a special version of Argentina's iconic parsley-garlic sauce.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tablespoon panko crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 slices fresh tomato
• 4 hamburger buns

For the chimichurri:

• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, lightly packed
• 1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Dash of hot sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to a medium-high temperature (about 400°F).
2. Place the ground beef in a shallow bowl. Add the panko crumbs (see notes below), salt and a few grinds of black pepper but don't mix yet.
3. Add the parsley, cilantro, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the vinegar to the work bowl of a food processor. Add the oregano, hot sauce and a few grinds of black pepper and pulse the mixture until it's finely chopped.
4. Take a heaping tablespoon of this mixture and add it to the ground beef, then add the rest of the olive oil and vinegar to the processor along with the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Pulse once or twice to combine, taste, adjust the seasonings and add more garlic if desired. Transfer the sauce to a small serving bowl and set aside.
5. Use a wooden spatula to combine the meat mixture as best you can before doing a final, gentle mix with your hands.
6. Gently form the meat into four patties and make a slight depression in the center of each with your thumb. This helps the burgers maintain an even thickness rather than developing a thicker "dome" in the center. Arrange the burgers on a plate, cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before grilling.
7. Oil the grill grates and add the burgers. Grill until juices begin to bead on the top of each burger indicating that they are cooked through the center, approximately 4 minutes.
8. Turn the burgers carefully and grill for an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the second side. Transfer the burgers to a plate and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
9. To serve, place a slice of tomato on each bun, top with a burger and a small amount chimichurri sauce. Pass the extra sauce at the table.
10. Leftover chimichurri can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 549 Total Fat: 32g Saturated Fat: 9g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 19g Cholesterol: 101mg Sodium: 1019mg Carbohydrates: 27g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 4g Protein: 36g

Note: Nutrition information is estimated and may vary from your actual results.