Ground veal is a rather delicately flavored meat that lends itself well to the addition of fresh herbs like the basil in these burgers. Topped with a slice of fresh mozzarella and a quick sauce made with sweet onion, tomato and a splash of balsamic vinegar they make a great meal and a nice alternative to beef burgers. Try serving them with our Crunchy Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks.
PrintVeal Burgers w/Sweet Tomato-Basil Sauce
Grilled veal burgers topped with melted mozzarella cheese and a sauce of fresh tomatoes, basil, and sweet onion are a nice change from the standard beef burgers.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground veal
- 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese (about 1/4-inch thick)
- 4 round sandwich rolls
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 large fresh tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (see notes).
- Place the ground veal, bread crumbs, cream, basil, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix together gently, but thoroughly. Form the mixture into four equal patties, compressing gently. Brush both sides of each burger with a bit of olive oil and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and balsamic vinegar and continue cooking until the tomatoes have softened and the sauce begins to thickens slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and set aside while you cook the burgers. (Reserve the basil until ready to serve.)
- Oil the grill grates and add the veal burgers. Cook for 4 minutes on the first side, flip and cook for 2 minutes additional, then top each burger with a slice of mozzarella cheese and grill until cooked through (160°F), 2 to 3 minutes longer. Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- While the veal burgers rest, lightly toast the rolls and add the basil to the tomato sauce.
- Place a veal burger on each roll, top with the tomato sauce and serve with fries, chips or our Crunchy Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
Don't feel like grilling? These burgers are every bit as delicious when cooked in a heavy skillet on top of the stove, or broiled.
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