I love a good burger. But then again, who doesn’t? However, I don’t like the excessive toppings that most restaurants add to their burgers. I feel it detracts from tasting the meat – especially when you are using a great, local source for the ground meat. I also wanted a healthier burger so I replaced the bun and heavy toppings with sautéed vegetables. I included a little bit of cheese because, in my opinion, every burger needs cheese. But instead of melting the cheese on top, I combined it with the meat which makes for a moist burger. My grilled burger with spinach, mushroom and gruyere cheese is the perfect healthy burger for summer!
For the pairing, I chose a Cotes du Rhone red wine because they are simple, yet elegant wines that will elevate any meal. And, the ingredients in this burger are very French (Dijon mustard, gruyere cheese) so it only seemed fitting to choose a French wine! I absolutely love this pairing…I hope you do too! Check out my Cotes du Rhone page to learn more.
Grilled Burger With Mushrooms, Spinach & Gruyere
Ingredients
- 1 lb organic ground beef (local if you have it)
- ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon tamari (or low sodium soy sauce)
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 package of baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
- ½ teaspoon of Herbs de Provence
- 1 bag or container of baby spinach
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- ½ Lemon
Directions
- Step 1 Heat grill to medium-high temperature (450 – 500 degrees)
- Step 2 For the burgers, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Gruyere cheese, mustard, tamari, salt, and pepper. With your hands, gently combine the ingredients until just mixed. Be careful not to over mix the meat. Separate the meat into 4 even balls. Shape each ball into a patty and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up. You could also put in the freezer for 10 -15 minutes if you are short on time.
- Step 3 Grill the burgers for approximately 4 minutes per side for medium burgers Remove from grill and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
- Step 4 For the mushrooms, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan. When the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and Herbs de Provence. Cook on medium heat until mushrooms are nicely browned – approximately 6-7 minutes. My tip for cooking mushrooms. Do not stir for a few minutes once you add to the pan. It allows the mushrooms to release their moisture so they will brown more evenly.
- Step 5 Once the mushrooms are brown, Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Step 6 In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the spinach. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until spinach is slightly wilted. Add the mushroom mixture and a squeeze of lemon to the pan. Season with salt & freshly ground black pepper.
- Step 7 To assemble, arrange the burgers on a platter. Spoon the spinach & mushroom mixture over each burger and serve.
