The hamburger has become ubiquitous, so we’re sure to find beef burgers in every supermarket, both fresh and frozen. Together with oven ready frozen fish and chicken, frozen beef burgers are a useful standby to have on hand for a quick and convenient meal. I certainly find that beef burgers are not only an economical alternative to a beef steak, but easier to cook and eat.
Frozen burgers are generally much cheaper than the fresh variety and can be cooked straight from the freezer. However, their quality can be disappointing and they don’t always give the best results. Therefore, I would suggest that your best option is to make or buy fresh burgers and freeze them individually. They should then be fully thawed before cooking.
Beef burgers can be barbecued, grilled, fried and oven baked. When oven-baked, they can be served with a variety of toppings, or they can be panfried in a simmer sauce.
These recipes could also be used with a variety of rissoles such as beef, lamb, pork, turkey or chicken rissoles.
As well as the recipes hereunder, you’ll find a range of side dishes and sauces to serve with beef burgers in the entries:
» Quick Vegetable Side Dishes from the Pantry
» Quick and Easy Sauces from the Pantry
Another quick beef alternative is sliced roast beef from the deli, as in the entry:
Recipes:
Beef Burger in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Beef Burger with Mashed Potato Stack
Beef Burger with Cheese and Onion Melt
Bunless Hamburger
- 1 beef burger
- 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cup torn lettuce, coleslaw mix or spinach leaves
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. tomato sauce (ketchup)
- Oil spray (optional)
- Pan fry beef burger, together with onions, until the burger is cooked through (alternatively, oven bake both in a hot (200°C) toaster oven for 15–20 minutes)
- Arrange greens on a plate surrounded by tomatoes
- Place burger on greens
- Top burger with onions
- Pour tomato sauce on burger or serve on the side
Variations: add one or more optional extras such as a cheese slice or slices of beetroot, pineapple or gherkin (pickles)
Beef Parmigiana
- 1 beef burger
- ¼ cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- Basil, paprika (or chilli) and dried onion
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
- Place diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste and spices and process until smooth
- Microwave on high for 30 seconds, stir and repeat
- Pre-heat toaster oven to 200°C
- Place beef burger on an oven tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15–20 minutes
- Turn cooked burger over, pour sauce over it and top with shredded cheese
- Grill for 5 minutes or microwave on high for 2 minutes
Beef Burger in Mushroom Gravy
- 1 beef burger
- 2–3 mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- Pepper, garlic granules and dried onion
- 1 tsp. cornflour
- Oil spray (optional)
- Place mushrooms, soy sauce, tomato paste and spices in the small cup of a bullet blender with ¼ cup water and microwave on high for 60 seconds
- Allow to cool, add cornflour and liquidise
- Brown beef burger on both sides in a small frying pan with a fitted lid
- Pour mushroom gravy over burger, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning at least once
Serving suggestion: serve with 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes, reconstituted
Beef Burger in Spicy Tomato Sauce
- 1 beef burger
- ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped
- 3–4 cherry tomatoes
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- Garlic, chilli or paprika and pepper
- Oil spray (optional)
- Pierce the cherry tomatoes
- Steep capsicum and tomatoes in boiling water for 10–15 minutes and drain
- Peel tomatoes
- Place tomatoes and capsicum in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste and spices
- Liquidise thoroughly
- Brown beef burger on both sides in a small frying pan with a fitted lid
- Pour tomato sauce over burger, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, turning at least once
Variations:
- substitute 1/3 cup diced tomatoes for the peeled cherry tomatoes
- substitute 1–2 tsp. sweet chilli sauce for the spices
Serving suggestions:
- serve with 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes, reconstituted
- serve with 2 tbsp. instant couscous stirred into 2 tbsp. boiling water
Beef Burger with Mashed Potato Stack
- 1 beef burger
- 2 tbsp. instant mashed potatoes
- ½ tbsp. skim milk powder
- Garlic granules and parsley
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella or 1 cheese slice
- Pre-heat toaster oven to 200°C
- Place beef burger on an oven tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15–20 minutes
- Stir skim milk powder, garlic and parsley into instant mashed potatoes
- Add sufficient boiling water to reconstitute
- Turn burger over and top with part of the cheese
- Spread with mashed potatoes
- Top with remaining cheese
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes or grill for 5 minutes
Variation: stir a portion of thawed frozen spinach into the mashed potatoes at Step 4
Beef Burger with Cheese and Onion Melt
- 1 beef burger
- 1/3 cup chopped onion
- 1 cheese slice or ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. tomato paste
- 1 slice wholegrain bread, toasted (optional)
- 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
- Pre-heat toaster oven to 200°C
- Place beef burger on an oven tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15–20 minutes
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a small frying pan and sauté onion until wilted
- Add ¼ cup water with soy sauce and tomato paste and simmer for 5–10 minutes until the liquid is reduced
- Turn cooked burger over, spread with onion and top with cheese
- Microwave on high for 2 minutes or grill for 5 minutes
- Serve on slice of toast (optional)