Description
Monster Burgers are fun and flavorful beef patties topped with mozzarella eyes, olive pupils, tomato slices, orange cheddar cheese teeth, lettuce, and pickles, all assembled on a soft hamburger bun. Ideal for a creative and hearty meal perfect for burger lovers of all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Burger Patties
- 20 oz ground beef 80/20
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- 8 medium black olives
- 8 mini mozzarella balls bocconcini, a little over 1-ounce or 28 grams each, patted dry
- 8 tomato slices from about 2 tomatoes, patted dry
- 4 slices orange cheddar cheese
- 4 pieces green lettuce, rinsed and patted dry
- 4 pickle slices
Other
- 4 hamburger buns (use gluten-free buns if gluten-free preferred)
Instructions
- Form Patties: Form four 5-oz hamburger patties about 1 inch wider than your buns. Press your thumb into the middle of each patty to prevent puffing during cooking. Season outsides with salt and pepper.
- Cook Patties: Preheat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of oil. Cook the patties until they reach an internal temperature of 160 °F for well-done, flipping only once.
- Prepare Eyes: Cut the olives in half and position the half with the star face up on top of each mini mozzarella ball. Secure each pair with a toothpick.
- Prepare Tomato and Cheese: Cut tomato slices to medium thickness and pat dry. Cut triangles from the cheddar slices to create teeth shapes, ensuring they can hang over the bun edge.
- Assemble Burgers: After patties cool slightly, place a lettuce leaf on the bottom bun half, add the burger patty, two tomato slices side-by-side, a pickle slice in the middle for the tongue, then cheese teeth pieces. Top with the bun half and secure two mozzarella and olive eyes on top using toothpicks.
- Serve: Serve immediately while the burger is still warm but cheese is not melted to preserve appearance.
Notes
- If cheddar is not preferred, use a similarly soft orange cheese that can bend without breaking and covers the bun size.
- Select firm, un-smushed burger buns for best presentation, such as La Boulangère Brioche buns.
- Ensure tomato slices are not too thick or floppy for easy assembly and eating.
- Pressing thumb into patties improves even cooking and shape retention.
- Cooking to 160 °F ensures food safety according to USDA recommendations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
