Healthy Burgers
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This healthy burger recipe is the best of both worlds- juicy hamburgers that have all the flavor, minus all the excess fat and calories. I love how quickly they cook.
My healthy burgers are truly juicy and tender
Burgers and healthy are two words that are not often paired together. As someone who loves burgers and could eat them every day, I had to come up with a solution: my healthy ground beef burgers.
I first started making them when I got into weightlifting and wanted a leaner burger that didn’t taste dry or flavorless. My mom’s trick for making lean beef taste juicy was adding a little olive oil, so I borrowed that idea for these burgers. They turned out just as juicy and flavorful as those made with higher-fat beef. Here’s why I love them:
- Quick. From prep to plate, these burgers take less than 10 minutes to cook.
- Perfect texture. Lean ground beef is infamous for being a little dry, but a little olive oil keeps it juicy and tender.
- Great for meal prep. I often make a double batch and freeze the patties for quick lunches and dinners.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“Very good! We tried this recipe, just as written, and cooked it in a pan on the stove. We will definitely make this again; the kids loved it. Thank you!” – Dionne
Ingredients needed
- Ground beef. Both lean and extra lean ground beef work. It all comes down to what is available to you. My butcher typically stocks extra lean ground beef, which works a treat.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Garlic. Freshly minced. If you don’t have any on hand, use garlic powder, but only as a last resort!
- American mustard. Adds pleasant tanginess and mild spiciness to the burgers. I purposely avoided the more flavorful ones like Dijon, as it can be quite overpowering.
- Worcestershire sauce. A small amount of Worcestershire sauce will make the patty mixture taste savory and more flavorful.
- Oil. You will need neutral-flavored oil for frying the patties, as well as a small amount of it to add to the meat mixture to keep them juicy. I recommend olive oil or safflower oil.
- To assemble. Buns, slices of cheese, pickles, and salad vegetables. I ALWAYS add my homemade Big Mac sauce, which makes it taste like a restaurant-worthy burger.
How to make healthy burgers
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prepare the patty mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, minced garlic, American mustard, Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon of oil, and salt.
Step 2- Shape the patties. Wet your hands and get to shaping the patties. You should be able to form eight thin patties out of this mixture.
Step 3- Cook the hamburgers. Add oil to a grill pan, skillet, or charcoal grill. Cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Step 4- Assemble. Prepare all the toppings and start assembling the burgers. You can assemble your burger in any order you like. Here’s my favorite way of doing it–the bun, the sauce, lettuce, the patty, cheese, pickles, onion rings, more sauce, and the top bun.
Healthy sides for burgers
If you are making these, you might as well serve them with a healthy side. Here are some of my favorites (including healthier fries!).
Recipe tips and variations
- Check the internal temperature. My #1 tip when cooking any kind of meat. Using a meat thermometer to check when the meat is done guarantees perfectly cooked burgers. Aim for the burgers to be 165F (or 160F + 5 minutes resting time). Because lean ground beef is not a premium cut, I don’t recommend cooking it below that.
- Chill the patties. If you’ve got some time, I recommend chilling your prepped burger patties for about 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld, which just adds that extra something.
- Use other ground meat. Ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork are all fantastic substitutes. You can also use ground bison for an even leaner burger (like my bison burgers).
Storage instructions
I don’t recommend storing/freezing the prepared burgers; however, the patties can be!
To store: Leftover burger patties can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
To freeze: Place the cooked, cooled burgers in a shallow container and freeze for up to 6 months.
Reheating: Either microwave the burgers for 20-30 seconds or reheat them in a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of water until hot.
Healthy Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 pounds ground beef lean or extra lean
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon American mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
To assemble
- 8 burger buns
- 1/2 cup lettuce
- 1 large tomato sliced
- 1/4 cup pickles
- 1/4 cup Big mac sauce
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine all your burger patty ingredients and mix until combined.
- Lightly wet your hands and shape the mixture into eight thin patties.
- Add oil to a non-stick grill pan or charcoal grill and cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat until all the patties are cooked or until they reach 160°F. Rest for 5 minutes.
- Assemble with your favorite buns and burger fillings.
Notes
Nutrition
More healthy burger recipes
Originally published November 2022
Scrumptious, so juicy and tender for my dry mouth. My dentures didn’t even fall out. 😍😍😍😇😇😫🥵
William! Thanks so much for your lovely review and rating- I’m glad they were nice and juicy for you 🙂
Very good! We tried this recipe, just as written and cooked it in a pan on the stove. We will definitely make this again, kids loved it. Thank you!
Hi Dionne, that’s so great to hear! So glad this was a hit with the whole family. Let us know if you try any other recipes 🙂
Hi Arman! Thanks for this phenomenal recipe. I tossed a few extras into the blender (patty purists are sighing); fresh parsley, fresh mint, fresh coriander, paprika, an egg white and a teaspoon of chicken stock powder. I also ‘fake fried’ the onions in a spray of olive oil to reduce acidity and caramelise them. Superb! Thanks from @thegirlwhoatetheworld
YUM.
These were amazing!! I followed the recipe exactly except for using steak seasoning in place of salt. They were so good we’ll 100% make again, and I’d willingly make these healthier ones over fattier burgers. They were so juicy with the olive oil even though we used 96/4 beef!
🙂 Love that, Shelby! Oh I’m glad to hear that.
This really is healthy. Ssmdwiches can be healthy! What is big mac cheese?
I would make it even more hethier by using better spices or creams like cottage cheese, mustard etc…
Can I use ground beef from chicken? I like it very much.
i need the health benefits
Making your own burgers is a great way to ensure some health benefits 🙂
i love this its so good!!!!
I make these healthy burgers at least once a week!!
Love that!
I made these but skipped the oil and they turned dry. What happened?
Hi Jennifer- Adding the oil is necessary to keep the burgers nice and juicy- skipping it does result in them being dry, even with the added moisture in them. You can use any oil.
Can these be baked?
Hi Val! Yes, they can. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and grease it generously. Place the shaped patties and bake at 350°F for about 17-20 minutes, or until they reach 160°F. I like using tin foil because the juices will run and it won’t seep through.
This is the best ever and the mcdonalds sauce is right on.
Can’t share this recipe!!!