Artificial Food Coloring Free Basil-Pesto Beef Burgers
Burgers don't need a dyed bun or a neon-colored condiment to be absolutely crave-worthy, and this recipe proves it in the most delicious way possible. The star move here is a vibrant, from-scratch basil pesto made with fresh leaves, garlic, lemon juice, and tiger nuts in place of the usual pine nuts — it's bright, herby, and completely free of anything artificial. Ground beef patties are seasoned simply with salt and ground ginger, then seared in coconut oil until they develop a deeply browned crust that speaks for itself. Butter lettuce stands in for a traditional bun, keeping every component whole and clean without sacrificing that satisfying handheld experience. A spoonful of that fresh pesto draped over each rested patty ties everything together with a punch of flavor that store-bought sauces — often loaded with synthetic dyes and preservatives — simply can't match. It's the kind of meal that feels indulgent but is built entirely from real, recognizable ingredients you can feel good about.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup tiger nuts, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
For the burgers
- 1 ½ lb ground beef (80/20)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For serving
- 8 large butter lettuce leaves
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the pesto: combine the basil, tiger nuts, and garlic in a food processor and pulse 8–10 times until coarsely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream and process until the pesto is mostly smooth with a little texture remaining. Add the lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt, pulse once more to combine, then taste and adjust salt. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
- 2
Divide the ground beef into 4 equal portions (about 6 oz each). Gently form each into a patty roughly 3/4 inch thick, pressing a shallow dimple into the center of each with your thumb. Season both sides evenly with the 1/2 tsp salt and ground ginger.
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