Brazil Nut Free Basil-Pesto Beef Burgers
Juicy, herb-forward, and wrapped in crisp butter lettuce, these burgers deliver serious flavor without a single bun in sight. The real star is the vibrant basil pesto ā made from scratch with fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and tiger nuts in place of the traditional pine nuts or brazil nuts that so often sneak into store-bought versions. Tiger nuts bring a mild, slightly sweet nuttiness that blends beautifully with the olive oil and keeps the pesto completely free of tree nut concerns. The beef patties themselves are seasoned simply with salt and a touch of ground ginger, then seared in coconut oil until deeply browned and cooked through to a safe 160Ā°F. That dimple pressed into the center of each patty is a small trick that keeps them flat and even as they cook, so every bite is consistent. Resting the patties before spooning on the pesto lets the juices redistribute, meaning nothing gets lost when you dig in. Served in overlapping butter lettuce leaves with optional red onion, the whole thing feels fresh, satisfying, and genuinely exciting to put on the table.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the pesto
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- Ā¼ cup tiger nuts, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ā cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Ā¼ tsp salt
For the burgers
- 1 Ā½ lb ground beef (80/20)
- Ā½ tsp salt
- Ā¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For serving
- 8 large butter lettuce leaves
- Ā½ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the pesto: combine the basil, tiger nuts, and garlic in a food processor and pulse 8ā10 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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