Cinnamon Free Basil-Pesto Beef Burgers
Juicy, herb-forward, and completely free of cinnamon in any form, these beef burgers are a serious crowd-pleaser that never feels like a compromise. The star of the show is a vibrant homemade basil pesto — built with fresh basil, tiger nuts, garlic, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon — that gets spooned generously over each patty right before serving. Tiger nuts stand in for the traditional pine nuts, giving the pesto a subtly sweet, nutty depth that works beautifully with the richness of the beef. The patties themselves are seasoned simply with salt and a touch of ground ginger, then seared in coconut oil until deeply browned and cooked through. Skipping the bun in favor of crisp butter lettuce wraps keeps everything fresh and light, letting the pesto really shine. For anyone navigating spice sensitivities, this recipe is a reminder that bold, satisfying flavor doesn't require a long ingredient list — just good technique and quality produce.
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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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