Pistachio Free Basil-Pesto Beef Burgers
Burgers get a serious upgrade here, with a vibrant homemade basil pesto spooned right over the patty just before serving. The pesto is the real star — fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil come together in a food processor with tiger nuts standing in as the base, delivering that same rich, slightly creamy texture you'd expect without a single pistachio in sight. It's a smart swap that works beautifully, and if you've been nervous about store-bought pestos hiding unexpected nuts in the ingredient list, making it yourself takes all the guesswork out of the equation. The beef patties are seasoned simply with salt and a touch of ground ginger, then seared in coconut oil until deeply browned and juicy — that dimple pressed into the center keeps them from puffing up and ensures even cooking all the way through. Wrapping everything in cool, crisp butter lettuce leaves instead of a bun keeps the focus on the flavors and gives each bite a satisfying crunch. A few thin slices of red onion on top add a little sharpness that plays perfectly against the herby, garlicky pesto. This is the kind of meal that feels impressive enough for company but is genuinely easy to pull off on a weeknight.
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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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