Turkey Free Basil-Pesto Beef Burgers
Juicy beef patties topped with a vibrant, herb-forward pesto and wrapped in crisp butter lettuce — this is the kind of burger that makes you forget buns ever existed. The homemade pesto comes together in a food processor with fresh basil, garlic, lemon juice, and tiger nuts, which lend a subtle richness without any dairy or pine nuts in sight. Seasoned simply with salt and ground ginger, the 80/20 beef patties get seared in coconut oil until deeply browned and finished to a safe internal temperature, so every bite is as satisfying as it is reliable. Butter lettuce wraps keep things light and fresh while still giving you that handheld burger experience. If you've been scanning packaged patties or pre-made pestos for unwanted poultry ingredients, making everything from scratch here means you stay in full control of what goes on the plate. The resting step and that spoonful of bright green pesto draped over each patty right before serving elevate this well beyond a weeknight shortcut — it genuinely looks and tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant.
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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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