Why Have a Sandwich When You Can Dive Into This Burger-Inspired Salad Instead?
This dish is as decadent as a stacked burger topped with earthy mushrooms and nutty Gruyère cheese, but with an added serving of good-for-you greens.
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When it comes to gourmet burgers, it’s hard to beat the classic combination of saucy, meaty mushrooms paired with golden-brown strands of sweet, caramelized onions and a slice of ooey, gooey Gruyère cheese. I mean, it’s everything you could want in a hamburger: It’s messy but enticing, deeply flavorful and perfectly textured, and oh-so-satisfying with every bite.
But who says a stellar burger has to sit between two slices of bread? We’ve taken this elevated version of a classic hamburger and tossed the bun aside, turning it into a salad instead. Our Mushroom-Gruyère Burger Salad replaces the bread with a bed of gorgeous leafy greens (and a little pop of red thanks to the addition of crisp raddichio), keeping all of your fave ingredients right on top. It’s a lighter, less messy way to dive into all of the flavors you’re craving – and if you’re all about low-carb eating, it’s a swap that’ll make even the best burgers perfect for your dietary needs.
Fire up your oven, because you’re going to want to make this meal right now.
Mushroom-Gruyère Burger Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp grainy dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
Salad
- 1½ lb cremini mushrooms, halved and quartered
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
- 2 cups arugula
- ½ cup chopped radicchio
Burgers
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tsp thyme, chopped
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
Preparation
- Place a baking sheet in oven and preheat to 425°F.
- In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing, set aside.
- Carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Spread the mushrooms on it in an even layer. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until tender and golden, about 30 minutes.
- Make the burgers: In a medium skillet on medium-high, one-half of oil. Add onion and reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle with salt. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan until onions are very soft and caramelized.
- In a large bowl, combine beef, thyme and pepper. Using your hands, gently but thoroughly combine. Form into 4 even patties, about ½-inch thick. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil. Add burgers and cook until lightly browned on the outside and to desired doneness , 3 to 5 minutes per side. Top each patty with Gruyère cheese and caramelized onion.
- Make the salad: Combine the warm roasted mushrooms, arugula and radicchio add dressing and gently toss. Divide among serving bowls. Place one patty on top of each salad.