Meatball Burgers

Meatball
​Burgers

Prep Time: 35 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hour 

Yields: 4 Burgers

What You Need

• 4 x Hamburger Buns 
• EVOO
• 4 Thick Slices Pizza Mozzarella from the Ball
• 1 - 2 cloves Garlic, peeled & gently smashed
• Grana Padano

SAUCE

• 1/4 C EVOO
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Yellow Onion, diced
• 2 stalks Celery, diced
• 1 Carrot, peeled & diced
• 1 Red Bell pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
• 1 C White Wine ( I used Pinot Grigio)
• 2 x 398ml Whole Italian Tomatoes
• Small Handful Fresh Basil
• 1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
• Cracked Pepper
• White Sugar (If needed)

MEATBALL BURGER PATTIES

• 340g Impossible Beef
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
• 1/2 Small Red Onion, finely diced
• 1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Fresh Basil, chiffonade / torn
• 1/4 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
• 1/4 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
• 1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Cracked Pepper 

Notes

• I prepared the tomato sauce because I intended to use it for another recipe as well. You can do the same with the recipe provided, or, simply open a jar of your favourite Marinara / sauce and warm it up for service.
• I only add sugar at the end of the process after tasting. Sometimes, I don't find my sauce is acidic whatsoever, but if it is, I stir in a good sprinkle of sugar and taste until the acidity is balanced out.

Directions

• SAUCE - Skip this step if you're using a jarred product! Start heating your EVOO, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large stainless skillet set to just below medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle for about 30 seconds. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and carrot, season with a good pinch of both salt & pepper, and let those veggies cook about 12 minutes, stirring as needed. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook another couple minutes. Pour in the wine & a good pinch of salt and let that simmer until reduced by 3/4. Pour in the whole tomatoes, rinse out the cans about 1/3 of the way with water and pour that into your skillet as well. Use a potato masher to bust up your whole tomatoes in the skillet. Once the sauce starts boiling, reduce to a simmer, add the handful of fresh basil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and cover for 30 minutes.
• Add the sauce to your Vitamix blender (or any vortex blender as long as it can safely blend hot liquids) and pulse the sauce several times. You're looking for a chunky blended sauce, not fully emulsified. Return to your skillet on low heat. Taste and adjust salt / add sugar if needed. Leave covered.

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• MEATBALLS - Preheat your oven to 400 F. Mix all of the ingredients for the meatball patties in a mixing bowl until combined. Separate in to four equal sized portions and form in to patties. Place the patties on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once the oven is ready, bake the patties for 10 minutes, flip, and continue for another 6 minutes. Remove the tray and set it on to wire cooling rack. Spoon some of the sauce on to each patty followed a piece of pizza mozz. Spoon more sauce on top and return the tray to the oven until melty.
• Heat a grill pan and brush your buns with EVOO. Grill the buns until golden and crisp. Brush the buns with the raw, gently smashed garlic after coming off the grill. Spoon some sauce on to the bottom of each bun and nestle your cheesy meatball burger on top. Generously garnish each burger and top bun with finely shredded grana padano. Close them up, serve, and ENJOY!
• Reserve remaining sauce in an airtight container. Fridge for 4 - 5 days, freeze for 2 ish months.

HAPPY VEG