Kid-Friendly Burger Recipes
20 Burgers That Will Have Kids Begging For a Barbecue
Image Source: Flickr user Daniel Carlbom
Patty-cake, patty-cake! We're not talking about sweet cakes here, but rather the juicy patties that come fresh off the grill onto a waiting bun. With barbecue season well underway and a holiday weekend at hand that's ripe with opportunities for grilling up some patties, we turned to some of our favorite kiddie chefs for their takes on the ever-popular burger. With input from Weelicious, Jessica Seinfeld, Annabel Karmel, and Cooking With My Kid, here are 20 recipes to celebrate with your little ones.
Jessica Seinfeld's Brainy Salmon Burger
Annabel Karmel's Healthy Hamburger
Annabel Karmel's Tofu Vegetable Burgers
Annabel Karmel's Funny Face Beef Burgers
Annabel Karmel's Vegetable Burgers
Mexican-Style Chicken Sliders
Mural Meal Slider Girls
Veggie-Packed Sliders
Cheese-Stuffed Burgers
Image Source: Thinkstock
Pizza Burger Sliders
Catherine McCord's Weelicious Salmon Burgers
Catherine McCord's Weelicious Garbanzo Burgers
Catherine McCord's Weelicious Chicken Sun-Dried Tomato Mini Burgers
Catherine McCord's Weelicious Veggie Burgers
Catherine McCord's Weelicious Eggplant Burger
Cooking With My Kid's Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
Cooking With My Kid's Hide and Seek Burgers
Cooking With My Kid's Mini Mediterranean Burgers
Shake Shack's ShackBurger
It might seem crazy, but burger fans of all ages regularly wait in hour-plus lines for a taste of Shake Shack's ShackBurger. Why? Because the burger is classic, unfussy, and pretty much gosh darn perfect. Trust us here, you're kids will love it. Don't live near a Shake Shack? Watch the video for the next best thing: a homemade version of this epic burger icon.
Homemade Shake Shack Burger
Adapted from J. Kenji López-Alt, Serious Eats
Ingredients
- For the shack sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
4 slices kosher dill pickles
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
- For the burgers:
8 ounces ground beef sirloin
4 ounces ground beef chuck
4 ounces ground beef brisket
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
4 potato burger buns, such as Martin's Sandwich Rolls
4 tablespoons shack sauce
4 leaves of green-leaf lettuce
8 slices ripe plum tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
4 slices yellow American cheese
Directions
- Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle. (It makes about 3/4 cup sauce.)
- Gently mix together the sirloin, chuck, and brisket in a mixing bowl until just combined. Form into 4 patties, each about 2 inches tall and 2 1/2 inches wide. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Split open buns and spread with a thin coating of butter, then toast in a skillet until brown, about 1 minute. Using a squirt bottle, drizzle about 1 tablespoon shake sauce on the top half of each bun. Place 1 lettuce leaf and 2 slices of tomato on top half of each bun.
- Add oil to a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, then heat over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Generously season beef patties on top side with salt and pepper, then transfer, seasoned side down, to the hot skillet. Use a heavy, flat spatula to press down and lightly flatten the beef patties. Season top-facing side with salt and pepper. Cook until a crisp brown crust has formed, about 2 minutes.
- Carefully loosen any crusty parts of the burger patties from the skillet, and flip over. Top each patty with 1 slice of American cheese and cook until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute longer. Transfer patties to burger bun bottoms, top with the the top bun (including tomatoes and lettuce), and serve hot.
Information
- Category
- Main Dishes, Sandwiches
- Cuisine
- North American
- Yield
- 4 burgers
Mac 'n' Cheese Burger
Move over, Ramen Burger; there's a new kid on the block, and it packs the delicious decadence of warm melted cheese into every bite. Just leave the truffles out of this mac 'n' cheese bun burger and watch your little one's go wild, because macaroni and cheese in a bun? Why yes, it can (and should) be done!
Truffle Mac 'n' Cheese Burger
From POPSUGAR Food
Ingredients
- For the macaroni and cheese burger buns:
1/2 pound elbow pasta
4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
3 cups cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
2 cups whole milk
4 sheets of gelatin
2 tablespoons truffle butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup gruyère, grated
1/2 pound brie, rind removed, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
- For the burgers:
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon Sriracha
3 romaine lettuce leaves
3 beef burger patties
3 thick slices of tomato
3 tablespoons scallion, thinly sliced on the bias
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Directions
- For the macaroni and cheese burger buns: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; spray the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray.
- In a large stockpot, bring water to a boil. Generously salt the water, then add the pasta and cook until it's al dente, about 5-7 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set pasta aside. Wipe stockpot clean.
- In the same stock pot, set over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Once butter begins to look foamy, add the mushrooms, and cook for 6 minutes, flipping mushrooms once, until mushrooms appear wilted and lightly browned. Transfer mushrooms to a small bowl, and set aside. Wipe stockpot clean.
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk over low heat until small bubbles begin to form, about 7-10 minutes. Turn off the flame immediately, but keep the pan on the stove for later use.
- Meanwhile, hydrate the gelatin sheets by covering them with cold water until bloomed.
- In the stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons truffle butter and 2 tablespoons salted butter over low heat. Add flour, and whisk constantly for 2 minutes, until a smooth paste forms. Slowly stir in milk in 1/4 cup increments. Be careful as it will bubble. Stir with each addition of milk, so no clumps form in the sauce. Continue to stir and cook 1-2 minutes more, until it thickens and is smooth.
- Drain the water from the bloomed gelatin, wringing excess water off. Add the gelatin to the sauce, and whisk until completely incorporated and smooth. Add the brie and gruyère, and whisk until the cheese melts completely into the sauce. Stir in the cooked mushrooms, mushroom juices, and pasta. Continue cooking until mixture is heated through and simmering. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the prepared truffle macaroni and cheese onto the prepared baking sheet and spread it out evenly; cover with another piece of parchment paper. Place a second baking sheet on top, and place a few soup cans on top to press and weigh it down. Place the tray in the fridge until fully chilled and set, at least 3 hours.
- Once ready to fry the burger buns, whisk the egg in a wide, shallow bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the bread crumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to a third bowl.
- Remove the truffle macaroni and cheese from the fridge. Using a 3-1/4-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 6 macaroni and cheese buns. Dredge each bun in the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs, and place on a baking sheet.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the discs in batches, turning gently, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and drain on paper towels. Keep the buns warm in a 200°F oven.
- For the burgers: Whisk together the Sriracha and ketchup in a small bowl. Season the hamburger patties with salt, and cook them over medium-high heat until medium rare or to your preferred degree of doneness.
- For each burger, layer in this order: a macaroni and cheese bun, a romaine lettuce leaf, a burger patty, 1 tablespoon ketchup, a slice of tomato, 1 tablespoon scallions, 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, and the second macaroni and cheese bun. Serve immediately.
Information
- Category
- Main Dishes, Sandwiches
- Cuisine
- North American
- Yield
- 3 burgers
