Meaty, cheesy, and perfect for cookouts, these Mozzarella Burgers will be your go-to recipe all summer long!
Burger Season is in Full Swing
Who else is excited that summer is just around the corner? We can’t wait for outdoor parties, cookouts, and late nights spent around a bonfire. It’s the season for Taco Pasta Salad, Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa, and Banana Boat Dessert!
It’s also time for burgers. Enter: the Mozzarella Burger. It’s a nice change of pace from your classic Double Bacon Cheeseburger or Mushroom Swiss Burger.
Why We Love a Burger with Mozzarella
- It’s fast. You’ll only need 20 minutes for prep and 15 minutes for cooking! These burgers allow you plenty of time to whip up a side dish to go with them (or to just have more time outside)!
- It’s versatile. You can easily cook these bad boys in a cast iron skillet, or you can take them outside and grill them. For our best tips on grilling, check out this post: How to Grill Burgers.
Key Ingredients for a Mozzarella Cheese Burger
- Ground beef - You’ll need a pound of fatty beef for your burgers. I recommend using no leaner than 80/20 beef for juicy burgers.
- Brioche buns - You could use any type of bun for this recipe, but brioche buns will toast really well and add a nice softness to your burgers.
- Mozzarella cheese - The star of the show! We used 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced thick.
- Pesto - The peso pairs so well with the mozzarella cheese!
- Mayo - You can use whatever kind of mayonnaise you prefer.
- Sundried tomatoes - We used a jar of sundried tomatoes, but if you prefer the taste of fresh, sliced tomatoes, you can use those instead.
- Arugula - These burgers need some green! We used 2 cups of loose arugula on the top of our patties.
How to Make Mozzarella Burgers
- Prep the buns. Lightly brush both sides of the buns with melted butter and set aside.
- Prep the burgers. Divide the beef into four equal sections and use your hands to gently shape each section into a ball. Use the palm of your hand to press each ball into a burger shape. It doesn’t have to be perfectly round. Press your thumb into the center of each burger to prevent doming.
- Season. Mix together the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the burgers with the seasoning mixture.
- Fry the burgers. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add just enough vegetable oil to coat. When the oil shimmers, place the patties in the skillet. Fry about 3 minutes, flip, then fry an additional 2-3 minutes or until internal temperature reaches desired doneness (see temp chart below). Place a slice of mozzarella on the burgers for the last minute and cover with a lid or sheet pan to allow it to melt. Remove the burgers to a plate and loosely tent with foil.
- Toast the buns. Lower heat to medium low, add the buttered buns to the skillet, and grill until well browned. Remove to a plate.
- Make the pesto mayo. While the buns grill, mix the pesto and mayonnaise together in a small bowl.
- Assemble. To assemble the burgers, spread both sides of the buns with pesto mayo, then top with burgers, sun dried tomatoes, and arugula. Serve immediately.
Tips for Making Burgers
- Use fatty beef - Save the lean beef for Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup. I recommend using no leaner than 80/20 beef for juicy burgers.
- Be gentle - Avoid tough burgers by handling the meat as little (and as gently) as possible.
- Use your thumb to indent the center - If you’ve ever started grilling a big burger patty and ended up with a small burger dome, you’ll understand the importance of this trick. Making an indent in the center of your patty prevents it from puffing up in the center and allows for more even cooking.
- Never press burgers down - Nothing hurts me more than watching someone press their spatula into a burger patty and seeing all those delicious juices run out. Please, if you disregard all my other advice, DON’T DO THIS. We want all those juices in our burgers, not at the bottom of the grill.
FAQS
What should the temperature of the burger be?
Burgers should be cooked to 140-145 F for medium, 150-155 F for medium well, or 160+ F for well done.
Does mozzarella melt like cheddar?
Mozzarella is a great melting cheese. Be sure to choose fresh mozzarella, which comes in a ball or cylinder, not a block.
Cheddar and mozzarella don’t have the exact same melting qualities. Both cheeses melt well and are great for burgers, but mozzarella is more likely to create those gooey pulled cheese strings. There’s a reason mozzarella is the go-to for pizzas and cheese sticks!
Should cheese go on the top or bottom of the burger?
The mozzarella cheese should go on the top of your patty. If you cover the pan during the final minute of cooking, it will melt the cheese beautifully.
Is mozzarella good for burgers?
Mozzarella, particularly fresh mozzarella, is a great choice for burgers! It’s soft and mild, and makes the best melty cheese strings. It pairs especially well with pesto or marinara, like in these Italian Burgers.
How long do you cook burgers on each side prior to adding cheese?
These smaller (¼ pound) burgers are cooked about 3 minutes a side. We add the cheese during the last minute of cooking time on the second side.
Do you put seasoning on both sides of burgers?
Yes. I always season both sides of our burger meat. If you want, you can just season the top then flip it into the skillet seasoned side down, and then add seasoning to the other side.
If you want to know more about why we season the outside of the burgers rather than mix it into the meat itself, check out this post on Burger Seasoning. We tested both ways and found seasoning the outside of the burger gives it more flavor!
What to Serve with Mozzarella Burgers
We’ve got all the side dishes that you can pair with these Mozzarella Burgers:
- 30+ Sides for Burgers
- Air Fryer Potatoes
- 3 Bean Cilantro Lime Salad
- or our Creamiest Mac and Cheese!
📖 Recipe
Mozzarella Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter (melted)
- 4 brioche buns
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Vegetable oil (to coat)
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese (sliced thick)
- 3 Tablespoons pesto
- 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 6 oz jar sundried tomatoes in oil (drained, sliced)
- 2 cups loose arugula
Instructions
- Prep the buns. Lightly brush both sides of the buns with melted butter and set aside.
- Prep the burgers. Divide the beef into four equal sections and use your hands to gently shape each section into a ball. Use the palm of your hand to press each ball into a burger shape. It doesn’t have to be perfectly round. Press your thumb into the center of each burger to prevent doming.
- Season. Mix together the salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the burgers with the seasoning mixture.
- Fry the burgers. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat and add just enough vegetable oil to coat. When the oil shimmers, place the patties in the skillet. Fry about 3 minutes, flip, then fry an additional 2-3 minutes or until internal temperature reaches desired doneness (see temp chart below). Place a slice of mozzarella on the burgers for the last minute and cover with a lid or sheet pan to allow it to melt. Remove the burgers to a plate and loosely tent with foil.
- Toast the buns. Lower heat to medium low, add the buttered buns to the skillet, and grill until well browned. Remove to a plate.
- Make the pesto mayo. While the buns grill, mix the pesto and mayonnaise together in a small bowl.
- Assemble. To assemble the burgers, spread both sides of the buns with pesto mayo, then top with burgers, sun dried tomatoes, and arugula. Serve immediately.
Notes
Tips for making burgers:
- Use fatty beef - Save the lean beef for Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup. I recommend using no leaner than 80/20 beef for juicy burgers.
- Be gentle - Avoid tough burgers by handling the meat as little (and as gently) as possible.
- Use your thumb to indent the center - If you’ve ever started grilling a big burger patty and ended up with a small burger dome, you’ll understand the importance of this trick. Making an indent in the center of your patty prevents it from puffing up in the center and allows for more even cooking.
- Never press burgers down - Nothing hurts me more than watching someone press their spatula into a burger patty and seeing all those delicious juices run out. Please, if you disregard all my other advice, DON’T DO THIS. We want all those juices in our burgers, not at the bottom of the grill.
Burger Temperature Guide:
Burgers should be cooked to:- 140-145 F for medium
- 150-155 F for medium well
- 160+ F for well done
Equipment
Nutrition
More Burger Recipes
To see all our burger recipes, check out this page devoted to Burgers and Sandwiches.
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