French Onion Soup Burgers
In this recipe, I top a beef patty with the trademark flavors of a great French onion soup—soft, caramelized onions cooked with tomato and red wine, and a healthy dose of melted Gruyere cheese. It’s an irresistible combination you’ll want to make over and over again.
French Onion Soup Burgers Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup chicken or beef stock
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
- 4 buns
Instructions
In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, thyme and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Caramelize the onions over medium-low heat until soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Next, add the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, wine and stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the pan is nearly dry, about 10 minutes. Taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper as desired. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, and reserve the onions while you make the burgers.
Heat a cast iron or heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Form 4 burger patties, trying not to overwork the meat. Season each burger with salt. Cook the burgers over high heat for 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and pile grated Gruyere cheese on top of each patty. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Place each burger on a bottom bun and top with a scoop of the onion mixture. Serve immediately.
Photographs by Madeleine Hill.
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