Italian Stuffed Sliders

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What's better than a grilled burger? Italian stuffed sliders, that's what! Stuffed with a delicious mix of goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and basil, these burgers are bursting with flavour. They give a whole new meaning to stuffed burgers! The best part, they are handheld sliders. Beware, you won't be able to stop at just one! Pair these burgers with the most perfect crispy potatoes, and you've got a perfect barbecue dinner!

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Recipe Overview
Ingredients
Instructions
Expert Tip
Recipe FAQs
Italian Stuffed Sliders

Why You'll Love This Recipe

These burgers are far from boring! The filling is full of flavour. The burger patties are seasoned very simply, but the filling jazzes up these sliders! If you are really into sliders, you'll love my grilled onion and cheddar sliders!
They are a great appetizer or main! Because these burgers are smaller, they serve as a great appetizer or a main course.

Recipe Overview

Flavour: The filling of these italian stuffed sliders is tangy and fresh. Combined with the charred flavour we know and love from the barbecue, you've got a flavour bomb on a bun! The goat cheese melts slightly in the middle, which makes for a great contrast of texture as well!
Ease: It may seem daunting to stuff a burger, but fear not! It is as easy as putting two patties on top of each other, and pressing down on the edges. Even if the two patties separate as they are cooking, that's ok!
Time: These burgers take about 15 minutes to prepare, and another 6-7 minutes to grill up! In under 30 minutes, you've got the most amazing Italian stuffed sliders!

Ingredients

Ground beef: For this recipe, I recommend using 80/20 ground beef. That ratio refers to the fat content; 80/20 has 20% fat. It may sound like a lot, but fat in this case, equals flavour!
Sundried tomatoes: You can use sundried tomatoes that are packed in oil, but be sure to drain them of the excess oil and chop them finely. I prefer the dried version, which can be reconstituted in water, to avoid more fat "drippage".
Fresh basil: This adds a brightness to the filling!
Goat cheese: Goat cheese adds the perfect tanginess to the filling. There are not many substitutions that I personally would recommend in place of the goat cheese.
Spices and seasonings: You will need garlic and onion powder to season the filling.
Mayonnaise: Use your favourite mayonnaise here! The kind of mayonnaise you would put on your favourite burger, for example!
Basil pesto: There is no need to make your own for this spread! Store bought is definitely fine. This will be mixed with the mayonnaise to form the spread for the sliders.
Lemon zest and juice: These will also be added to the mayonnaise spread, for some extra brightness.
Brioche slider buns: You can use any kind of bun that you prefer, but brioche buns have a nice softness to them that is perfect for these sliders.

Instructions

Prepare the stuffing mixture: In a mixing bowl, mix the ingredients for the burger stuffing, and set aside. You will want to use softened goat cheese, so it is easier to combine. If you for forget to take it out if the fridge ahead of time (i.e. me) put it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 5 second increments, until it is soft!
Prepare the meat: In another mixing bowl, mix together the ground beef, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Mix enough to combine the spices, but do not over mix. The meat will just loosely be coming together.
Prepare the burgers: Divide the ground beef mixture into 12 equal parts. Roll each section into a ball, and flatten the balls into patties that are approximately ½ cm thick. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the goat cheese filling on 6 of the patties, and top with the remaining 6 patties. Seal the edges of the burgers together by pressing down, and indent the middle of the burger with your finger, to keep the sliders flat while cooking [see step 4 photo above].
Cook the burgers: To cook these burgers, either grill for 4 minutes on a barbecue, or cook in a cast iron skillet for 4 minutes on each side.
Prepare the spread: While the burgers are grilling or searing, mix together the ingredients for the basil mayonnaise in a mixing bowl.
Serve: To serve, toast the brioche slider buns, and liberally spread basil mayonnaise on the top buns. Place some arugula on the bottom bun, add the burger, and top with thinly sliced red onion.

Expert Tip

Use cold beef! Cold beef is easier to form into patties than meat that has come to room temperature. The fat will be solid, and easier to shape!

Recipe FAQs

Can I substitute a different meat, instead of beef?

Absolutely! You may use chicken or turkey if you are looking to either lighten it up, or you do not eat red meat.

How long do I cook these burgers if I prefer a rare burger?

A rare burger takes approximately 4 minutes to cook. For each additional step of doneness, add another minute to the cooking time.

Can I substitute goat cheese for something else?

You can substitute mozzarella cheese for goat cheese. You will need to pack the mixture into a tablespoon tightly, before stuffing the burgers.

Can I freeze these burgers?

Yes you can! I recommend freezing the burgers after stuffing them, but before cooking them.

How can I reheat these burgers?

These burgers will reheat well in the oven, covered in foil.

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