Description
These Monster Burgers are fun and flavorful 5-ounce beef patties topped with mozzarella ‘eyes,’ olive slices, tomato, cheddar ‘teeth,’ lettuce, and pickles, all assembled on hamburger buns. Perfect for a playful meal that delivers classic burger satisfaction with a spooky twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Burger Patties
- 20 oz ground beef (80/20 blend recommended for juiciness)
- 1–2 teaspoons oil (vegetable or olive oil)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Monster Face Toppings
- 8 medium black olives
- 8 mini mozzarella balls (bocconcini), about 1 ounce or 28 grams each, patted dry
- 8 tomato slices (from about 2 medium tomatoes), patted dry
- 4 slices orange cheddar cheese
- 4 pieces of green lettuce, rinsed and patted dry
- 4 pickle slices
Assembly
- 4 hamburger buns (use gluten-free buns if preferred)
- Toothpicks (for securing mozzarella and olive ‘eyes’)
Instructions
- Form Patties: Divide the ground beef into four 5-ounce portions. Shape each into a patty about 1 inch wider than your buns. Press your thumb into the center of each patty to prevent it from puffing up during cooking. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Cook Patties: Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a small amount of oil to coat the pan. Place the patties in and cook until done, flipping only once. Cook time varies by thickness and preferred doneness; aim for an internal temperature of 160 °F for well-done with no pink center.
- Prepare Monster Eyes: Cut each black olive in half. Place the cut half featuring the ‘star’ pattern on top of a mini mozzarella ball. Secure each olive-mozzarella eye assembly with a toothpick.
- Prepare Toppings: Slice tomatoes into 8 even, medium-thick slices and pat dry on paper towels to avoid sogginess. Cut triangles from the cheddar slices to resemble teeth; be careful not to remove too much cheese so the teeth extend out from the bun.
- Assemble Burgers: Let the patties cool slightly to avoid melting cheese prematurely. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each bun, then add a cooked patty. Arrange 2 tomato slices side by side on the patty, position a pickle slice in the middle to act as a tongue, arrange the cheddar cheese teeth on top, then place the top bun half.
- Add Eyes and Serve: Attach two of the mozzarella and olive ‘eyes’ on top of each bun using toothpicks. Serve immediately and enjoy your spooky monster burgers!
Notes
- Cooking times may vary depending on patty thickness and desired doneness; always use a meat thermometer for safety.
- Patting mozzarella and tomato slices dry prevents soggy burgers.
- Use gluten-free buns to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Be gentle when cutting cheddar teeth to maintain their shape for the monster effect.
- Leftover burger patties can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
