The Onion Burger…a Childhood Favorite

Growing up in an immigrant family in Minnesota, our meals primarily consisted of Vietnamese food. Occasionally we would have an “American” dish that my mom and sisters learned to prepare from our sponsors or friends. Those dishes such as lasagna, sloppy joes, “steak-umms”, and spaghetti bring back such vivid memories for me at that young age as they would be “treats” from our standard Vietnamese fare. But as life would have it, I would gladly trade any of those “American” items to enjoy those old dishes again…..well, with the exception of our lasagna and onion burgers.

Our lasagna recipe is Top Secret–but trust me, it’s darn good. Now our onion burgers, that’s a whole different story. Why? Well, because the recipe is printed on a box—a Lipton Onion Soup Mix Box to be exact.

Ok, ok….we can’t really claim it to be “our” own recipe. But growing up, this is how I knew homemade burgers to taste like. So when we moved to California and I had other homemade burgers, I was underwhelmed. Where’s the seasoning? Where’s that great flavor in the patty? Needless to say, we continued making these onion burgers–with slight tweaks to the boxed recipe.

However, there’s good news for you dear friends. You, too, can get your little hands on this  yummy burger. It’s tasty and super easy to make. Let’s not forget to mention that you’ll have this on the table within a half hour. 30 Minute Meals has nothing on this burger! 🙂

So get those grills (or grill pans) ready because Summertime = Burger Time!

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Onion Burgers
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Patty:
1 Pound Ground Beef (80/20 mix)
1 Packet Lipton® Onion Soup Mix (or your preferred brand)
2 Teaspoons Garlic, finely minced
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Liquid Smoke (optional)

Fixings:
Grilled Onions
Crispy Bacon
Lettuce
Provolone Cheese
BBQ Aioli Dressing (combine 3 Tablespoons BBQ Sauce & 2 Tablespoons Mayo)
Ciabatta Rolls (or your choice of bread), toasted

Combine all ingredients for the patty, except the liquid smoke. Divide the mixture into four equal patties. Flatten patties and make a small indentation in the center. This is to help the patties from “puffing up” when they cook. If cooking on a grill, place patties directly on oiled grate and cook approximately 3-5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  If cooking on a stove top with grill pan, heat pan to medium high and cover lightly with cooking spray. Brush each patty with the liquid smoke (optional) and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. *For both methods, place a slice of cheese on top of each patty during the last minute of cooking.

Spread a spoonful of the BBQ Aioli Dressing on the bottom of each toasted roll and place patty on top. Continue adding the remaining accoutrements. Serve with chips and pickle spears.

ENJOY!