Caprese Burger with Pesto

Labor Day is right around the corner and summer is slowly beginning to fade into fall. My garden is in full bloom, tomatoes are falling off their vines and I have a basket of freshly picked basil. I am planning to make a huge batch of pesto this week, which I will freeze so I can continue to enjoy the tastes of summer throughout the cooler months ahead. Amy and I both have shared recipes for homemade pesto and you will want to make a batch for this delicious Caprese burger recipe below. For Amy’s traditional basil pesto {click here} and for my hearty kale and basil pesto {click here}. Slice a couple freshly grown beef steak tomatoes and set your grill to medium-high; these burgers are perfect for a labor day feast.

Ingredients

1 lb ground organic beef
1/2 cup, basil or kale Pesto
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
Garden fresh beef steak tomatoes, sliced thick
Balsamic glaze (purchased at my local grocery store: vinegar aisle)
Burger buns, toasted
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive Oil

Directions

Pre-heat your grill to medium-high heat.
Place 1lb ground beef, a pinch of salt and some pepper in large mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the pesto to the bowl and mix together using your hands. Form 4 patties, about 3/4 inch thick and brush each burger with olive oil.
Lower your grill temp to medium and cook your burgers for 3 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium-well. Grill the buns until lightly toasted, then drizzle some balsamic glaze on both the top and bottom buns. Stack your burger with fresh mozzarella cheese, pesto and a thick slice of tomato. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve right away.

Pesto can be made ahead of time, please make sure you bring it to room temperature for the best results.