Looking for a super easy burger recipe, the whole family will love? Give these Santa Fe Burgers a try!
Super Easy Santa Fe Burgers
Who doesn’t love a great burger as an easy summer meal? We’ve tried a number of different burgers joints in our neighborhood recently, but to be honest, these Santa Fe Burgers are probably still my personal favorite.They have a great blend of flavors and are laced with shredded cheese (and topped with a little more) vs. being fashioned into a Juicy Lucy burger. The concept just works better. Who wants a pocket of molten hot cheese from the center of a burger exploding in their mouth?
Because this recipe uses just a few ingredients, they come together very quickly. You can even pan brown them if it’s not convenient to broil or grill them. I also like the fact that they appeal to both kids and adults. You can adjust the recipe to your family’s preference, by selecting the salsa that works best for you – mild, medium or hot. Or get creative and use a corn, black bean or other exotic salsa.
Bun or No Bun?
As you can see in my photo, I serve these Santa Fe Burgers, without buns. With the cheese and salsa on top, they have plenty of flavor to make them tasty without the added carbs. But there are those with bigger appetites, and more traditional feelings about the fact that a burger belongs on a bun. No worries, just serve them however you prefer.
Easy Make Ahead or Freeze Option
You can also easily throw these burgers together in advance, cover them with plastic wrap, and store in the frig until you are ready to grill them. If you end up refrigerating for a few hours or more, I would set them out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling. You can also wrap uncooked burgers tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them for future use. I do this frequently because I am usually cooking for 2, and the recipe makes 4 burgers. Remember to allow time for thawing overnight in the frig, if you are using frozen burgers.
Santa Fe Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef I use 85% lean or ground turkey
- 6 ounces 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese, divided (I use a 4 cheese Mexican blend)
- 1/2 cup salsa or a tad more, divided
- 1/4 cup crushed tortilla chips
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion green part only
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 4 burger buns and additional topics optional
Instructions
- In medium bowl, combine ground beef, 3/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup salsa, tortilla chips, green onions, cumin, chili powder and garlic salt. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 4 patties, 1/2 inch thick (about 4 inches in diameter.)
- Grill or broil patties on oiled rack 5 – 6 inches from heat about 5 minutes per side.
- Top burgers with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and continue to cook for a minute or two minutes, until cheese melts. Top with remaining 1/4 cup (or a tad more) salsa. Serve on buns if desired. Enjoy!
Cathy has made these for us twice now and they are delicious. Thanks for a great lunch on Saturday.
Okay now I am getting really hungry reading all these fabulous recipes. I think I will try this one tonight.Love these flavors. Cheese and salsa are always in my fridge.
Your family will love them!
Thanks. The sun was really bright (and hot) that day!
That picture turned out wonderful! Looks yummy too!