This Caprese Pesto Burger Recipe with Dandelion Flower Mayo combines my love of garden tomatoes and basil pesto with a mozzarella cheese burger. It’s a summertime celebration stacked on a toasted bun.
Making dandelion flower mayo is also the most fun you’ll have cooking with weeds. These burgers burst with bold basil flavor, rich cheese, and a floral mayo that will have your friends and family asking you for this recipe.
If you're looking for a fresh twist on your standard venison burger, this recipe delivers big. I’ve made a lot of burgers over the years - from a traditional Grilled Venison Burger to a Tex Mex Big Game Burger to a Blue Cheese Burger. But this caprese mozzarella burger is one I come back to every summer. It’s a perfect way to celebrate that first flush of ripe tomatoes from the garden.
Why You'll Love This Pesto Burger
At its core, this is a basil pesto burger. The pesto gets folded into the ground venison, giving each bite a punch of garlic, Parmesan, and fresh green basil. But it doesn’t stop there. We're topping it with thick slices of fresh mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and a second spoonful of pesto for good measure.
And then there’s the dandelion flower mayo.
Dandelion Flower Mayo
Yes, you heard that right.
Those sunny yellow blooms of dandelion flowers popping up in your yard aren’t just edible - they’re delicious. When chopped and stirred into mayonnaise with a little garlic powder, they create a floral, slightly honeyed spread that makes this pesto burger recipe stand out from every other grilled burger on the block.
Dandelion Flowers On My Burger?
Using dandelion flowers in cooking isn’t new. But they’ve made a comeback over the last few years as more people embrace wild food and sustainable ingredients. The key is to use only the yellow petals. Skip the green parts, which can taste bitter - unless you want to try the greens in our recipe for Tuscan Salmon with Dandelion Greens.
The dandelion flowers add color, texture, and a light floral flavor that pairs beautifully with Hellman's real mayonnaise. If you’re still unsure, just try a small taste on a cracker first. You might be surprised how good a dandelion flower recipe can be.
Tips For Making The Best Caprese Burgers
- Don’t overmix your meat. When combining the ground venison with the pesto, olive oil, and butter, stop as soon as everything is evenly blended. Overworking the meat can make your burgers tough.
- Oil your grill grates. This step is essential for keeping your Caprese burgers from sticking to the grill. A quick swipe with an oiled a-paper towel before cooking can make all the difference.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. Venison is lean and can dry out fast. That's the reason for adding the olive oil and butter. For juicy burgers, aim for 135 degrees F in the center. That’s a perfect medium rare.
How to Make Caprese Pesto Burgers
1. Make the Dandelion Flower Mayo
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chopped dandelion flowers, and garlic powder. Stir well and set aside. Letting it sit for a bit helps the flavors blend.
2. Prep the Caprese Burgers
In a large bowl, add the ground venison, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, melted butter, 6 Tablespoons basil pesto, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to gently mix until just combined.
Form the mixture into six patties, about 4 inches wide and ¾ inch thick. Use another 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to brush both sides of each patty to help them from sticking to the grill.
3. Get Your Grill Ready
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Once hot, scrape the grates clean. Dip a paper towel in the remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Using tongs, rub the towel across the grates to oil them.
4. Grill the Burgers
Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 1 minute. Then, reduce the heat to medium and close the lid. Grill for 3 more minutes. Flip the burgers. Add a slice of mozzarella on top of each one. Close the lid and cook for another 3 minutes or until they reach 135 degrees F internally.
5. Toast the Buns and Assemble
While the burgers finish cooking, toast the buns cut side down on the grill until lightly golden. Spread the dandelion flower mayo on the bottom buns.
Top with a mozzarella cheese burger, a slice of tomato, and a spoonful of the remaining pesto. Then cap with the top bun and serve immediately.
A Pesto Burger Recipe Perfect For Grilling Season
When you make this caprese burger recipe, you can serve it with grilled sweet corn, a cold cucumber salad, or a pitcher of dandelion iced tea with sliced lemon. They're just as good for a backyard party as they are for a weeknight dinner on the deck.
More Venison Burger Recipes
If you are looking for more ways to use some of that venison burger in your freezer, be sure and check out some of these family favorites:
Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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Caprese Pesto Burger Recipe with Dandelion Flower Mayo
Ingredients
Caprese Pesto Burger
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 12 Tablespoons basil pesto, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 6 slices
- 6 hamburger buns, sliced
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced
Dandelion Flower Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Hellman's mayonnaise
- ¼ cup fresh dandelion flowers (yellow flower petals only), roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Dandelion Flower Mayonnaise
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, fresh dandelion flowers, and garlic powder. Set aside.
Caprese Pesto Burgers
- In a large bowl, combine ground venison, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, butter, 6 Tablespoons of the basil pesto, salt, and pepper. Gently knead to blend.
- Form the mixture into six 4-inch patties, about ¾-inch thick. Brush the burger patties lightly on both sides using 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.
- Light a grill and set to medium high heat. Scrape the grill grates well to clean them. When you are ready to grill the pesto burgers, dip a paper towel in remaining 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and grab it with tongs. Wipe down the grill with the oily towel and immediately lay the burgers down on the grill grates and cook for 1 minute.
- Turn the heat down to medium, close the grill lid, and grill the burgers for 3 minutes. Flip the burgers, top them with the mozzarella slices and close the grill. Cook for about 3 minutes longer until they are medium rare and reach an internal temperature of 135 degrees F using an instant read meat thermometer.
- Grill the buns until lightly toasted, then spread the dandelion flower mayonnaise on the bottoms.
- Top the buns with the burgers, the tomatoes and the remaining pesto. Close the burgers and serve immediately.
Melissa says
We made these with deer burger and loved them. Great recipe!
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Melissa. Great to hear you used some deer burger for the recipe.