Cottage Cheese Burgers
Hamburgers just scream Summer to me! We enjoy burgers so much, that I am always looking for a new twist on a burger. I first made these Cottage Cheese Burgers back in 1971. They did not work very well, especially on the grill. They were definitely tasty, but they fell apart. After trial and error, I have since modified the recipe so they will hold together even when grilling.
Additionally, since this burger already has cottage cheese in it, I typically don’t add cheese to the top. However, you can do so if you like.
The Worcestershire Sauce makes this burger very tasty. The cottage cheese keeps the burger from drying out, leaving it moist and tender. I have made burgers with other types of cheese like cheddar or feta, but this is a new flavor profile to a traditional burger recipe.
The first thing to keep this burger together is to select a leaner ground beef. We use 96%, but anything over 90% will do just fine. It will still be moist with the cottage cheese being added. The cottage cheese should be drained. Pour the cottage cheese into a strainer that is over a bowl. Let it drain for 2 to 4 hours. Some brands are a little drier than others. I use Organic Valley® Cottage Cheese.
If frying, don’t press the burger down when cooking or the cheese will come out of the burger. You are also squeezing the juice out of the burger when you do this. Also, let the patty sear on one side before turning. No need to constantly turn the burger to ensure it is cooked. If you have a cast iron skillet, use it. It will build up a charred crust.
A great variation and a lower calorie burger would be to use ground turkey meat instead of ground beef. However, you may need to make adjustments, so it does not fall apart. Also, turkey tends to be bland, so try adding additional seasonings like parsley, more ground mustard and parmesan cheese.
Add a salad and some chips and you have a quick meal.
Try this burger and let me know what you think. Watch for more burger recipes, like my Mustard Ale Cheese Burger, Mediterranean Chicken Burger with Feta or Chicken Satay Burger.
Cottage Cheese Hamburgers
A moist and flavorful hamburger.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese, small curd, drained for 2-4 hours
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 hamburger buns
Directions
- Step 1 Pour the cottage cheese into a strainer and place the strainer over a bowl. Let the cottage cheese drain for 2-4 hours
- Step 2 Mash all the burger ingredients together including the drained cottage cheese.
- Step 3 Form into hamburger patties.
- Step 4 Fry, broil or grill on both sides.
- Step 5 Toast the hamburger buns.
- Step 6 Assemble the burger on the toasted hamburger bun with your favorite hamburger toppings, lettuce, tomato, onion, etc.
Not sure I’d be into this one, but it’s interesting. Guess I just prefer regular cheese.