Very lean beef can sometimes lead to a dry burger. This recipe combats the dry burger situation by mixing the lean beef with finely chopped sauteed mushrooms, which add fiber, umami and moisture to delicious, juicy burgers. Topped with a spicy carrot slaw and quick tahini sauce and folded into warm wholemeal naan, these burgers top takeaway any night of the week.
Active time: 25 minutes | Total time: 1 hour
Spicy burgers with Tahini sauce and Harissa carrot slaw
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 medium portobello mushrooms, dark underside scraped out and discarded, cap finely chopped
- 1 lb 95/5 ground beef
- 4 teaspoons ground flaxseed
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons harissa
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 2 tbsp coriander, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp tahini
- 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
- 4 small wholemeal naan, lightly toasted
- 4 green salad leaves
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the water has evaporated, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a mixing bowl and leave to cool.
Add the ground beef, flaxseed, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl and stir well to combine. Form the mixture into four 4 1/2-inch (11 cm) patties and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the slaw: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and harissa. Add carrots, cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and toss together. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, maple syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Add 1-2 teaspoons of warm water and beat until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat a grill or nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Place the burgers on the toasted naan and top with salad, tahini sauce and slaw. Serve immediately.
Serves: 4 | Serving size: 1 flatbread, 1 burger patty, 1/2 cup (50 g) slaw, 1 tablespoon sauce
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 398; Total fat: 16g; Saturated fat: 4g; Monounsaturated fat: 5g; Polyunsaturated fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 70 mg; Sodium: 775 mg; Carbohydrate: 32g; Dietary fiber: 5g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 32g
Nutritional bonus: Vitamin D: 1%; Calcium: 10%; Iron: 14%; Potassium: 670mg; Vitamin A: 403%; Vitamin C: 10%
Originally published: June 15, 2019; Updated March 2026
The post Spicy Burgers with Tahini Sauce and Harissa Carrot Slaw appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.