Pepperoni Pizza Burger

Like many of us, I am a big fan of a plain jane cheeseburger, but sometimes I like to do a little poking around to find different types of burger recipes. 

When I was in high school I worked at a burger and custard shop and they made very yummy pizza burgers. I remember loving them, but it is not something that I often make at home. I have had Pioneer Woman's recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Burgers bookmarked for forever, and finally decided that I needed to make them for my family. 

The recipe is simple: beef, sausage, cheese, pepperoni and pizza sauce. Easy as pie, right?  The original recipe calls for the burgers to be cooked in a skillet, but I grill my burgers. No skillets for us unless it is raining, and even then we still will just move the grill under the overhang on our deck.  I also toasted the bun on the grill and if you use this method, as noted in the recipe, watch closely to prevent burning. This recipe makes 4 very large burgers and could easily be made into 6 for appetites on the smaller side. 

This burger was so delicious! I loved the addition of the grated Parmesan cheese right on the tomato sauce.... sometimes it is the little things right?  

Tonight Kellen is having a play date with a friend and we are grilling bbq chicken. I am planning on filling up his pool, and the kids can splash around a bit because it is suppose to get pretty hot tomorrow! 

Have a great week everyone! 


Ingredients

 1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage (hot or mild will work)
1 tsp Italian seasoning
8 slices mozzarella cheese
 20-25 pepperoni slices (about 5-6 per burger)
8 Tbl marinara sauce
 Grated Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
4 Kaiser Buns


Instructions

Combine ground beef, Italian sausage, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. Gently mix with your hands and form 4 large burgers. Heat grill to medium high and grill 3-5 minutes per side or until thermometer reads 160 degrees F at the thickest part of the burger. Towards, the end of the cook time, place pepperoni evenly on the burger and top with 2 slices of cheese. Allow the cheese to melt over the pepperoni. Remove from grill and cover to keep warm.

Split the bun and lightly brush the inside with a little olive oil. Toast the buns on the grill, but watch carefully because they can burn easily. Spread both halves with marinara sauce and sprinkle the sauce with Parmesan.
Lay the burgers on the bottom buns, then top with the top buns. Serve immediately.

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