Juicy Grilled Healthy Cheeseburgers
If you ask me to list off my top three favorite things about summer the list will probably go something like … grilling, swimming, gardening! And repeat! I love having the kids home and just enjoying the backyard! Lighter food, bigger fun! These healthy cheeseburgers from Food Network fit right in!
These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they’re served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.
Ingredients
- Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 4 whole wheat English muffins, split
- 1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices
- 1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef
- 2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)
- Pickles, for serving, optional
Directions
- Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.
- Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.
- While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.
- Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.
- Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.
- Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.
Copyright 2012 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved. Used here with permission.
More Healthy Grilling and Summer Recipes from Food Network
Just click the photos to get the full recipe!
One of the few meals that my family can all agree on that they love is burgers!! Yum!
Looks tasty! I have never eaten slaw on a hamburger…looks and sounds tasty!
Looks tasty,My kiddies love burgers especially home made ones not had any for a while though,Probably will soon since the weather is getting nicer.
We had burgers yesterday! We love them so much. I’ve recently begun adding pico de gallo instead of tomatoes to spice it up!
I’m all for doing it healthier when possible. The burgers look great, and I LOVE grilling!
That looks so good. I must take a break now and fix this… So hungry!
Wow, those look delicious. And they’re healthy, too? Sign me up!
Everything looks so amazing. I love a good BBQ or BBQ style meal. Even better that they are healthy.
I love grilling burgers in the summer! I’m a little weird in that I don’t like cheese on my burgers. (I love both separately, but not together.) your photos look amazing!
Yum! I love burgers in the summer out in the grill. That corn and pasta salad looks yummy, too.
The corn and pasta salad looks the best to me. I would love to munch on that all summer long!
Thanks for the recipes! I only buy organic hamburger meat now, I have learned it is healthier and tastier. And I love a burger and slaw! That;s how I get my veggies covered!
thanks,
Mitch
I love a good cheeseburger. Thanks for all the grilling recipes. We love to grill out!
The slaw looks great– I would even put it right on my burger!
I love healthier versions of foods I love. Thanks for a great recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
We have been grilling hamburgers lately indoors on our George Foreman which helps reduce the fat. I eat mine without a bun since I’m gluten-free. I know there are GF buns but I prefer mine with just lettuce.
Mmm, this looks delicious! Bonus points thats it’ healthy!
I have always loved slaw on hot dogs. I have never actually had it on a burger- worth a shot!
Those burgers just look absolutely delicious! I don’t think I’ve ever made any like that before, I am going to have to try your recipe!
This looks so good. Thank you for sharing. I would love to make these this weekend.
The burgers look great! I would have to find a alternative to the English muffins though….I tried that once with the kids….let’s just say that it was not a hit with them.
I love burgers, so a healthy one is even better! Thanks for the recipe.
nothing beats a good burger. I’m hoping for clear skies so I can get grilling tonight
It all looks good. Looks like Fun summer eating
I’ll have to make these for my dad soon! He’ll love them!
I want to make all of this for lunch today. It all looks amazing.
WOW, that is a thick burger! No wonder it’s so juicy!
These look YUMMY! I love a good cheeseburger!
I tried pulled pork with coleslaw for the FIRST time a couple of weeks ago at a food tasting event. I’m going to try this recipe for myself soon.
That slaw looks AHmazing! That’s the type of toppings I love on my burger.
Oh yes please! These look amazing!
That burger looks AMAZING!! I bet the salads are great too!
Burgers are a favorite around here! All of this food looks yummy!
I love burgers and that slaw looks really good.
This recipe looks great. I love slaw on almost every sandwich!
I tried it for the first time last year on a Carolina BBQ chicken sandwich and it was amazing!
The burgers look so juicy and delicious. I wonder how many readers were tempted to lick the screen.
Haha Janeane! Easy enough to make – no screen licking required!