The Unexpected Ingredient You Should Be Using To Make Burgers

The best part about a burger is that there are tons of versions for it. Some may imagine the most popular one, the meat patty between two buns of brioche bread, lettuce, sliced tomato, pickles, cheddar cheese, and their favorite sauces. There are cheeseburgers, fancy burgers, diner burgers, and of course, the famous Big Mac. Plus, creative burger twists are endless today, like a mac and cheese burger or a breakfast burger with a fried egg.

There's also a group of people that goes beyond the meat patty and crave a plant-based patty, a turkey burger, a mushroom burger, or a salmon one, either because of their dietary preferences or because their palate prefers unexpected flavors when having this American classic. In fact, cooks would be surprised to know that an unexpected ingredient makes the burger-making process smoother and brings a richer and healthier result. Next time you crave seafood, try using shrimp to make burgers, per Washington Post.

A classic shrimp burger recipe would require grinding shrimp in a food processor or a blender. In just the first step, the process gets easier. As reported by The Washington Post, shrimp gets gummy when ground, which means the shrimp won't fall apart and won't need extra breadcrumbs, eggs, or flour to get solid. Their recipe adds ginger, scallions, and kimchi for a tangier flavor.

If looking for a lighter patty, Slender Kitchen suggests just mixing the shrimp with salt, pepper, and any herb like cilantro. After shaping the patties using your hands, grill them and have a juicy burger in less than 20 minutes. Serve it in your choice of bread with any veggies you'll like, and top it with avocado for some nice moisture. Plus, these patties are easy to freeze and cook for another occasion.

If you feel concerned when cooking with shrimp, don't be intimidated. You can use frozen shrimp, and when peeling, help yourself with kitchen sears. Just be careful with overcooking the shrimp, and check the color until it looks bright and pink. Once you have the shrimp figured out, the process is easier and fast. Plus, shrimp is also low in calories and high in nutrients like iodine, a rare mineral that helps with brain and thyroid health (via Healthline). You'll probably find your favorite burger in this unexpected twist.