Description
These Lettuce Wrap Blue Cheese Burgers with Caramelized Onions are a delicious, low-carb alternative to traditional burgers. Featuring juicy beef patties topped with melted blue cheese, sweet and deeply caramelized onions, fresh chives, and a creamy honey mustard sauce, all wrapped in crisp iceberg lettuce leaves. Perfect for a flavorful, satisfying meal without the bun.
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 4 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh thyme, to taste (optional, as mentioned in instructions)
Burgers
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- Crumbled blue cheese, for topping
- Olive oil, for cooking (small drizzle)
- Kosher salt and pepper, to season beef
Lettuce Wraps and Toppings
- 1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves pulled off and washed
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, for topping
Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the thinly sliced onions along with a big pinch of kosher salt, pepper, and fresh thyme if using. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to soften. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions turn a dark brown and become caramelized. This can take 1 to 2 hours. To prevent burning, keep an eye on them, stirring often and adding a splash of water if the pan gets too dry.
- Prepare the Burger Patties: Season the ground beef well with kosher salt and pepper. Divide it into 4 to 6 equal patties, depending on your preferred thickness—thinner patties are recommended if you choose 6.
- Cook the Burgers: Using the same skillet or a different one, heat over medium heat and add a small drizzle of olive oil if needed. Add the patties and cook until the underside is deeply golden and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Flip the patties, then top each with a generous amount of crumbled blue cheese. Continue cooking until the other side is browned and the blue cheese melts, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Make the Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, and Dijon mustard until smooth and well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Assemble the Lettuce Wrap Burgers: Take washed iceberg lettuce leaves and lay one or two leaves per burger to form a cup. Place the cooked burger on the lettuce, top with a generous spoonful of caramelized onions, drizzle with the creamy honey mustard sauce, and sprinkle chopped fresh chives over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Keep a close watch on onions while caramelizing; stirring frequently prevents burning and ensures deep flavor.
- The creamy honey mustard sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Adjust the number of burger patties depending on desired size and serving portions.
- This recipe is naturally low-carb by using lettuce cups instead of traditional buns.
- Add fresh thyme to the caramelizing onions for an aromatic touch, but it’s optional.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing, Pan-frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 burger with toppings
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
