New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburgers
Why this recipe works
- Smoky chilli flavour: Blistering the green chillies in the pan gives them charred edges and a deeper, more savoury heat.
- Fast cooking: The chillies, patties and buns all cook in the same hot pan, keeping the method efficient and straightforward.
- Balanced texture: A browned beef patty, melted cheese, toasted bun, crisp onion and firm tomato give the burger structure and freshness.
Get the most out of this recipe
Adjust the heat
- For a milder burger: Remove the chilli seeds and membranes before charring, or use a milder green chilli.
- For more heat: Swap in jalapeño or leave more of the chilli seeds intact.
- Keep the heat balanced: Cheddar, tomato and onion help soften the chilli heat without making the burger feel heavy.
Ingredient notes
- Choose firm tomatoes: A ripe but firm tomato adds freshness without making the bun soggy.
- Use beef with enough fat: Minced beef with some fat gives a juicier patty and better browning in the pan.
- Cheese choice matters: Cheddar gives a sharper flavour, while Monterey Jack melts more softly and tastes milder.
Common mistakes
- Using a pan that is too cool: The pan needs to be hot enough to blister the chillies and brown the patties rather than steam them.
- Overcooking after adding cheese: Once the cheese and chilli are on the patty, cover only briefly so the cheese melts without drying out the beef.
- Skipping the bun toast: Toasting the cut sides helps the bun hold up against the hot patty, cheese and tomato.
Make-ahead tips
- Store the patties separately: Keep cooked patties apart from buns, onion and tomato so the fresh components stay crisp.
- Reheat gently: Warm the patties in a frying pan over medium heat with a splash of water and a lid until piping hot.
- Freeze cooked patties: Cooked patties can be frozen, then defrosted overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice the onion into thin rings and slice the tomato. Halve the green chillies lengthways, then remove the seeds if you prefer less heat.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chillies cut-side down and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until blistered and lightly charred, then transfer to a board.
- Divide the minced beef into 2 equal portions and shape into patties slightly wider than the buns. Return the pan to medium-high heat and cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until well browned and cooked through.
- Grate the cheddar. Top each patty with cheese and a piece of roasted chilli, then cover the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Split the burger buns and toast them cut-side down in the pan for 1 to 2 minutes until golden. Build the burgers with onion and tomato, then serve straight away.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For a juicier burger, press a small dimple into the centre of each patty before cooking so it stays flatter in the pan.
- If you are serving anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, make sure the beef is cooked until piping hot all the way through.
Substitutions
- Replace Cheddar cheese with Monterey jack cheese for a milder melt.
- Replace Green chili pepper with Jalapeno pepper for a hotter finish.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Store cooked patties (without buns, onion, or tomato) in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a frying pan over medium heat with a splash of water and a lid until piping hot, or freeze the cooked patties and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 25min (20min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
-
Allergens:
Gluten Milk Wheat
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