Open-Faced Pizza Burgers

updated Jun 26, 2020
Open-Faced Pizza Burgers

Open-faced pizza burgers are served on split English muffins with ground beef, seasoned marinara sauce, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese.

Serves4

Prep5 minutes

Cook15 minutes

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The open-face pizza burgers are baked on a sheet pan until the cheese browns and melts.
Credit: Kristin Teig; Food Styling: Catrine Kelty

One bite into these open-faced pizza burgers and I was immediately struck with a sense of nostalgia. If you grew up eating English muffin pizzas like I did, these cheesy burgers will be right up your alley. They taste like a beefed-up version of the childhood favorite.

This recipe is like a pizza-burger hybrid: It borrows the very best traits from each to form a comforting, family-friendly meal. With some basic ingredients and 20 minutes on the clock, you too can sit down to this deliciousness.

How to Make Pizza Burgers in Just 20 Minutes

This kid-friendly dinner comes together in three simple steps. Before getting started, position an oven rack to about six inches under the broiler. You won’t use the broiler until the end of cooking, but it’s easiest to do it before the oven heats up.

The first step is to toast the split English muffins on a sheet pan in the oven. While they’re crisping, you’ll brown the ground beef on the stovetop, and mix in a couple spices and just enough marinara to make it saucy. Spoon the saucy beef over the toasted English muffins and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, then broil for just a minute or so to melt the cheese.

Credit: Kristin Teig; Food Styling: Catrine Kelty

Open-Faced Pizza Burgers

Open-faced pizza burgers are served on split English muffins with ground beef, seasoned marinara sauce, and plenty of melted mozzarella cheese.

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 15 minutes

Serves4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1

    small yellow onion

  • 4

    English muffins

  • 1 tablespoon

    olive oil

  • 1 pound

    lean ground beef

  • 2 teaspoons

    Italian seasoning

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    garlic powder

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup

    pizza or marinara sauce

  • 1 cup

    shredded low-moisture mozzarella cheese

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack 6 inches below the broiling element and heat the oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, dice 1 small yellow onion.

  2. Split 4 English muffins in half. Place cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside and set the oven to broil.

  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, beginning to crisp, and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.

  4. Stir in 1 cup pizza or marinara sauce and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Divide the mixture between the English muffins. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese.

  5. Broil until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The beef mixture can be made a day in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat before assembling the burgers.

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