The Ultimate Southwest Burger Recipe: Zesty Pepper Jack & Fresh Avocado Salsa
Elevate your burger game with these phenomenal Southwest Burgers, perfectly seasoned and topped with spicy melted pepper jack cheese, then crowned with a vibrant, fresh avocado and tomato salsa. This isn’t just a burger; it’s a flavor fiesta!
Today’s culinary adventure is brought to you in collaboration with Cobblestone Bread Co. via AOL Media. I am incredibly thankful for these opportunities that ignite creativity in the kitchen and allow me to share delicious new recipes with you. Your continued support means the world!
Game Day Feasts: The Heart of Any Celebration
Super Bowl parties and exceptional food are an inseparable pair. In fact, for many, the elaborate food spread is the most cherished and essential part of any football game gathering. Let’s be honest, a table laden with an array of mouth-watering dishes is often the primary motivation to stay glued to the TV for more than a commercial break!
While I might not always keep track of the score or even which teams are playing, if there’s a plate piled high with delicious food and I’m surrounded by happy guests, that’s a win in my book. It’s all about the shared experience, the laughter, and the joy that good food brings to any occasion. When the food is a touchdown, everyone leaves feeling like a champion.
Even if the weather isn’t cooperating for an outdoor barbecue—no sunshine, no swimsuits, and certainly no outdoor grilling (a huge shout-out to the brilliant mind behind grill pans!)—we can still capture that vibrant, summery vibe through our food. Burgers, for me, are the quintessential game day meal. They’re hearty, satisfying, and perfect for loading up with creative toppings. Especially when they’re bursting with flavor and topped with something truly spectacular, like this fresh avocado salsa. I don’t indulge in burgers often, but when I do, they absolutely must be packed with bold flavors and a little bit of sass!
There’s truly nothing more disappointing than a bland burger. Am I right? Let’s make sure that’s never the case with this recipe.
The Southwest Inspiration: A Burst of Flavor
With the Super Bowl taking place in Arizona this year, I drew inspiration from the vibrant Southwest to create these incredibly flavorful burgers. The rich, earthy notes of Southwestern cuisine perfectly complement the robust beef patties, and the Cobblestone Bread Co. Corn Dusted Kaiser Rolls were the ideal choice to cradle these masterpieces.
Crafting the Perfect Southwest Burger Patty
To truly elevate these burgers, I infused the ground beef mixture with a generous blend of Southwestern seasonings. We’re talking a symphony of flavors including rich paprika, smoky chili powder, earthy cumin, pungent garlic powder, aromatic oregano, and a kick from jalapeño hot sauce. This spice blend isn’t merely an afterthought; it’s carefully balanced to ensure it shines through in every single bite without being overwhelming. These burgers are the absolute antithesis of bland, delivering a deeply satisfying, complex flavor profile that will have your taste buds dancing.
The Zesty Avocado Salsa: A Fresh Counterpoint
I even experimented briefly with a prickly pear salsa topping, but it quickly became apparent that it wasn’t a winning combination. The flavor was reminiscent of bubblegum, and the seeds made it far from salsa-friendly. Thankfully, this vibrant avocado salsa quickly stepped in as the perfect substitute. It’s ten times more delicious, incredibly quick to prepare, and provides a refreshing, creamy contrast to the spicy, savory burger. The fresh tomatoes, crisp red onion, subtle heat from jalapeño, bright lime juice, and fragrant cilantro all come together with the creamy avocado to create a salsa that’s both textural and tangy—an absolute game-changer for these burgers.
Mastering the Art of Juicy Burgers: Essential Grilling Tips
While the concept of a juicy, perfectly grilled burger seems simple, achieving it consistently can sometimes be a bit tricky. Here are my favorite tips for making incredibly juicy and flavorful burgers, whether you’re using an outdoor grill or a trusty grill pan:
- Bring Your Meat to Room Temperature: Before you even think about grilling, allow your ground beef to sit at room temperature for at least 30 to 45 minutes. This seemingly small step is crucial. It prevents the meat from being “shocked” by the sudden high heat of the grill, allowing it to cook more evenly throughout. A room-temperature patty will sear beautifully on the outside while remaining tender and juicy within, avoiding a tough exterior and a cold interior.
- Create a ‘Dimple’ in Each Patty: With your thumb, gently press a small indentation or “dimple” into the center of each burger patty (as seen in the photos above). This clever trick helps the burgers maintain their shape during cooking. As the meat cooks, it tends to plump up in the middle, but the dimple ensures that your patty stays relatively flat, giving you a perfect surface for all those delicious toppings and preventing a spherical burger.
- Weigh Your Patties for Uniformity: For consistent cooking and presentation, I highly recommend weighing your hamburger patties. This recipe calls for 6-ounce patties. By making sure each patty is of equal size, you guarantee that they will all cook evenly and be ready at the same time, avoiding overcooked or undercooked burgers.
- Avoid Over-Working the Meat: When mixing the seasonings into your ground beef and forming the patties, be as gentle as possible. Over-mixing or compacting the meat too much will develop the proteins, leading to a tough, dense burger. The goal is a tender, moist burger, so handle the meat delicately to keep it light and succulent.
- Season Generously, and at the Right Time: Always season both sides of your patties generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper just before they hit the grill. And this is key: *do not* salt the meat before forming the patties! Salting too early can draw moisture out of the meat, resulting in a drier burger. Don’t be shy with the salt; it is absolutely the secret ingredient to a truly well-seasoned, flavorful burger. I find that just under a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt for each 6-ounce patty is the perfect amount to bring out all those delicious beefy and Southwestern flavors.
- Grill or Toast Your Buns: A perfectly toasted bun is not merely an option; it’s an essential component of an outstanding burger. Grilling or toasting your burger buns adds a delightful texture, preventing them from becoming soggy under the weight of the juicy patty and toppings. It also adds an extra layer of flavor and a satisfying crunch.
- Resist the Urge to Press: While it might be tempting to press down on your burgers with a spatula while they’re cooking, resist this urge! Pressing them flattens the patty and squeezes out all those precious juices and fats, leading to a dry, less flavorful burger. Let the heat do its work naturally.
- Use a Meat Thermometer: For absolute precision and food safety, especially with thicker patties, a meat thermometer is your best friend. For a medium-rare burger, aim for 130-135°F (54-57°C); for medium, 135-140°F (57-60°C). Remember that the internal temperature will rise a few degrees as the burgers rest.
Serving Suggestions: Complete Your Southwest Fiesta
To perfectly round out your Southwest burger experience, I highly recommend serving these alongside a generous bowl of crispy tortilla chips. They’re not just a sidekick; they’re the ideal vessel for scooping up any delicious leftover avocado salsa that might escape your burger. And to truly complete the fiesta, whip up some homemade margaritas. The bright, tangy notes of a fresh margarita are the perfect refreshing counterpoint to the rich, spicy flavors of the burgers.
I guarantee that with this winning combination of incredible burgers, zesty salsa, and festive drinks, you’re not just making a meal; you’re creating an unforgettable experience that will foster many new, long-lasting friendships!
Southwest Burgers with Pepper Jack Cheese and Avocado Salsa
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6
Servings
20 minutes
8 minutes
2 minutes
30 minutes
Ingredients
Avocado Salsa:
-
2
large vine-ripened tomatoes
seeded and diced -
⅓
cup
finely diced red onion -
½
jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed
finely diced -
1½
ripe avocados
pitted and diced -
¼
cup
packed cilantro leaves
roughly chopped -
1
tablespoon
fresh lime juice -
¼-½
teaspoon
kosher salt
Southwest Burger:
-
36
ounces (2 lbs, 4 oz)
85%/15% ground beef -
1½
teaspoons
jalapeno hot sauce -
1½
teaspoons
ground cumin -
1½
teaspoons
dried oregano -
1½
teaspoons
garlic powder -
¾
teaspoon
ground coriander -
¾
teaspoon
chili powder -
¾
teaspoon
sweet paprika - kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For Assembly:
-
6
ounces
pepper jack cheese
thinly sliced -
8
Cobblestone Bread Co. Corn Dusted Kaiser Rolls or burger buns
-
avocado salsa
see recipe above
Instructions
-
Allow the ground beef to rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before grilling. This ensures even cooking and prevents the meat from seizing up.
-
Prepare the Avocado Salsa: In a medium bowl, gently combine the diced tomatoes, finely diced red onion, finely diced jalapeño, fresh lime juice, diced avocado chunks, and chopped cilantro. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Mix just until combined, being careful not to mash the avocado. Set aside.
-
Prepare the Southwest Burgers: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, jalapeño hot sauce, ground cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, ground coriander, chili powder, and sweet paprika. Using your hands, mix gently just until the ingredients are incorporated; avoid over-mixing to keep the burgers tender. Divide the mixture into 6-ounce portions and form into patties, roughly ¾-inch thick. Create a shallow dimple in the center of each patty with your thumb to help them maintain shape during cooking. Generously season both sides of the patties with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper immediately before grilling. Heat an outdoor gas grill or a large cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the cooking surface with cooking spray or oil. Place the seasoned burgers on the hot grill. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side for a medium doneness (or until the internal temperature reaches roughly 150°F / 65°C, remembering it will rise as it rests). During the last minute of cooking, top each burger with 1 ounce of thinly sliced pepper jack cheese. Close the grill lid (or tent the pan with foil) and cook until the cheese has just melted and become gooey. Remove the burgers from the grill and let them rest on a plate for about 5 minutes; this allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender and moist burger. While the burgers are resting, lightly grill or toast your burger buns, if desired, for added texture and flavor.
-
Assemble: Place each rested, cheesy Southwest burger patty onto a toasted bun. Crown each burger with a generous spoonful of the fresh avocado salsa. Serve immediately with extra salsa on the side and a bowl of tortilla chips for dipping!
Serving:
1
serving
,
Calories:
730
kcal
,
Carbohydrates:
37
g
,
Protein:
46
g
,
Fat:
44
g
,
Saturated Fat:
17
g
,
Polyunsaturated Fat:
3
g
,
Monounsaturated Fat:
19
g
,
Trans Fat:
2
g
,
Cholesterol:
141
mg
,
Sodium:
686
mg
,
Potassium:
991
mg
,
Fiber:
6
g
,
Sugar:
6
g
,
Vitamin A:
885
IU
,
Vitamin C:
14
mg
,
Calcium:
358
mg
,
Iron:
7
mg
Laura / A Beautiful Plate
Beef and Pork
American
Compensation for this post was provided by Cobblestone Bread Co. via AOL Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Cobblestone Bread Co. or AOL.