My fridge gets out of control from time to time. Especially when we're busy on the weekends. Leftovers from during the week get stuck in there for weekend lunches, except we're not here to eat them!
Which means I'm trying to use them up during dinners - re-purposing if you will. Which is how these pesto sliders came about. The recipe calls for storebought pesto, but I had defrosted some for last week's pasta, so I used that.
The great thing about using pesto in just about anything is that you really don't need anything else. It's by far one of my favorite condiments. Toss it on a sandwich or a hamburger and voila! No mayo or ketchup needed! Even the meat needs little more than salt and pepper.
I also really like that these are cheeseburgers. In that they have cheese. And while normally I can give or take cheeseburgers, using freshly shaved parmesan always gets an A+ in my book.
Pesto Sliders (From Cooking Light)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb ground beef, extra lean
cooking spray
8 basil leaves
1 large plum tomato, cut into 8 slices
8 slider buns
2 Tbsp commercial refrigerated pesto
2 Tbsp shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Gently combine salt, pepper, and ground beef in a medium bowl. Divide beef mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/4 inch thick patty.
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
- Place 1 basil leaf, 1 patty, and 1 tomato slice on bottom half of each bun.
- Top each with 3/4 tsp pesto, 3/4 tsp shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and top half of bun.
Drroooooolll!!!! I love me some pesto, and these look so juicy and delicious.
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