Mexican Burgers with Queso Blanco

Is there one food that you find yourself craving? It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, you just find yourself dreaming up new versions of your favorite food. If you haven’t guessed yet, cheeseburgers are my weakness and I am always trying to create new flavor combinations to keep things interesting.  I have no idea what sparked this idea, but Mexican Burgers with Queso Blanco popped into my head and nothing was going to stop me from creating them…..

What exactly makes a Mexican Burger different from other burgers? I thought about guacamole, but I have done that before. I could add salsa, but that didn’t feel quite right either. Then I decided to add chorizo to my ground beef and top the whole burger with gooey cheese sauce….and the Mexican Burgers with Queso Blanco was born!!

There is actually only one extra step to make these flavorful burgers, and luckily it’s a pretty easy one. First we need ground beef and chorizo sausage to mix together…..

This is bulk chorizo that can usually be found in the ground sausage section, not solid pepperoni or salami style in a casing.

Mix the two together, divide into four equal sections and form patties…..

While the patties are coming up to room temperature, make the queso blanco. Add the milk, jalapeno, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat…..

When the mixture is heated and almost starting to simmer, add the cheese…..

I only had sliced cheese on hand, so I cut it into chunks. Don’t worry, it still works. 😉

Continue to melt the cheese stirring occasionally to keep it from burning or sticking. Once melted, stir in butter and keep warm until ready to use.

Cook burger patties in a skillet or on the grill…..

It was 117 degrees last weekend, I stayed indoors!!

Slice and toast the buns. Top with lettuce and tomato, then the burger patty and onion slices…..

Pour the melted queso blanco over the top and serve with your choice of side…..

and lots of napkins!

Notes:

• Why did you add butter? Because queso blanco would normally be made with half & half, which has a high fat content. I used CashewMilk and was afraid that the cheese and fake milk would not play well together….and it worked, everything blended perfectly and did not separate!
• Yes, this burger is lactose-free using aged sharp white cheddar cheese. White American or Pepper Jack would also work.
• Is chorizo spicy? It depends. The chorizo sold at Sprouts is mild, and the brand sold at Fry’s {Kroger} is spicy. Try different brands/stores to find one that you like.
• If you do not want to make a queso blanco sauce, simply top your burger patties with slices of cheese. Pepper Jack would be a good option.
• For spicier queso blanco, substitute serrano or habanero peppers for the jalapeno.

I contemplated adding guacamole on top, but decided to let the queso blanco be the star…maybe next time.

You should also check out my California Burgers if you are craving guacamole and bacon on your burger…..

and these fun Santa Fe Burgers for lots of chili flavors combined on one burger…..

Enjoy!!

Mexican Burgers with Queso Blanco

Your mouth is in for a treat with these juicy and delicious Mexican Burgers with Queso Blanco sauce and all of your favorite toppings!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Burgers

• 1 pound ground beef 80/20
• 1/2 pound chorizo sausage
• 4 hamburger buns toasted

For the Queso Blanco

• 1/3 cup milk I used unsweetened CashewMilk
• 1 Tablespoon minced jalapeno
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• pinch chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese grated
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter if using non-dairy milk

Toppings

• lettuce, tomato slices, onion slices

Instructions

For the Burgers

• Mix the ground beef and chorizo together. Divide into four equal sections and form into patties.
• Cook burger patties in a skillet or on the grill.

For the Queso Blanco

• Add the milk, jalapeno, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
• When the mixture is heated and almost starting to simmer, add the cheese.
• Continue to melt the cheese stirring occasionally to keep it from burning or sticking. Once melted, stir in butter {if using non-dairy milk} and keep warm until ready to use.

To Assemble

• Slice and toast the buns. Top with lettuce and tomato, then the burger patty and onion slices.
• Pour the melted queso blanco over the top and serve with your choice of side.

This recipe will be partying at these link parties!