We are big burger fans. Maybe you might even call us burger enthusiasts? We’ve tried nearly every burger across Dallas and have made enough burgers at home that we feel like we’ve all but mastered the at home grilled burger. While the classic cheeseburger is always a favorite, we like to experiment with other flavors and meats. We’ve made lamb burgers and salmon burgers in the past, but hadn’t ever experimented with sausage. We use Italian sausage often for pasta dishes but had never thought to use it to make a burger. This is where the idea for an Italian sausage burger was born.

The Italian Sausage:

We have used Johnsonville sausages for years and love their quality. We picked up a pack of their ground hot Italian sausage and knew no additional seasonings would be needed. Simply form the ground sausage into patties and the burgers are ready to be grilled.

The Toppings:

Now, once the Italian sausage was selected as the meat of choice, we knew we had to pair it with the right toppings. Pesto aioli, balsamic onions, provolone cheese, fresh tomato and arugula rounded out the delicious flavors of the sausage. And what better to serve it all on than a ciabatta bun! We particularly loved the little bit of spiciness from the fresh arugula, but you could easily use spinach or lettuce as well.

Balsamic Caramelized Onions:

The only item that requires a little bit of prep are the balsamic caramelized onions. It may seem like a lot of work for a burger, but the caramelized onions make this burger shine! The little bit of sweetness it brings is the perfect balance to the spicy sausage. The onions keep well in the fridge and make for a spectacular pizza topping as well.

Pesto Aioli:

The pesto aioli can be made with homemade pesto, if you like, however we used store bought to keep things easy. Simply combine with a little bit of mayonnaise and slather your ciabatta buns generously.

Pairings:

Pair your Italian sausage burger with a nice Italian beer (we’re partial to Peroni ourselves) or glass of red wine and some roasted potatoes for a tasty and indulgent weeknight dinner. We were unsure of how this Italian American crossover burger would turn out, but so pleased! The flavors were out of this world. We might be swapping out ground beef for Italian sausage more often if we keep getting results like these.