Ginger Scallion Pork Burgers

Summer sun leads to relaxing summer grill-outs with friends and family. Change up your barbequed burger routine with a little something unexpected. Using meats that are not just beef for your patties brings both flavor and variety to your table. Ginger scallion pork burgers combine ground pork with the zestiness of garlic, ginger, and scallions along with the delicious sweet salty tang of soy sauce for a unique Asian flavor.

Cut the carbs and lighten up these burgers by using vegetables instead of the bun. This burger is fantastic wrapped with a few large pieces of butter lettuce. Using a couple of pieces of the lettuce allows you to wrap it burrito style to hold the multiple topping options. If you enjoy sliders, sauté a few rounds of sweet potato to use in place of the bun.

The light sweetness of the sweet potato compliments the ginger soy combo of these burgers quite nicely. Other non-bun alternatives you could use include lightly grilled slices of zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, or tomato ends. Whether you prefer to use a bun or a vegetable alternative, these burgers are a perfect palate pleaser!

Ginger Scallion Pork Burgers

Calories 375, Protein 24g, Total Carbs 24g, Fat 23g

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 15 min

Serves: 4 as burgers (or 8 sliders)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

Burger Toppings:

• 4 slices pineapple, grilled slightly
• 1 sliced avocado
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1 sweet potato, sliced 1/4” thick
• Lettuce leaves
• Prepared jalapeño coleslaw, if desired

Preparation Instructions:

1. Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
2. Combine the ground pork, garlic, tamari, ginger, scallions, and chili flakes until well mixed.
3. Form into 4 patties or 8 sliders depending on if you’re serving as lettuce wraps or the size of your sweet potato “bun.”
4. Grill burgers and pineapple slices about 4-5 minutes per side until desired doneness.
5. While burgers are cooking, heat a sauté pan with a small amount of oil. Cook the sweet potato slices a few minutes on each side just until they are lightly browned but not soft.
6. Assemble burgers on a plate with toppings.