Looking back, I shouldn’t have been surprised that a burger packed with mushrooms would taste so meaty and juicy. Mushrooms are brimming with glutamates that complement the nucleotides in beef, creating a deeply umami taste. They’re also loaded with water. Even so, my first bite of a blended burger—made with a mix of minced white mushrooms and ground beef—was revelatory. The patty was hands-down the most succulent and tender I’ve ever encountered, filled with rich, savory juices. Further, it was just as meaty and satisfying as any 100 percent beef burger out there. It’s terrific news: Blended burgers are a way to eat less red meat without feeling like you’re making sacrifices. In fact, you’ll be doing a whole lot of good.
Stretching beef with mushrooms—whether for the nutritional perks (lower saturated fat); budget goals (everyday white mushrooms cost about half as much per pound as ground beef); or environmental impact (mushroom production is highly sustainable, requiring minimal growing space and water)—is the answer to getting a burger fix without resorting to smaller patties or enjoying them less often.
The Meat of the Matter
There’s no prescribed method for blended burgers, though the
