Great Halloween Burgers – 3 × Frighteningly Beautiful!
Whimsical burgers with homemade buns, flavorful beef filling, fun spooky decorations, and plenty of toppings—perfect for Halloween parties or themed dinners.
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Baking sheet
- Frying Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
Burger Buns
- 200 ml warm water (≈40 °C)
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 packet dry yeast
- 485 g all-purpose flour (type 550)
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 80 g softened butter
Burger Filling & Toppings
- 1.2 kg beef shoulder (pre-ground or ground yourself)
- 15 g salt
- pepper to taste
- cooking oil
- 8 slices sandwich cheese
- 16 green olives, pitted
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced
- 1 jar sandwich pickles
- ketchup to taste
- Lollo Rosso lettuce
Sides / Optional
- wavy fries optional side
Instructions
- Prep your workspace and ingredients: measure, slice peppers, olives, prepare pickles, etc.
- Make the bun dough: mix water, milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes until frothy. Then add eggs, butter, salt, and flour. Knead until smooth and elastic (~8 minutes).
- Let the dough rise in a greased bowl, covered, in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile prep toppings and beef filling.
- Cook the beef shoulder in a frying pan with oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Brown thoroughly, drain excess fat, and set aside to cool slightly.
- Divide dough into approximately 10-12 portions, shape into round buns, place on baking sheet lined with parchment, cover and let rise again for ~30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool completely before slicing for assembling the burgers.
- Slice the cooled buns in half. Layer each with lettuce, beef filling, a slice of cheese, red bell pepper slices, olives, pickles, and a drizzle of ketchup.
- For the spooky twist: carve a spooky face into the top bun or sprinkle sesame seeds to resemble eyes, or use food coloring in sauces or garnishes as desired.
- Serve the burgers immediately with optional wavy fries, sauces, and veggie sides.
Notes
Leftover beef filling and buns can be stored separately. Keep cooked burgers in the fridge up to 3 days. Buns freeze well when wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Reheat gently to avoid drying out. Use substitutions or variations to accommodate dietary needs.