Tomato Avocado Burgers (Low Carb and Gluten-Free)

We’re talking bunless burgers over ‘ere. Wait...what? Bunless burgers? Yep, that's it, a burger sans bun.
I feel you’re already judging me. So stop right there and allow me to make an argument for bunless burger, or better yet, for THIS particular bunless burger. If I can't convince you, feel free to leave, but not before you've heard it all.

First off, don’t think that a burger without a bun is not a burger. The feeling of forfeit is short-lived when you come up with creative ways of filling the gap. And if the new way happens to be healthier too, then it’s a win-win situation. I’m not trying to say this bunless tomato avocado burger is better than a regular burger. It’s not.
Or maybe it is. Let’s settle this and say that it’s just different.
The bun in a burger holds everything together and soaks up the sauces and the juices. The tomato won’t do these things in the exact same way, but it brings a lot of flavor and freshness. Plus, it’s an awesome low carb and gluten-free alternative. It's also so moist and juicy. Two of the most important features in a burger.




I warn you, it’s not going to be super easy to eat it with your hands. Not impossible. Certainly easier than those lettuce wraps/burgers you get served all the time whenever you order a bunless burger.
I wanted to use green tomatoes but wasn’t able to find any, so I settled for regular red ones. It’s important to pick tomatoes that are a tad on the unripe side. They will release less juices, have a crunchier consistency and will hold the patty much better.
Flavor-wise and taste-wise these tomato avocado burgers are spot on. If you think that eating burgers without a bun is a reprehensible thing to do, you’ll think twice. Promise.







Tomato Avocado Burgers                                                                                   Print this recipe! 
Adapted from CookingLight

Logistically this might not be the perfect sort of burger to eat with your hands. It’s not impossible though. It just get pretty messy. I managed to do it and it was awesome. Feel free however to eat it with knife and fork. I won’t judge you.

Ingredients
Serves 4

4 large tomatoes
1 lb / 453 gr grass fed organic ground beef
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ + ¼ teaspoons fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 ripe avocado, divided
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon mayo (DIY paleo mayo following this recipe)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
A handful alfalfa sprouts

Directions

Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. With the handle-end of a spoon or a fork, scoop out the seeds and seeds membrane. Set aside.
Place half of the avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork until almost smooth. Add yogurt, mayo, lime juice and cumin and stir to combine. Dice remaining half of the avocado and add it alongside ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir gently to combine. Set aside.
In a bowl season ground beef with ½ teaspoon of salt, black pepper and chili powder and mix well.
Divide into equal 4 portions and gently shape each portion into ½-inch thick patty.
Preheat grill (or grill pan) to medium-high heat. Grill patties 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
In the meantime, lightly grease with olive oil a medium non-stick pan/skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Cook halved tomatoes face down for 2 to 3 minutes, until they begin to brown.
Flip and cook for 20 seconds on the other side so that they get a bit of color.
To assemble burgers, place a large pinch of sprouts on the bottom part of each tomato, top with a beef patty, about 2 tablespoons of avocado sauce and finish with the other half of each tomato.

Nutrition facts

One burger yields 330 calories, 19.75 grams of fat, 13.25 grams of carbs and 26.25 grams of protein.