Pepperoni Pizza Burgers

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If pizza night and burger night are both family favorites, these Pepperoni Pizza Burgers deliver the best of both worlds. Made with juicy pork, Italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, pizza sauce, and served on garlic butter buns, these hearty burgers are packed with pizza flavor in every bite.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Chilling Time20

Total Time50

Course: Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Burger, garlic buns, ground pork, Iowa Pork, Italian sausage, mozzarella, Pepperoni, pizza burgers, pizza,

Servings: servings

Calories: 830kcal

Ingredients

For the Burger:

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground Italian sausage
1 (6-ounce) package sliced pepperoni, divided
1 (8-ounce) block low-moisture mozzarella cheese, divided
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Top:

¾ cup pizza sauce
4 slices mozzarella cheese
3 Pepperoni slices
Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese

For the Garlic Butter Buns:

½ stick (1/4 cup) salted butter room temperature
1 clove garlic minced
4 hamburger buns

Instructions

Remove 12 pepperoni slices from the package and set aside for topping the burgers later. Finely dice enough of the remaining pepperoni to measure ½ cup.
Shred ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese from the block and set aside. Slice the remaining mozzarella into 4 slices for topping the burgers.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, ground Italian sausage, finely diced pepperoni, shredded mozzarella, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix gently with your hands just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and form into burger patties slightly larger than the buns, as they will shrink while cooking. Press a slight indentation into the center of each patty with your thumb. Refrigerate the patties for 15-20 minutes to help them hold their shape while cooking.
While the burger patties chill, stir together the softened butter and minced garlic in a small bowl. Spread onto the cut sides of the hamburger buns. Set aside.
Preheat a grill, grill pan, or large skillet over medium heat. Cook the burgers for 5-6 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, spoon pizza sauce evenly over each burger. Top each burger with a slice of mozzarella cheese, 3 reserved pepperoni slices, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. Cover loosely to help the cheese melt.
While the burgers cook, toast the buns cut-side down on the grill or in a skillet until golden brown.
Place the burgers onto the toasted garlic butter buns and serve immediately.

Notes

Use low-moisture mozzarella cheese for the best texture and melt. Fresh mozzarella contains too much moisture and can make the burgers soft.
Mix the burger ingredients just until combined. Overmixing can create dense, tough burgers.
Chilling the patties before cooking helps them hold their shape and makes them easier to flip, especially when grilling.
Because the burgers contain Italian sausage and pepperoni, flare-ups can happen on the grill due to the higher fat content. Keep a close eye on them and move burgers to a cooler area of the grill if needed.
Cook burgers to an internal temperature of 160°F.
Finely dicing the pepperoni helps distribute the flavor evenly throughout the burgers and prevents the patties from breaking apart while cooking.
Pressing a small indentation into the center of each patty helps prevent the burgers from puffing up while cooking.
Toasting the garlic butter buns adds flavor and helps keep the buns from getting soggy from the pizza sauce.

Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead

Store leftover burgers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, store the buns separately from the cooked burgers and toppings to prevent them from becoming soggy.

To reheat, warm the burgers in a skillet over medium-low heat or in a 350°F oven until heated through.

If you'd like to prep ahead, the burger patties can be mixed and formed up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to cook. The garlic butter mixture can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until needed.

For longer storage, the uncooked burger patties freeze beautifully. Place the formed patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top freezer bag, placing parchment paper between layers if stacking. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking as directed.

Cooked burger patties can also be frozen. Allow them to cool completely, then wrap individually and store in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat until warmed through before serving.

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