My Grandma Knew.
A crisped English muffin brushed with garlic butter, topped with a savory meat sauce and melty cheese? Oh MAN these are good.
I’m currently very obsessed with these, which is kind of making me chuckle, because it feels like a peak 90s Midwestern mom moment. HERE FOR IT!
“Pizza burgers” are a staple of my childhood. My grandma made these all the time, and whenever she would come visit our family, she’d re-up our freezer stash.
This recipe is like a collab between my grandma and me: she always did them on English muffins, and I prefer ground Italian sausage (or turkey, or chicken), and brushing all of it with garlic butter.
They’re just my favorite for the end-of-school-year madness right now:
- They’re MINDLESSLY EASY.
- My kids love them.
- Fun toppings can be mixed in (my fave = pepperoncini).
- And, importantly: they can be pulled out of the freezer and reheated one at a time – ideal for the times we are trying to get out the door to soccer or find something to eat quickly between work meetings and just questioning every life decision that led us to this moment.
While in the process of writing this post, I literally just ate two of them for lunch. Oh man, so good.
Pulled out of the freezer. Air-fried for 8 minutes. Drizzled them with good olive oil (DELICIOUS) and topped with some kosher salt and served alongside a pile of supremely crunchy cucumbers. It was a moment!
Hope you love these! From my Midwestern grandma, to me, to all of us. 🙂
How To Make Pizza Burgers
1
Make Your Filling
You have options. My grandma always did ground beef, but I prefer Italian sausage or well-seasoned ground turkey!
2
Brush with Garlic Butter
This is obviously a very good flavor move.
3
Top the English Muffins
A spoonful of sauce, pepperoncini slices if you’re me, and a little sprinkling of cheese.
4
Air Fry
You can air fry these guys from fresh OR frozen! Deliciously crisped and golden brown.
5
You’re Done! Yum!
Suggestion: sprinkle with more Italian seasoning, or a dollop of pesto, maybe a drizzle of good olive oil. I mean. I MEAN.
Pizza Burgers
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These pizza burgers are a family favorite! Mindlessly easy, loved by my kids, and just fun to make. Great for meal prep, too!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 lb. ground turkey, chicken, or Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (reduce if using Italian sausage)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I use Rao’s)
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped pepperoncini (optional)
English Muffins and Toppings
- 6–8 English muffin halves
- 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
- 1 clove garlic, grated (or a few shakes of garlic powder)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: Heat oil in a large skillet. Brown the meat. Add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and salt. Add the tomato sauce; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.
- Prepare the English Muffins: Mix the melted butter and garlic. Place English muffins face-up on a sheet pan. Brush with the garlic butter mixture.
- Arrange the Pizza Burgers: Put a few spoonfuls of the meat mixture on top of the English muffins. Cover each one with shredded Mozzarella, then a pinch of grated Parmesan.
- For cooking immediately: Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 5-7 minutes, and then broil as needed to get the cheese melted and browned. You can also air fry at 350 for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown and slightly crisped.
- For freezing: Place individual pizza burgers on a plate or small baking sheet lined with parchment and tuck it into the freezer. When they are solid, you can put them into a bag or container together. To reheat, I prefer to air fry at 350 for 6-8 minutes to get them warmed and crispy.
Notes
If you’re using Italian sausage, it’s already going to have a lot of a great flavor so you don’t need to season the meat as much as what is directed here. But if you’re using ground turkey or chicken, I would use the amounts of seasoning listed in the recipe (and/or taste and adjust so the meat takes on lots of flavor).
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Italian American
Keywords: pizza burgers, easy dinner, air fryer dinner
