These are extra-lean beef patties packed with a full 10-ounce box of spinach, finished with blue cheese mousse and parmesan. They come together in 30 minutes and hold up well in the fridge for several days, which makes them genuinely useful beyond a single dinner. The blue cheese does real work here — it cuts through the lean beef and gives the patty a sharp, savory punch that you’d normally only get from a fattier grind.
The short version of why this works
Two things carry this recipe. First, squeezing the thawed spinach as dry as you possibly can — and we mean wringing it in a clean kitchen towel, not just pressing it with a spoon — keeps the patties from steaming themselves apart in the pan. Wet spinach turns a tight patty into a crumbly mess. Second, sautéing the onion and garlic before mixing them in removes the harsh raw bite and, more importantly, drives off moisture that would otherwise loosen the mix. Extra-lean beef has almost no fat to hold things together, so controlling moisture at every step is the whole game.
Shopping notes
- Blue cheese mousse: This is a whipped or aerated blue cheese spread, sold near specialty cheeses or in the deli section. If you can’t find it, crumble standard blue cheese and mash it with a small spoon of cream cheese to approximate the texture. Gorgonzola dolce works well here too.
- Grill seasoning: Any all-purpose grill blend works — McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak is a reliable default. Check the sodium before adding extra salt; most blends are already salty.
- Frozen spinach: One standard 10-ounce box is correct. Fresh spinach is not a straight swap — it would take roughly 10 ounces of fresh leaves to yield the same volume after wilting, and you’d need to cook and drain it first.
What can go wrong
- Patties fall apart when flipping: The mix was too wet or handled too much. Chill the formed patties in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before cooking — they firm up and flip cleanly. This also makes them easier to store stacked with parchment between them.
- Burger is dry and dense in the middle: Extra-lean beef overcooks fast. Pull the patties at an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) — use an instant-read thermometer. A minute past done and the texture turns chalky.
- Spinach flavor is muddy or bitter: The spinach wasn’t squeezed dry enough, and the excess water diluted everything. After thawing, wring the spinach in a towel until almost no liquid comes out — more than you think is necessary.
- Blue cheese mousse melts away before serving: Add it after the patty comes off the heat, not while it’s still in the pan. Residual heat from the patty is enough to soften it without losing the texture entirely.
- Patties are uneven in size and cook unevenly: Weigh the meat mix on a kitchen scale and divide into five equal portions before shaping. This matters more when you’re cooking a full batch — one thick patty and one thin one will never be done at the same time.
Spinach Blue Cheeseburgers (Extra-Lean & Flavorful)
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- 12-inch non-stick skillet
- Clean kitchen towel (for wringing spinach)
- Instant-read thermometer
- Spatula or burger flipper
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon butter for sautéing
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ medium onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef extra-lean, about 450g
- 2 medium eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup bread crumbs about 30g
- 1 tablespoon grill seasoning such as Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 box frozen spinach 10-ounce box, thawed and squeezed of excess water
- 5 tablespoons blue cheese mousse approximately 1 tablespoon per burger
- 5 thin slices parmesan cheese approximately 1 oz / 28g each
- 5 whole burger buns
Instructions
- Place a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and allow it to warm for 1–2 minutes.
- Add about 1 teaspoon of butter to the skillet. Sauté the diced onion and minced garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until the onion is translucent and softened.1 teaspoon butter, 2 cloves garlic, ½ medium onion
- While the onion and garlic cook, combine the ground beef, beaten eggs, bread crumbs, grill seasoning, and thoroughly squeezed spinach in a large mixing bowl.1 pound ground beef, 2 medium eggs, ¼ cup bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon grill seasoning, 1 box frozen spinach
- Once the garlic and onion mixture is translucent, remove it from the heat and let it cool for 2–3 minutes so it doesn’t partially cook the eggs when added to the bowl.2 cloves garlic, ½ medium onion
- Gently mix the sautéed onion and garlic into the beef mixture until just combined — overmixing will make the patties tough. Divide the mixture into 5 equal patties (about 5.5 oz / 155g each). Cook in the same skillet over medium heat for 5–6 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 160°F (71°C) in the centre.2 cloves garlic, ½ medium onion, 1 pound ground beef, 2 medium eggs, ¼ cup bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon grill seasoning, 1 box frozen spinach
- Place each patty on a burger bun, top with a slice of parmesan cheese and a tablespoon of blue cheese mousse. Add your preferred fresh vegetables such as lettuce, tomato, and red onion.5 tablespoons blue cheese mousse, 5 thin slices parmesan cheese, 5 whole burger buns
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the patties ahead and refrigerate them raw?
Yes — raw formed patties keep well in the fridge for up to 24 hours, tightly wrapped or separated by parchment in a sealed container. Beyond that, freeze them individually on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip bag; they’ll keep for up to three months and go straight from frozen to a covered skillet over medium-low heat.
How do I know when the patties are fully cooked?
Use an instant-read thermometer and cook to 160°F (71°C) internal temperature — that’s the safe target for ground beef. Color alone isn’t reliable with extra-lean beef mixed with spinach, since the patties can look done on the outside while still being underdone in the center.
Can I turn these into sliders for a crowd?
Divide the mix into 10 smaller patties instead of 5 and reduce the cook time to roughly 3–4 minutes per side, still checking for 160°F (71°C) internal. Make the patties a day ahead and refrigerate them raw — slider-size patties cook fast, so having them ready to go makes serving a group much easier.
What’s the best way to reheat a cooked patty without drying it out?
A covered skillet over low heat with a tablespoon of water added to the pan is the most reliable method — the steam keeps the patty from tightening up. The microwave works in a pinch but tends to make extra-lean beef rubbery; if you use it, cover the patty and go in 30-second intervals.
What to cook next
- BBQ Cheeseburger Recipe
- Angus Bacon Guacamole Burger
- Ultimate Guacamole Bacon Burger
- Mushroom Swiss King Copycat