This burger takes a beef patty seasoned with smoked paprika and cumin, tops it with melted gruyere and peppery arugula, and finishes it with a two-ingredient sauce made from dulce de leche and mayonnaise. The sauce is the whole point — it sounds odd, but the caramel-salt combination against a well-seasoned patty actually works. If you want something different from your usual burger night without a long ingredient list, this is worth making.
Why this recipe works
Two things carry this recipe. First, the seasoning in the patty — smoked paprika and cumin give the beef a warm, slightly smoky flavor that stands up to the sweet sauce instead of getting lost under it. Second, the sauce ratio matters: one part mayonnaise to roughly two parts dulce de leche keeps it spreadable and stops it from being cloying. The mayo adds fat and a little tang that cuts the sweetness just enough. Get those two things right and the burger holds together as a savory dish, not a dessert experiment.
Troubleshooting
- Patties shrink into thick pucks: Press a shallow dimple into the center of each raw patty with your thumb before cooking. Patties puff up in the middle as they cook; the dimple counteracts that and keeps them flat enough to sit properly on the bun.
- Cheese slides off before it melts: Add the gruyere slice in the last 60 seconds of cooking and put a lid or foil tent over the pan. Trapped steam melts the cheese fast without overcooking the patty.
- Sauce is too runny to spread: Dulce de leche varies by brand — some are much looser than others. If yours is thin, refrigerate the mixed sauce for 15 minutes before assembling; it firms up quickly.
- Arugula wilts immediately: Assemble and eat right away. Arugula goes limp fast once it hits a warm patty, so don’t build the burgers and let them sit. Have everything ready before the patties come off the heat.
- Patty is cooked outside but raw inside: Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C) internal temperature — use an instant-read thermometer. If the outside is browning too fast, lower the heat to medium and give the inside more time to catch up.
Shopping notes
- Dulce de leche: Look for it in the international or Latin foods aisle. Argentine brands like La Lechera or Havanna are common and work well here. In a pinch, a thick caramel sauce can substitute, but it will be sweeter and thinner — use less of it.
- Gruyere: Pre-sliced gruyere from the deli counter melts more evenly than the block you shred yourself, and it’s worth the small extra cost for a burger. The recipe notes suggest provolone as an alternative — that swap works and costs less.
- Brioche buns: Most grocery stores carry these near the standard burger buns. They’re softer and richer than a regular bun, which suits the sauce. Skip the egg in the mix — it makes the patty mushy — but don’t skip the brioche bun; a plain white bun goes soggy under this sauce faster.
Make-ahead notes
You can mix and shape the raw patties up to 24 hours ahead — stack them with parchment between each one, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The dulce de leche sauce keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week, so make a double batch if you want it ready to go. Cooked patties can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat them in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to keep them from drying out, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Don’t assemble the full burger ahead of time — the bun turns soggy within 20 minutes of saucing.
Argentinian Alfajor Burger
Ingredients
Burger Patty
- 500 grams ground beef preferably grass-fed
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper freshly ground
Sweet Sauce
- ¼ cup dulce de leche creamy for easy spreading
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Assembly
- 4 medium brioche buns lightly toasted
- ½ cup arugula washed and dried
- 4 slices gruyere cheese or your preferred cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the patties: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, smoked paprika, ground cumin, minced garlic, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Gently mix until all ingredients are well incorporated. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties.
- Cook the patties: Preheat a grill or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they reach the desired doneness. Add a slice of gruyere cheese to each patty and allow it to melt before removing from the heat.
- Make the sweet sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the dulce de leche and mayonnaise until well combined.
- Assemble the burgers: Spread the sweet sauce generously on the cut sides of the toasted brioche buns. Place a handful of arugula on each bottom bun, followed by the patty with melted cheese. Top with the other half of the bun.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the beef patty is actually done?
Use an instant-read thermometer and pull the patty at 160°F (71°C) internal temperature — that’s the safe target for ground beef. Color alone isn’t reliable; a patty can look brown in the middle and still be undercooked, or look pink and be fully safe, depending on the meat.
Can I use a regular pan instead of a grill?
Yes, a cast-iron skillet or heavy stainless pan works well and gives you a better crust than most home grills anyway. Get the pan hot before the patty goes in — a drop of water should evaporate immediately — so you get a proper sear rather than steaming the meat.
What if I can’t find dulce de leche at my store?
A thick jarred caramel sauce is the closest substitute you’ll find in most supermarkets. Use about half the amount the recipe calls for since caramel sauce tends to be sweeter and runnier than dulce de leche, and taste the sauce before spreading.
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