our little family of three is always finding new ways to integrate quality protein into our daily routine. I wanted to do a spin on a patty melt with some gorgeous pastured bison and pair them with autumn’s finest: butternut squash. the result is a nutrient-dense and protein rich dish with all of the cozy fall notes. these ground bison & butternut squash melts are a fun and unlikely switch up to the traditional burger night.
the inspiration:
this dish was inspired by my love of all things fall. when brainstorming for my September content, I realized that butternut squash rounds can be the perfect-sized vessel for a burger patty, too. I added in some caramelized onions, sharp cheddar and sage. the flavor combination is hearty, flavorful and fun.
ground bison & butternut melt ingredients:
here is the ingredient line up…
- ground bison: I use this 90/10 regenerative ground bison from force of nature and it was stunningly beautiful in color and delicious in taste.
- butternut squash: the tasty vessel for the ground bison melts.
- fresh sage: a natural pairing with butternut squash.
- yellow onion: caramelized onion is the perfect burger topping for this pairing.
- whole grain mustard: flavors the bison patties alongside salt and pepper.
- coconut aminos: another flavor component for the bison patties.
- sharp white cheddar: add the “melt” portion to our recipe.
how to make:
there are three main components of this dish: the roasted butternut squash rounds, the caramelized onions and the bison burger patties. if you read the recipe ahead of time, you will find that everything should finish cooking when you need the next component. begin by roasting the squash and sautéing your onions. by the time the squash is cooked and the onions are finished, it will be time to form and cook the burger patties, then assemble all components.
menu ideas:
these ground bison & butternut squash melts can be served a few different ways:
- shown: open-faced with cornichons on the side.
- couples dinner party: serve open-faced on a sheet pan with my apple, walnut & Bleu Cheese Salad.
- sunday supper: serve with fresh avocado and arugula salad with my GF butterscotch apple bread pudding for dessert.
Ground Bison & Butternut Squash Melts
Ingredients
Roasted squash:
- 1 butternut squash
- 20 leaves fresh sage
- olive oil to drizzle
- salt & pepper to taste
Caramelized onions:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion julienned thin
- salt & pepper to taste
Bison patties:
- 1.5 pounds ground bison
- 1 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon mineral salt
- 20 turns of freshly-ground black pepper
- 4 oz white cheddar sliced
- Toothpicks to secure if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Begin by preparing the butternut squash to roast. Cut off ends of butternut squash then carefully slice off exterior skin. Slice the butternut squash into 8-12 ½-inch thick rounds. Scoop seeds from the slices around the bulb.
- On a parchment-lined sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil then add squash slices in a single layer. Season with salt and fresh-ground pepper then flip squash, and do the same to the other side. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, flip the squash pieces and add sage leaves across the sheet pan and drizzle leaves with more olive oil. Roast 12-15 more minutes until squash is golden and tender. Set aside.
- While squash is roasting, warm a large saute pan, (the same one you will cook your burgers with), over medium heat. Add olive oil followed by your julienned onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook on medium low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and caramelized. Set onions aside to cool and wipe down pan to sear burgers.
- In a medium bowl, add ground bison, whole grain mustard, coconut aminos, salt and pepper. Mix burger mixture well then form into 8 uniform patties. In your original sauteed onion pan, heat pan over medium high heat and add another drizzle of oil. Sear burgers in batches, 3-4 minutes each side, until cooked through. Add sliced white cheddar to tops, then add ½ cup water to bottom of cooking pan then cover, the steam will melt cheese and finish cooking burgers.
- Transfer each burger patty atop a butternut squash round then finish with sauteed onions and crispy sage. You can either serve open-face or add another butternut squash slice atop, burger-style.
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