Mexican hamburgesas and Italian Zucchini

Update March-23-08: I just found out this amazing food event called Festa Italiana hosted by Marie of Proud Italian Cook and Maryann of Finding La Dolce Vita. I don’t know if this dish will be good enough for their event but I am sending it anyway. This is another combination of my two favorite cuisines, Mexican and Italian. Read on to see the delicious Italian stuffed Zucchini I made as a side dish for this meal.

My dad is a very creative and inventive person. He took over the management of the family’s restaurant the year I was born and he kept it running for 25 years until he retired a couple of years ago. In all that time he always tried to keep on top by introducing new dishes all the time. I should explain here that the kind of restaurant my family owned was what in Mexico is known as fonda or family restaurant. In a fonda for a fixed price you get soup, rice, beans and your choice of a main entrée (which change every day) and, in some places, dessert. All these with tortillas and agua fresca (fruit juice) A very good deal if you are in a budget.

Anyway, my dad bought a Mexican food encyclopedia to get ideas for the menus and that’s where he found the recipe for these burgers. In Spanish we don’t have a word for burger so we call them all hamburgesas (hamburgesa de pollo, hamburgesa de pavo, etc) These hamburgesas Mexicanas, that’s what they were called in that encyclopedia, were made with ground beef and refried beans. I don’t have the original recipe. I need to ask my dad what the name of that encyclopedia is. But I tried to make my own version using ground turkey. I served them with this amazing Italian stuffed zucchinis which recipe I found on GroupRecipes.

Turkey and bean burger with stuffed zucchini

Hamburgesa Mexicana
Printable version
Makes 6-8 patties
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Method: Fry

For this recipe you will need:

1 lb ground turkey (you can use ground beef)
1 cup refried beans (Jerry has an amazing recipe here)
2 eggs
1 jalapeno, veined, seeded and finely chopped
2 TBSP parsley, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
2/3 cup onion, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp oregano
salt
black ground pepper
vegetable oil

Preparation:

In a large bowl mix all ingredients together, except oil, until well blended.
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet.
With a serving spoon drop some of the mixture on the skillet and with a spatula form a patty.
Cook each side for 10 minutes.

Bean and turkey burger with stuffed zucchini

I really liked how these burgers turned out. They were light and moist, but the best part of the meal was the stuffed zucchinis. This was the most amazing way I’ve ever eaten zucchini. Even Jon, who is not very fond of vegetables, loved them. You definitely have to try them.

Buen provecho!

Stuffed zucchini

Tagged as: Baking, Beans, Food events, Italian food, Legumes, Mexican food, Turkey, Vegetables

« « How to keep herbs fresh longer | About awards, tags and other fun things » »

About Author

Ben

grew up around food. His family owned a restaurant in Mexico City and he spent a big deal of his childhood helping and learning after school the art of creating delicious dishes from simple ingredients. He created this blog to share his kitchen adventures with the world.

(23) Readers Comments

courtney
February 20, 2008 at 7:06 pm

I like the addition of refried beans in these. Your right the zucchini looks amazing.

Reply
Peter
February 20, 2008 at 7:33 pm

Oohh! Great flavours going on here Ben. Love the burgers and the zucchini look just to die for. Thanks for the lesson on Mexican restaurants as well. Gracias amigo.

Reply
Heather
February 20, 2008 at 7:51 pm

Could you eat that hamburgesa on a torta? I want to eat a burgesa!

Reply
Bellini Valli
February 21, 2008 at 6:34 am

I think you follow in your dads footsteps of being creative Ben

Reply
JennDZ_The Leftover Queen
February 21, 2008 at 10:20 am

Wohooo! That looks great! I love veggie burgers with black beans, so I know I would love these! Nice zucchinis too! It is almost zucchini season here – can’t wait!!

Reply
Deborah
February 21, 2008 at 11:39 am

I have never even heard of a Mexican hamburger, but they sound delicious!!

Reply
núria
February 21, 2008 at 11:40 am

Qué nice, Ben! I love the zucchinis, they look great!!!! Not a fan of burguers but I’m writing this down for my husband and my daughter.

Thanks and hope you recover from the flue soon ?
Un abrazo.

Reply
núria
February 21, 2008 at 11:43 am

Qué nice, Ben! I love the zucchinis, they look great!!!! Not a fan of burguers but I’m writing this down for my husband and my daughter.

Thanks and hope you recover from the flue soon ?
Un abrazo.

Reply
núria
February 21, 2008 at 11:43 am

Qué nice, Ben! I love the zucchinis, they look great!!!! Not a fan of burguers but I’m writing this down for my husband and my daughter.

Thanks and hope you recover from the flue soon!
Un abrazo.

Reply
Katie
February 21, 2008 at 10:18 pm

The zucchini looks soooooooo yummy.

Reply
Emiline
February 22, 2008 at 1:49 am

Well I like dad’s thinking. This looks great!
You need to get your hands on that encyclopedia.

Reply
Ivy
February 22, 2008 at 5:13 am

I am beginning to discover how wonderful the Mexican food is. Looks wonderful and your zucchini choice is also very good.

Reply
Matin
February 22, 2008 at 5:52 am

Hi Ben
Burgers look great, I prefer turkey mince too as its lighter and less fatty so thanks for the recipe. I’ve tried filled zucchinis before and its the best way to have them:-)
Cheers
M

Reply
vkeong
February 22, 2008 at 9:53 am

Woah those look great, it’s making me crave for burgers now

Reply
Judy
February 22, 2008 at 11:59 am

I can’t wait to try these burgers tonight. I am going to use lean, organic, free range ground beef. I think the refried beans will help with the texture! I’ll post it tomorrow (and link to you) so be sure to check!

Reply
kellypea
February 22, 2008 at 12:52 pm

YUM! Hamburger & refried beans are a favorite around here. I mix them with a bit of salsa and layer them between fried (I know…) flour tortillas to make a stacked burrito. The zucchini sounds totally great. I almost stuffed some for my med fest, but didn’t (they wanted me to hollow the zuchs out and then stuff them — jeez!) I have you in my reader at netvibes now . I know. Slow on the uptake, right?

Reply
Madeleine
February 22, 2008 at 1:30 pm

Ben que buena idea! nunca se me hubiera ocurrido ponerle frijoles fritos a la carne para hamburguesa!! las tengo que hacer!

Aunque eso de que son hamburguesas mexicanas, sí que es como raro, porque acá en México nunca las he visto! jeje!

Saludos y ya te agregué a mi blogroll!

Reply
Deeba
February 24, 2008 at 8:18 am

WOW…Ben, love the idea of a Mexican hamburgesa…looks totally great! I’d love to try the zucchini too. Award for you waiting to be picked up. :0) Deeba

Reply
Pingback: This was the Week that Was, Vol. 35 | Sephy's Platzish
Marie
March 21, 2008 at 1:31 pm

Hi Ben,Your stuffed zucchini will be great for our Festa Italiana table! Thanks so much for joining us!!

Reply
Maryann
March 21, 2008 at 6:59 pm

A delicious stuffed zucchini dish, Ben! Thanks for joining all of us at Festa Italiana

Reply
Recipes2share
June 17, 2008 at 2:22 pm

I just love your posts, many thanks!

Reply
Kevin Mitchell
September 9, 2010 at 3:31 pm

what i like about italian food is the pasta and spaghetti. they are so yummy''"

Reply