Burgers Get A Fiber And Flavor Boost When You Add This One Underrated Vegetable

The hamburger is an indulgent classic not typically seen as health food, yet it can still play a role in a balanced diet. We know burgers provide protein with their meaty goodness, but maybe you want to increase other nutrients like fiber to hit certain nutritional goals. Fiber keeps you full, supports digestive system function, and can even help decrease cholesterol levels. One simple and delicious way to sneak more fiber into your burgers is by adding artichoke hearts.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one medium-sized raw globe artichoke (also called a French artichoke) contains nearly 7 grams of dietary fiber. Artichoke hearts are nutty, bitter, and sweet, somewhat reminiscent of asparagus. Preparing fresh artichokes to reveal the edible heart can take a considerable amount of effort, but fresh picks aren't a requirement when using artichoke as a component of a dish rather than a starring ingredient. 

If you prefer the ease of canned or jarred artichokes, note that ½ cup of cooked, drained artichoke hearts contains about 4 grams of fiber. Among the various ways to eat canned artichoke hearts, incorporating them into a juicy burger ranks highly. Their earthiness complements savory ground meat, and some jarred types are marinated in vinegar and spices to lend even more flavor. But you can get even more creative with how you use them to elevate your burgers.

One easy way to incorporate artichoke hearts is to finely chop them and mix them into the ground meat along with your spices. Just be sure not to overwork the meat to prevent your burgers from becoming chewy. You can also make a stuffed hamburger by layering the chopped hearts between two thin patties and sealing the edges, which gives you artichoke in each bite without the mixing. You could also turn these hearty veggies into a cheesy spinach and artichoke dip and spread it over the top of your patty. Add Parmesan over the dip and briefly broil until the cheese is bubbly for an extra hit of umami flavor. 

If you don't have canned artichoke hearts, frozen ones are a suitable alternative. Their flavor is comparable to fresh artichokes and they still have a notable fiber content. They also allow you to bypass the potentially metallic notes of the canned type — another way to avoid this is to look for artichoke hearts in glass jars. You'll need to thaw frozen hearts correctly to prevent a soggy texture that will make your burger patties unpleasantly moist.