All-American burger (50 grams of protein) and AIP special sauce (caramelized onion, sweet potato, and nutritional yeast) with cassava-battered tempura zucchini fries.
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There are not many things I can eat repetitively but this? It's beefy, saucy nostalgic and oh-so-filling. It's definitely OMG-good.
Emphasize Quality Protein on the AIP Diet
When you are battling an autoimmune condition, your body needs an incredible amount of high quality protein and so I just love this as an approachable lunch option because it's ready in under 30 minutes.
Grass-fed, organic beef has superior flavor and the best omega-3 to omega-6 ratio (1:3 to 1:2 versus 1:15 of conventional beef). This is important because we need to really prioritize the omega-3s to reduce inflammation. That said, I know not everyone can afford organic beef so just know that it's ok to buy conventional because you just want to get that protein. You can always supplement with omega-3s.
Culinarily, grass-fed beef (or bison) is on the lean side and thus prone to dryness. This is an easy fix though because we can just pair the burger with a velvety, cheesy sauce made from white sweet potato, caramelized onion, and nutritional yeast. It's phenomenal!
How to Make An AIP All-American Burger with AIP Sauce
This recipe can be summarized with the following photo:
In just one pan, you cook your burgers and the components for the sauce: sliced white sweet potato and sliced onion. Throw your cooked sweet potato and onion into the blender along with the nutritional yeast and some water. Season with salt and blend until you have a thick cheese-like sauce.
If your sauce isn't thick like mine, you can bring it to a low simmer in the same sauté pan then ladle it over the burgers. Top with some finely chopped green garlic or whatever fresh herbs you like.
How to Make Zucchini Tempura AIP Style
Cut the zucchini into spears and then dip them in coconut milk followed by cassava flour seasoned with salt. Pan fry until crispy in a skillet with some avocado oil. Serve hot and salt them to taste. Note, the batter will try to fall off, so just do your best to keep everything together.
Grass-Fed Burger with Umami Sauce and Tempura Zucchini Fries {AIP, Dairy-Free}
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound grass-fed organic beef or bison
- sea salt
- 4 slices white sweet potato
- ¼ cup onion chopped (red, white, or yellow)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ cup water
- 1 small zucchini cut into fries/wedges
- ¼ cup coconut milk optional (helps flour stick to zucchini)
- ½ cup cassava flour
- 1 stalk green garlic finely chopped (for garnish), optional
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Shape the beef into patties and season well with salt. Place onto the hot oil. Add the sweet potato slices and onion into the pan. Cook the burgers for several minutes without moving them so they brown. Turn the potatoes and onion--caramelize and soften a bit but don't allow to burn. Flip the burgers and cook until medium-well.
- Transfer the potatoes and onions once soft and you see some browning to a blender. Add the nutritional yeast, water, and a pinch of salt. Blend until very smooth.
- Plate the burgers and add more oil to the skillet. Dip the zucchini wedges into the coconut milk (in a small bowl) and then dredge in cassava flour (on a plate). Pan-fry over medium heat until crispy. Turn carefully as the batter is fragile. If it comes off, just do your best to remove it all and serve together.
- Since this dish is best hot, you can now reheat the umami sauce until it simmers and serve it over top of the burgers. Place the zucchini on the side. Garnish the burger with green garlic if you can.
Nutrition
Burger Pairings
If you want to go all out, make my AIP ice cream and serve it as a milkshake. If you'd like to try something other than zucchini, you can make these banana fries instead or try my umami sauce with these chicken nuggets. For a nice side salad, you could take some romaine lettuce and chop it up and toss it with some dairy-free ranch dressing.
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