There’s an amazing torta shop in Denver that we make a point of visiting when we’re in that part of town. We live fairly far from it now, so opportunities are few and far between. We were inspired by our favorite tortas when creating this burger on the Traeger. Laden with expected torta ingredients and amped up with a juicy burger patty, these torta burgers on the Traeger made for an epic dinner worth trying yourself.

WHAT IS A TORTA?

A traditional Mexican torta is built on a soft roll and filled with a variety of meats and cheeses. Most tortas are slathered in refried beans, hot sauce and mayo and tomato, sliced onion and avocado are loaded in too. I think what sets a great torta apart is the amazing bread and the tasty variety of fillings. When I have the chance, I always opt for one that has breaded pork loin, steak and cheese. Super delicious.

When we were thinking about how to create a torta-inspired burger, we decided that some distinct elements of a torta had to be included in our burger creation. That included a great bun, creamy refried beans, avocado and something spicy.

INSPIRED BY OUR RECENT TRIP

Having recently traveled to Mexico, we tried out the “gordo burger” at our resort, which was another twist on this theme. They served the sandwich with gloves because it was so sloppy– and we decided that our burger needed to be a fork-and-knife kind of creation.

We used prepared enchilada sauce to soak the buns for this sandwich, which added a new level of flavor. And for spicy elements, we added chopped green chilis, sweet and spicy pickled jalapenos and some homemade guacamole.

The burger was drizzled in crema and sprinkled with cotija cheese. And it had some lettuce, for good measure!

PRIMARY INGREDIENTS

Good-quality buns (hamburger or sandwich)
Enchilada sauce
Ground beef
Seasoning of your choice (we used my Garlic Junkie)
Cheese
Lettuce
Refried beans
Guacamole
Green chilis and jalapenos
Sliced white onion
Crema or diluted sour cream
Cotija cheese

WHY COOKING TORTA BURGERS ON THE TRAEGER WORKS

I love cooking everything on the Traeger– from burgers and steaks to cakes and casseroles, the Traeger is the perfect outdoor cooking vessel. The wood-fired heat is strong and consistent, lacks “hot spots” like other grills may have, and the wood pellet fuel provides a little touch of wood-fired flavor that imbues what you cook.

For burgers, I like to use my Traeger Ranger grill, which is small and mighty. With the built-in cast iron griddle and the small overall size, the Ranger gets very hot, very quickly. It’s the perfect tool for hot and fast cooks– like searing the burger for our Torta Burgers.

We also used the cast iron griddle to toast the buns, which makes it possible to do nearly this entire burger on the Traeger. Pretty perfect for a summer evening and a great meal.

STEP-BY-STEP

Preheat the Traeger grill to high.
Form the ground beef into ½ pound patties, then season them with salt and pepper or the rub of your choice.
Slice the onions, make the guacamole, chop the lettuce, and open the can of refried beans. Get all your ingredients prepared.
Pour the enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl.
When the grill is hot, place the beef patties on the griddle and cook until desired temperature is achieved. Top with cheese and allow it to melt.
Transfer the cooked patties to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
Scrape the griddle clean and then apply a thin coating of oil or nonstick spray.
Dip the hamburger buns in the enchilada sauce and place them, cut side down, on the oiled griddle.
Cook until the bun is hot and toasted.
While you cook the buns, warm up the beans in a pan or the microwave.
Assemble the burger:
- On the bottom bun, spread refried beans.
- Top the beans with sliced onion and chopped lettuce.
- Put the burger patty atop the lettuce.
- To the top bun, spread guacamole.
- Top the guacamole with chopped green chilis and jalapenos.
- Drizzle the burger with crema/sour cream and sprinkle with cotija cheese.
- Place top bun on the burger and serve with a knife and fork.

Burgers on the Traeger Ranger — Burgers formed with the press

RECIPES SIMILAR TO TORTA BURGERS TO TRY ON THE TRAEGER

We love cooking burgers on the Traeger, because they come out delicious and there are so many ways to make a delicious meal.

Some of the favorites we’ve shared so far include:

Pimento Cheese Stuffed Burger
Ultimate BBQ Cheeseburger
Bison Sliders
Also check out my cookbook for other great burger ideas.

Products used in this cook:

Give this burger recipe a try. You can totally customize it to your preferences (flavors, level of spice, etc). Get creative because burger night in the backyard is a great thing!

Did you make this recipe?
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