This homemade umami burger recipe takes a little planning, but every component adds deep, savory flavor. If you prepare the toppings in stages, the active cooking time is very manageable, and the final burger is rich, juicy, and memorable. The inspiration comes from an early visit to Umami Burger in Los Angeles, back when the restaurant had only a few locations. That first bite left a lasting impression: beef, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, Parmesan, and caramelized onions all working together to create an intensely savory burger.
Umami is often described as the fifth taste, alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. It is the flavor we recognize as savory, meaty, and deeply satisfying. Ingredients such as mushrooms, tomatoes, beef, soy sauce, fish sauce, Parmesan cheese, and Worcestershire sauce are naturally packed with umami character, which makes them perfect for building a burger with serious depth. This version adds truffle mayo, balsamic ketchup, Parmesan frico, oven-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and sautéed shiitake mushrooms for a layered, restaurant-style burger you can make at home.
This is not a quick weeknight burger, but it is an excellent weekend cooking project. The tomatoes roast slowly until concentrated and sweet, the onions cook down until golden and soft, and the Parmesan crisps into delicate frico rounds. When everything comes together with a juicy beef patty and toasted truffle-buttered buns, the result is a bold, savory burger loaded with texture and flavor.
Not-Umami’s Burger
- Author: Amanda
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
This homemade umami burger is packed with savory ingredients from top to bottom. Juicy beef patties are seasoned with soy sauce and fish sauce, then topped with caramelized onions, porcini mushroom dust, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, oven-dried tomatoes, crisp Parmesan frico, balsamic ketchup, and truffle mayo. It is a time-consuming recipe, but each step is simple and the finished burger is deeply flavorful, rich, and satisfying.
Ingredients
OVEN-DRIED TOMATOES
- 4 Roma tomatoes, halved
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
CARAMELIZED ONIONS
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1–1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 star anise pod
BURGERS
- 1–1/3 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons butter, frozen for at least 10 minutes
- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
TRUFFLE MAYO
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon truffle oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
BALSAMIC KETCHUP
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
PARMESAN FRICO
- 1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
TOASTED BUNS
- 4 buns, split in half
- 4 tablespoons white or black truffle butter, at room temperature
MUSHROOMS
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place the halved Roma tomatoes on a small parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle them with extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with sugar, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the tomatoes are dehydrated but still slightly plump. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, sliced onions, and star anise pod. The onions will look like a lot at first, but they will cook down significantly. Season with kosher salt and stir well. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, sweet, and golden brown. Taste occasionally once they begin to soften, and remove the star anise pod when its flavor has infused the onions. If the onions brown too quickly or begin to stick, lower the heat to medium-low.
- Make the truffle mayo by stirring together the mayonnaise, truffle oil, and a pinch of kosher salt. In a separate bowl, combine the ketchup, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and oyster sauce to make the balsamic ketchup. Taste both sauces and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the burgers.
- Increase the oven temperature to 375°F. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of truffle butter on each cut side of the buns. Place the buns on a baking sheet and bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until golden and lightly crisp. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan onto the sheet and spread it into a round slightly smaller than the buns. Repeat to make four Parmesan rounds. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until melted and lightly golden. Let the frico cool completely before moving; they are delicate and can break easily.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms in a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed for a few minutes so they can brown properly. Once they begin to release moisture, season generously with kosher salt. Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes total, until the mushrooms are dark, tender, and lightly caramelized. Remove from the heat.
- Preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium heat for at least 10 minutes. In a bowl, gently mix the ground beef with the fish sauce and soy sauce. Grate the frozen butter with a box grater or hand grater, then gently fold it into the beef. Divide the mixture into four patties, each about 1/3 pound and slightly wider than the buns. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Flatten the patties well, since they will puff slightly as they cook. Avoid overmixing the meat.
- Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a food processor and process until they become a fine powder. Grill the burger patties for about 4 to 7 minutes per side, depending on your preferred doneness. After flipping each burger, sprinkle the cooked side generously with porcini dust. Remove the patties from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- To assemble each burger, spread balsamic ketchup on the bottom bun. Add the burger patty, then top it with caramelized onions. Layer on the Parmesan frico, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and an oven-dried tomato half. Spread truffle mayo on the top bun, place it over the burger, and serve immediately.
- Category: Beef, Burgers