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Open-Faced Cafeteria Pizza Burgers
Rachel Kim

Open-Faced Cafeteria Pizza Burgers

Pizza burgers were a useful school-kitchen compromise: browned beef in red sauce spread on bun halves and baked under cheese. Eight sandwiches fit two standard rimmed home sheet pans, and open faces keep them from becoming soggy. Fine beef crumbles and mild mozzarella make the topping look more like cafeteria pizza than sloppy joe filling.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 33 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced
  • 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 plain hamburger buns split
  • 2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 400°F and line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment.
  2. Brown beef and onion into fine crumbles and drain well.
  3. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Arrange 16 bun halves cut-side up on the pans and toast for 3 minutes.
  5. Spread each half with beef mixture and top evenly with both cheeses.
  6. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese melts and the bun edges are crisp.