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2 Comments Looking for an easy Christmas dinner that doesn’t involve spending half the day in the kitchen? This Christmas burger with chestnuts and mango chutney might be just what you need. It has all those lovely festive flavors, but comes in the very relaxed shape of a burger. Because who decided Christmas dinner has to involve twelve pans and a minor kitchen crisis?
The burger itself is made with beef and chestnuts and topped with crispy bacon and sweet-spicy mango chutney. Add plenty of crunchy vegetables and you’ve got an easy Christmas main course that feels special without being complicated.
Table of contents
Tip from Simone
Make the mango chutney a few days ahead. It keeps well in the fridge and means that on Christmas Day you only have to cook the burgers and assemble everything. And if even making chutney sounds like too much work, buy a good-quality mango chutney instead. Christmas should be fun too!
Burgers for Christmas Dinner?
A burger might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of Christmas dinner, but that’s precisely why I like it. It’s festive without being fussy and particularly useful if you’re cooking for a smaller group or simply don’t fancy a traditional turkey.
The chestnuts give the burgers a slightly sweet, nutty flavor, while the mango chutney provides plenty of spice and freshness. I like to add lettuce and finely sliced red cabbage for extra crunch and vegetables. You could also serve the burgers with a big winter salad (like this pumpkin and lentil salad) or roasted vegetables instead of fries.
And the best part? Most of the preparation can be done beforehand.
Christmas burger ingredients
For the exact quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Ground beef – I use ground beef for these Christmas burgers. You can replace it with turkey or chicken mince for a lighter version.
- Chestnuts – cooked chestnuts give the burgers their festive flavour. Vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts are the easiest option. If you leave them out, the burgers will still work.
- Egg and breadcrumbs – these help bind the burger mixture. If the mixture feels too wet, add a little more breadcrumbs.
- Bacon – crispy bacon is delicious here. Leave it out if you prefer or replace it with another crunchy topping.
- Burger buns – brioche buns are my favourite because their slight sweetness works really well with the chutney, but any good burger bun will do.
- Lettuce – for freshness and crunch. Spinach, rocket or finely shredded cabbage are good alternatives.
- Red cabbage – optional, but highly recommended. It adds colour, crunch and an easy extra portion of vegetables.
- Mango and pear – these form the fruity base of the homemade chutney. Using pear as well as mango gives it a lovely texture.
- Onion – for the chutney. Red onion also works well.
- Spices – ginger, chili, cardamom, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cinnamon make the chutney wonderfully fragrant.
- Red wine vinegar – balances the sweetness of the fruit and sugar.
​How to make an easy Christmas burger
1. Make the mango chutney
Heat a little oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion until soft. Add the ginger, chili and spices and fry briefly until fragrant.
Add the pear, sugar and approximately 100 ml water. Simmer until the pear starts to soften. Now add the mango, salt and red wine vinegar and continue cooking until you have a thick chutney.
Keep in mind that the chutney will become thicker as it cools.
Short on time? Skip this step and use your favourite store-bought mango chutney.
2. Make the chestnut burgers
Finely chop the cooked chestnuts. Place the ground beef in a bowl with the chestnuts, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix briefly.
Shape into four burgers. If the mixture is very soft, add another spoonful of breadcrumbs.
Cook the burgers in a frying pan over medium heat until browned and cooked through.
3. Cook the bacon
While the burgers are cooking, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Want to sneak a few more vegetables onto the table? This is also a good moment to quickly fry some mushrooms or onions to pile on top of the burgers.
4. Assemble your Christmas burgers
Cut the buns in half and toast them briefly if you like. Spread the bottom half with mayonnaise, cranberry mayo or your favourite burger sauce.
Add lettuce and/or finely shredded red cabbage, followed by the burger, crispy bacon and a generous spoonful of mango chutney.
Pop the top on and Christmas dinner is served. Told you it didn’t have to be complicated.
​What to serve with Christmas burgers
For an easy Christmas dinner, I’d serve these burgers with roast potatoes and plenty of vegetables. Roasted carrots, Brussels sprouts, parsnips or a crunchy red cabbage salad all work really well.
You can also make a quick cranberry mayonnaise by mixing a spoonful of cranberry sauce through regular mayonnaise. It’s ridiculously easy and instantly makes the burger taste even more Christmassy.
Variations
There are lots of ways to make this Christmas burger your own.
For a lighter burger, replace the beef with turkey or chicken mince. Add a slice of cheddar during the last minute of cooking if you want a cheeseburger. You can also add caramelised red onion, fried mushrooms or extra red cabbage.
And if you want to increase the vegetable content even further, serve smaller burgers with a generous winter salad on the side. You still get the festive burger, just with a little more green on the plate.
Make ahead
The mango chutney is perfect for preparing in advance and can be made several days before Christmas. You can also shape the burger patties the day before. Cover them well and keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to cook them.
Prepare your cabbage and other raw vegetables beforehand too, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge. That way, there’s very little left to do at dinnertime.
Storing Christmas burgers
Fridge: Cooked burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the buns, vegetables, bacon and chutney separately so everything keeps its texture.
Freezer: The uncooked burger patties can be frozen. Place baking paper between them and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag. Defrost overnight in the fridge before cooking. The assembled burgers aren’t suitable for freezing; the bread and salad won’t thank you for it.
FAQ Christmas Burgers
Yes. Make the mango chutney a few days ahead and prepare the burger patties one day in advance. Keep the patties covered in the refrigerator and cook them just before serving.
Absolutely. This is Christmas, not an exam. You’ll miss the chestnuts inside the burger, but you can still add all the festive toppings. Use a good beef burger and top it with mango chutney, cranberry mayo, bacon and crunchy red cabbage.
Yes, and that’s actually the easiest option. Vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts save you the job of cooking and peeling fresh chestnuts.
Red cabbage is one of my favorites because it gives you colour and crunch. Lettuce, rocket, spinach, caramelized onions and fried mushrooms are also delicious. For the side, try roasted carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts or a winter salad.
Yes. Replace the beef with turkey mince or chicken mince. Chicken thigh or turkey thigh mince tends to stay juicier than very lean mince.
Roast potatoes are an obvious choice, but if you want a more vegetable-heavy Christmas dinner, add a tray of roasted winter vegetables or a big crunchy salad. That also balances the richness of the burger nicely.
More Easy Christmas Recipes
Easy Coq Au Vin Recipe (French Chicken Stew with Wine)
Christmas Burger with Chestnuts and Mango Chutney
Ingredients
- 400 gr ground beef
- 100 gr chestnuts
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp bread crumbs
- pepper
- salt
- 4 Lettuce for serving
- 4 hamburger buns
Chutney
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion in rings
- 2 large ripe mango's in cubes
- 2 large ripe pears in cubes
- 1 tsp chil flakes
- 2 cm ginger root grated or 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp each of cardamom, cumin, coriander and turmeric
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 200 gr moscovado sugar lightbrown
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 200 ml red wine vinegar
Instructions
Chutney
- Heat some oil in a large pan and add the onion until soft and translucent.
- Add all the spices, the ginger and the chili flakes to the onion until it becomes fragrant. Add the pears and the sugar and about 100 ml water. Leave to cook until the pears have softened.
- Add the mango, salt and red wine vinegar. Let it simmer until the desired thickness. Remember that it will thicken a bit when it cools. Keep the chutney in sterilized jars in a dark spot until you need it.
For the burger:
- Score the chestnuts with a sharp knife on the round side. Cook for about 3 minutes, drain and peel when still warm. Also remove the brown fluff from the inside. Cut in small pieces.
- Put the beef, the chopped chestnuts, egg, breadcrumbs, pepper, salt and ham together in a bowl and mix to combine well. If too wet add a bit extra breadcrumbs. Make 4 burgers of the mixture.
- Heat the oil and fry the burgers on medium heat until brown and cooked through.
- In the meantime fry the bacon brown and crispy. Leave to drain on paper towel.
- For making the burgers start with a small layer of sauce (mayo or otherwise of your choice), top with the lettuce and place the burger on the lettuce. Top the burger with mango chutney and crumble the bacon over it. Serve with some extra chutney.
Notes
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
What a great and usual Christmas main idea! Leave it to you two 😋
This would be perfect as sliders on a buffet too.
Merry Christmas Simone and Tom 🎄
What a scrumptious combination. A delightfully festive burger.
Cheers,
Rosa