Béchamel Burger | Inspired by Egypt's Macarona Béchamel

Beechamel Burger | Inspired by Egypt's Macarona Beechamel

Imagine biting into a thick, juicy burger topped with crunchy fried pasta and drenched in luscious bechamel sauce. It’s indulgent, nostalgic, and a little unexpected — inspired by the flavors of Egyptian macarona béchamel but reimagined as the ultimate comfort burger.

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Ingredients

(Seasonings should be added to taste.)

For the Béchamel Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons clarified butter

• ½ cup flour

• 4 cups milk

• ground nutmeg

• sea salt

• black pepper

For the Tomato Sauce:

• olive oil

• ½ yellow onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 4 tomatoes, diced

• ground coriander

• ground cumin

• sea salt

• black pepper

For the Pasta:

• 3 ounces penne pasta

• water and sea salt, for cooking

• neutral oil, for frying

• ground coriander

For the Meat:

• 1 pound 80% lean ground beef

• olive oil

• ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced

• sea salt

• black pepper

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Instructions

Make the Béchamel Sauce

Start this recipe by preparing a silky, flavorful béchamel sauce. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt a generous amount of samna (clarified butter). Once hot, whisk in flour and cook it until it thickens and takes on a light golden-brown color. Slowly pour in milk while whisking constantly to prevent clumps from forming. Season with ground nutmeg, sea salt, and black pepper, then let the sauce simmer over medium heat. Keep whisking frequently until it thickens and reduces to a smooth, creamy consistency. This whole process takes about 30 minutes.

Cook the Tomato Sauce

Next, make a simple yet rich tomato sauce. In a skillet, sauté diced onions with minced garlic for a few minutes until fragrant. Add diced tomatoes and season with ground coriander, ground cumin, sea salt, and black pepper. Let everything cook down until the sauce reduces and thickens. Transfer the mixture to a glass jar and use an immersion blender to blend it into a smooth, velvety sauce.

Fry the Pasta for a Crispy Crunch

To give this burger a playful nod to macarona béchamel, cook some penne pasta in boiling water two minutes longer than usual so it’s extra tender. Drain and let it rest briefly, then fry the pasta in neutral oil until it turns golden brown and crispy. Once fried, sprinkle it lightly with ground coriander for added flavor.

Prepare the Beef Patties

For the star of the burger — the lahma (meat) — portion your ground beef into ⅓-pound balls. Heat a cast-iron skillet with a splash of olive oil. Place the beef balls in the skillet and use parchment paper with a burger press to flatten them, keeping them thick and juicy. Season the first side with sea salt and black pepper, then top with thinly sliced onions and let it cook for a few minutes. Flip once, season the second side, and cook until done — but resist the urge to flip again to maintain the perfect sear.

Assemble the Béchamel Burger

Now it’s time to bring everything together. Start with a toasted brioche bun and spread a layer of the smooth tomato sauce on the bottom. Place the onions and juicy lahma patty on top, followed by a crunchy layer of fried pasta. Finish it all off with a generous spoonful of creamy bechamel sauce.

This bechamel burger, inspired by the beloved Egyptian macarona bechamel, is rich, comforting, and wildly unique — a perfect fusion of nostalgia and burger bliss.