Best Summer Burger & Cocktail/Mocktail Pairings

Summer recipes perfect for grilling season!

#Winning: Elevate Your Cookout Spread with Burger and Drink Duos

Grilling season is upon us, and we’re ready to ramp up our grilling skills this summer! We partnered with Chelsea of @aducksoven to bring you three unique burger and cocktail (or mocktail!) pairings that will make your next cookout an absolute win.

We have something for everyone, including a plant-based burger option and fun takes on classic cocktails, all incorporating Stemilt’s World Famous fruit. These recipes are not only delicious and creative, but they’re also healthy options fit for any lifestyle!

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Want more delicious pairings and fruit ideas? Check out The Stem, Stemilt’s blog, for additional recipes and more.

Check out our burger and cocktail pairings below and get grilling.

A new take on an old classic, this burger in a bowl recipe is the deconstructed dish of our dreams. We’re getting serious taco salad-meets-grain bowl vibes from this, and we can’t get enough. Pair this with a Pink Lady® smash and you have the perfect summer meal.

Ingredients

  • For the potato wedges:
  • 1 ½ lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • For the burger:
  • 1 lb 85/15 ground beef
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • For the burger sauce:
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp sriracha (optional)
  • Toppings:
  • 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
  • ½ cup diced pickles
  • ¼ cup diced yellow onion
  • Yellow mustard

Lose the bun for this take on a classic burger with homemade burger sauce and savory potato wedges on the side.

  • Yield
    4 servings
  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Total time
  • Cuisine
    American
  • In Category
    Dinner

Instructions

  1. For the potato wedges: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Cut the russet potatoes into wedges. They should be the full length of the potato and about ½ inch thick. Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and paprika.
  3. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for another 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork.
  4. For the burger: While the potatoes are cooking, get started on the burger. Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and break apart with a spatula. Cook, continuing to break apart every couple of minutes until completely browned.
  5. Add the water and remaining spices to the ground beef and stir until evenly distributed. Cook until water is completely absorbed.
  6. For the burger sauce: Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the sriracha to your liking if using.
  7. For assembly: Split the potatoes between four shallow bowls. Top the potatoes with ground beef. Add lettuce, pickles, and onion on top of the ground beef. Drizzle burger sauce and mustard on top of each bowl.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 417
  • Fat Content: 19.1g
  • Saturated Fat Content: 4.4g
  • Cholesterol Content: 105mg
  • Sodium Content: 836mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 23.7g
  • Fiber Content: 2.9g
  • Sugar Content: 3.3g
  • Protein Content: 36.7g

Ingredients

  • 2 Stemilt Pink Lady Apples, sliced
  • 2 oz white rum
  • ½ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz simple syrup
  • Ground cinnamon

A delightful blend of muddled apples, rum, lemon juice, simple syrup and ground cinnamon.

  • Yield
    1 serving
  • Prep time
  • Total time
  • In Category
    Drinks

Instructions

  1. Muddle one of the apple slices in the bottom of a highball glass.
  2. Fill the glass with ice and top with rum, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Stir briefly to combine.
  3. Sprinkle the remaining apple slice with cinnamon and drop into the glass. Serve.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 203
  • Fat Content: .1g
  • Saturated Fat Content: .1g
  • Cholesterol Content: 0mg
  • Sodium Content: 14mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 18.4
  • Fiber Content: 1.1g
  • Sugar Content: 5.1g
  • Protein Content: .1g

Seafood lovers, this one’s for you! This zesty burger combines fresh Albacore tuna, limey ginger mayo, and quick pickles to make your tastebuds sing. Pair it with a cherry limeade prepared with fresh Stemilt dark-sweet cherries and you have a match made in heaven.

Ingredients

  • 4 hamburger buns
  • Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable
  • For the quick pickles:
  • 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup rice vinegar
  • For the patties:
  • ½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped Thai basil
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds Albacore tuna, diced into ½ inch cubes
  • For the limey ginger mayo:
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (about ½ lime)
  • ½ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt

Quick homemade pickles, plus tuna patties with cilantro, basil and sesame oil, make this recipe a seafood star.

  • Yield
    4 servings
  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Total time
  • Cuisine
    American
  • In Category
    Dinner

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients for the pickles in a jar with a lid. Screw the lid on tight and give the jar a good shake. Set aside.
  2. Make the patties. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the patties except the tuna. Add the tuna and mix together with your hands until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
  3. Form the mixture into 4 patties and set in a single layer on a plate. Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Mix together all ingredients for the limey ginger mayo in a small bowl.
  5. Brush the grill grates with the neutral oil. Preheat over medium high heat.
  6. When hot, add the patties and cook for 6-7 minutes on each side, until grill lines appear and patties are cooked through.
  7. Spread the limey ginger mayo on the top buns. Place patties on bottom buns, top with pickles, and place top buns on top. Serve.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 429
  • Fat Content: 11.5g
  • Saturated Fat Content: 2.7g
  • Cholesterol Content: 61mg
  • Sodium Content: 1403mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 35.5g
  • Fiber Content: 1.8g
  • Sugar Content: 8.9g
  • Protein Content: 44.3g

Cherry Limeade Cocktail/Mocktail

Ingredients

  • ½ lbs Stemilt Dark Sweet Cherries, pitted
  • 12 ounce can frozen limeade concentrate
  • 2 liter bottle lemon-lime soda (like 7Up or Sprite)
  • Ice
  • Vodka (optional)
  • 1 small lime, cut into wedges
  • 6 Stemilt Dark Sweet Cherries, for garnish

A refreshing cocktail featuring fresh cherries and frozen limeade.

  • Yield
    6 servings
  • Prep time
  • Total time
  • In Category
    Drinks

Instructions

  1. Add the cherries to a large glass pitcher. Muddle until the cherries are crushed and juices have been released.
  2. Add the frozen limeade concentrate and lemon-lime soda and stir.
  3. To prepare a drink, fill a pint glass with ice. Add 2 oz of vodka if using. Top each with the cherry limeade mixture until the glass is full.
  4. Garnish with a lime wedge and cherry and serve.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 348
  • Fat Content: .2g
  • Saturated Fat Content: 0g
  • Cholesterol Content: 0mg
  • Sodium Content: 14mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 55.5mg
  • Fiber Content: .8g
  • Sugar Content: 52.5g
  • Protein Content: .5g

Meatless Mondays, anyone? This burger is the perfect option for a plant-based meal. Creamy chickpeas, tangy sundried tomatoes, and homemade yogurt sauce take this burger to the next level. With a Stemilt dark-sweet cherry spritz by your side, you’ll be practically unstoppable!

Chickpea and Sun-Dried Tomato Burger

Ingredients

  • 6 burger buns
  • For the patties:
  • ¼ red onion, diced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp fresh oregano
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup dried breadcrumbs, such as Panko
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more, if needed
  • For the yogurt sauce:
  • ⅓ cup plain full fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ tsp salt

A meat-less option featuring sun-dried tomatoes for veggie burger lovers topped with a yogurt-based savory sauce.

  • Yield
    6 servings
  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Total time
  • Cuisine
    American
  • In Category
    Dinner

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the onion, parsley, oregano, and garlic cloves. Blend until finely minced.
  2. Add the chickpeas, breadcrumbs, feta, and tomatoes. Pulse until the mixture turns into a ball. The chickpeas should be pretty well ground and the ingredients should be evenly distributed.
  3. Divide the mixture into 6 balls and form each ball into a ½ inch thick patty.
  4. Preheat a grill to medium high heat.
  5. Brush both sides of each patty and the inside of the burger buns with the olive oil. Add the patties to preheated grill and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Add the buns, olive oil side down, and cook for about 1 minute, until toasted.
  6. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
  7. Spread the sauce on both sides of each of the buns. Top bottom buns with patties and serve.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 428
  • Fat Content: 12.7g
  • Saturated Fat Content: 3.3g
  • Cholesterol Content: 13mg
  • Sodium Content: 983mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 65.1g
  • Fiber Content: 6.4g
  • Sugar Content: 3g
  • Protein Content: 14.3g

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (about 3 cups) Stemilt Dark Sweet Cherries, pitted
  • 2 oz Campari
  • 3 oz prosecco
  • 1 oz soda water

An effervescent cocktail with Prosecco, Campari and fresh cherry juice.

  • Yield
    1 serving
  • Prep time
  • Total time
  • Cuisine
    Cocktail
  • In Category
    Drinks

Instructions

  1. To juice the cherries, add pitted cherries to a blender and blend until smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the blended cherries through the strainer. Discard the pulp and pour juice into a jar with lid.
  2. Fill a large wine glass ¾ full with ice. Pour the Campari over the ice and stir to chill. Top with Prosecco, cherry juice, and soda water and stir briefly to combine.
  3. Garnish with a cherry and serve.

Nutritional Information

Per Serving

  • Calories: 226
  • Fat Content: 0g
  • Saturated Fat Content: 0g
  • Cholesterol Content: 0mg
  • Sodium Content: 2mg
  • Carbohydrate Content: 20.3g
  • Fiber Content: 0g
  • Sugar Content: 3.5g
  • Protein Content: 0g