One of the highlights of living in Southern California is In-N-Out Burger. These famous fast food burgers are known for their delicious special sauce and combo of tomato, iceberg lettuce, and sweet onion. But they are off-limits for those with dairy, egg, soy, or wheat/gluten allergies. I decided to remedy that for you, so that those with allergies (and those in other parts of the world) could still enjoy this awesome savory treat. You may wish to cut your burgers in half for kids; at In-N-Out they wrap them in a neat little packet to catch the sauce. This allergy-free burger is sure to make you feel out while you’re in. Sliced Daiya vegan cheeses are available at the Whole Foods deli counter, and they are also now selling it in wedges.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons Rice Milk Mayonnaise, or vegan soy-free mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 4 teaspoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
- 1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
- 4 allergy-friendly hamburger buns
- 4 bun-size pieces iceberg lettuce
- 4 (¼-inch-thick) slices ripe but firm tomato (preferably beefsteak)
- 4 (¼-inch-thick) round slices sweet onion
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 4 ounces Daiya vegan cheddar, thinly sliced
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, and cider vinegar. Stir well until smooth, and set aside.
- Mold the hamburger meat into four patties, each 4 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick.
- Bake the buns whole for about 2 minutes, until starting to brown on the outside.
- Meanwhile, lay out the lettuce, tomato, and onion for easy burger assembly. Season the burger patties with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add ½ teaspoon of the canola oil, and heat until shimmering. Split 2 of the buns and add them to the pan cut side down. Cook the buns for 1 minute, until they are golden brown on the cut sides. Transfer them to a plate, add another ½ teaspoon of canola oil to the pan, and repeat with the other 2 buns.
- Heat ½ teaspoon more of the canola oil in the skillet. Add 2 of the burgers and cook for 2½ minutes without moving them, pressing down on them a few times with a spatula to press out some of the juices. Flip the burgers, press down firmly on each burger, and cook for 30 seconds. Top with 1 slice of cheese per burger, and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon canola oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining 2 burgers.
- To assemble, spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the special sauce onto each of the bottom buns, top with the tomato slices, iceberg lettuce, then burgers, then sweet onion slices, then top buns. I like a little extra special sauce on mine, but let your taste be the judge.