If you have never tried a Michigan olive burger, prepare for a salty, creamy twist on the classic cheeseburger. A juicy beef patty, melted Swiss cheese, crisp iceberg lettuce, and a generous spoonful of green olive burger sauce come together for a regional favorite that deserves more attention outside the Mitten State.
This Michigan olive burger recipe adds cream cheese and cherry pepper spread to the traditional olive-and-mayonnaise topping, giving the sauce an extra-creamy texture with just enough heat.
What Is a Michigan Olive Burger?
A Michigan olive burger is a beef burger topped with a creamy sauce made from chopped or sliced green olives and mayonnaise. Depending on where you order one, it may also include cheese, lettuce, or another house-specific addition.
Where Did the Olive Burger Originate?
The olive burger is most closely associated with Lansing, Michigan, where it became a local favorite during the 1920s. Although accounts of its exact beginning vary, Gladys Bowlin of Lansing’s Kewpee restaurant is commonly credited with creating an early mayonnaise-based olive burger sauce.
The idea spread through mid-Michigan, with restaurants in Lansing, Flint, and other communities developing their own versions. More than a century later, the olive burger remains a distinctly Michigan creation that many people outside the state have never encountered.
What Goes on an Olive Burger?
The defining ingredient is the olive burger sauce. Traditional versions generally combine green olives with mayonnaise, but individual recipes can vary considerably.
Our version includes:
- A seasoned ground beef patty
- Melted Swiss cheese
- Creamy green olive spread
- Chopped iceberg lettuce
- A hamburger bun
How to Make Michigan’s Famous Olive Burger Spread
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sliced green olives with pimientos
- 1 tablespoon olive brine
- 1 tablespoon cherry pepper hoagie spread
- 1 1/4 pounds ground beef
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 4 hamburger buns
- 1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce
Directions
- Add the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise to a bowl and stir until smooth and evenly combined. Fold in the sliced olives, olive brine, and cherry pepper spread. Set the finished olive burger sauce aside, or cover and refrigerate it until you are ready to assemble the burgers.
- Divide the ground beef into four equal portions and shape each one into a patty. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the patties in the hot skillet and cook without moving them for about 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are browned. Flip the patties and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each patty registers at least 160°F. Place one slice of Swiss cheese on each patty and let it melt.
- Transfer each cheeseburger to the bottom half of a hamburger bun. Spoon a generous amount of olive spread over the patty, add the chopped iceberg lettuce, and finish with the top bun. Serve immediately.
Cream Cheese and Olive Spread
Begin with fully softened cream cheese so it blends smoothly with the mayonnaise. Once those ingredients are combined, stir in the olives, brine, and cherry pepper spread.
The olive brine helps loosen the mixture while adding more tangy, salty flavor. You can prepare the spread ahead of time and refrigerate it in a covered container until you are ready to cook the burgers.
More About Michigan Olive Burgers
What kind of olives should I use?
Use sliced green olives stuffed with pimientos. They provide the briny flavor and recognizable appearance associated with a classic green olive burger.
Can I make the olive burger sauce ahead of time?
Yes. Prepare the spread, cover it, and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the burgers. Giving it some time in the refrigerator also allows the olive and pepper flavors to mingle.
How do I know when the burgers are done?
Use an instant-read thermometer to check the center of each patty. Ground beef should reach at least 160°F. Color alone is not a reliable way to determine doneness.
Keep Cookin’ with Oryana
Bring a little Michigan food history to your next burger night with quality ground beef, pimiento-stuffed olives, fresh iceberg lettuce, and the rest of the fixings available at Oryana. Once you have tried this creamy, briny regional favorite, a plain cheeseburger may feel like it is missing something.
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Recipe adapted from Allrecipes’ Michigan Olive Burger.
