We all have that one go-to homemade hamburger recipe that we instantly use. It’s always the same; meat, spices, egg, bread crumbs, shape, throw it on the grill. But what if you could do more? What if you could make homemade burgers that could rival the fanciest of restaurants and evoke jealousy from a Top Chef? Well, maybe that’s going a little too far. But if it’s easy enough, then why not? Amp up your boring patties and try some of these unique homemade burgers this weekend!

THE PB & J

Spicy Peanut Butter & Jelly Butter

The age-old combo of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches just got a whole lot better with this recipe. Sweet jam, creamy peanut butter, salty cheese, and toss on some jalapenos for a bit of bite. Oh dear…

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/3 pounds ground beef
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup grape jelly
  • 1 fresh jalapeno, sliced thin
  • Hamburger buns
  • Kosher Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Loosely shape your burgers and season them really well with kosher salt and pepper. Make a big dimple in the center of each burger. As it cooks the burger will shrink in a bit and take up this space in the center.
  2. Toss these burgers on a medium-high grill for about 4-5 minutes per side for a medium burger. Try not to fuss with them too much.
  3. After about five minutes, give the burgers a flip. You will hopefully have some nice grill marks and a good crust developing on the burger.
  4. Pile on about a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter and let it heat up on the burger for a minute or two. It may sound crazy but warm peanut butter and warm cheese have a very similar texture which, as you may know, works very well on burgers.
  5. Serve these bad boys with a big dollop of grape jelly and a few sliced jalapeños on toasted buns. The jalapeños are optional, but I like their crispness and heat on the burger

Recipe from Macheesmo

MAPLE, BLACK PEPPER & PEANUT BUTTER WITH BACON

Maple Black Pepper Bacon Peanut Butter Burger

Riding that peanut butter train, we present the mother of combinations: peanut butter, maple, and bacon. All slapped on a toasted whole wheat bun. Yum-o. Seriously, if this doesn’t look tasty to you then you need to get your buds checked.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat grill to medium-high heat.
  2. In large bowl, combine ground beef, salt and pepper.
  3. Form beef into 4 patties and grill to desired doneness.
  4. Top burger patties with 2 slices cheddar cheese, if desired.
  5. In microwave oven, warm peanut butter 30 seconds.
  6. Place burger patty on bun. Spread warmed peanut butter on top of patty generously.
  7. Top with 2 to 4 slices bacon and add burger bun.

Recipe from Hormel

THAI PEANUT BUTTER BACON

Thai Peanut Butter & Bacon Burger

Thai food lovers rejoice! If you’re contemplating between Thai food or homemade burgers tonight, then try this baby! At first, you’d think this would be gross. But the kick of Asian inspiration paired with the creamy peanut butter and dreamy bacon is so freakin’ good.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Toasted bun
  • Sriracha sauce
  • Burger Patty
  • Peanut butter
  • Bacon
  • Pineapple
  • Cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Start with a toasted bun and a squirt of sriracha on the top and bottom. It’s up to you how much and how hot you want it.
  2. Put a burger patty on the bun while still warm drop a heaping dollop of peanut butter on top of the patty.
  3. Lay two pieces of crispy bacon on the peanut butter.Then comes the grilled pineapple.
  4. Lay another thin warm burger patty on top of the pineapple, sandwiching everything between the two patties.
  5. Top with fresh cilantro leaves.

Recipe from The Noshery

THE DONUT BURGER

Bacon donut burger

Source

As if burgers weren’t full of calories as it was. But hey, who cares? A burger on a soft, chewy, decadent donut? Yes, please! Now, you could be calorie conscious and slice a donut in half to use as the bun, or you could just go nuts and use two whole ones. We’re not judging.

HELPFUL TIP

Grill Burger

Source

Just so this list is mouth-watering as well as informative, we’re throwing this one in. For those inexperienced grillers, this is a perfect chart (made of meat, of course) to clearly show how to tell if your patties are done to your liking. Here’s another helpful tip; only the top three matter.

MOZZARELLA AND CARAMELIZED PEACHES

Mozzarella and Caramelized Peach Caprese Burger

Hey, save yourself some time and have the main course and dessert all in one! Just kidding, you’re totally having some ice cream after this. But the caramelized peach slices add a juicy layer to this awesome burger. You could use any kind of cheese, but mozzarella is definitely the best for this combo.

INGREDIENTS:

Balsamic Drizzle

  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar (optional)

 

Burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef (I like to use organic 80/20 beef)
  • smoked salt, chipotle salt or just salt + pepper, for sprinkling
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 12 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced into 8 thick round slices
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt + pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 large nectarines or peaches, ripe, but firm peaches, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds*
  • 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
  • 4 brioche or pretzel buns, toasted (use gluten free if needed)

DIRECTIONS:

Balsamic Drizzle Add vinegar and brown sugar, if using, to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces by about half and is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat, pour vinegar in a bowl or glass to pour, and set aside to cool and thicken.

Burgers

  1. Divide the meat into 4 sections and form into 4 patties (or make 8 slider size burgers). Place the patties on a plate. Drizzle the burgers with balsamic vinegar.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the Panko, flour, parmesan, salt, pepper and cayenne, mixing thoroughly to combine. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Take each slice of fresh mozzarella and coat it in the beaten egg, then dredge it through the bread crumb mix, pressing on both sides to adhere. Repeat with the remaining slices.
  3. Drizzle the peaches with honey (or sprinkle with brown sugar).
  4. Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat, once hot, season the burgers with salt and pepper and then grill until your desired doneness. About 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the burgers from the grill and and cover with foil to allow the burgers to rest while you fry the mozzarella.
  5. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sear both sides of the peaches for 1 to 2 minutes until just warmed, but still somewhat firm. Alternately you can also grill the peaches directly on the grill.
  6. Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and when hot, fry the coated mozzarella, turning carefully once or twice, until golden and cheese begins to melt but still retains its shape, about 1 minute on each side. Drain on paper towels.
  7. To assemble, divide the burgers among buns. Top with a couple fresh basil leaves, a slice of fried mozzarella and a couple slices of caramelized peaches. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Add the top bun.

Recipe from Half Baked Harvest

SMOKY BEER BURGER

Smoky Beer Burgers with Gouda & Mustard-Horseradish Aioli

The intense list of flavors is just too long to make a title for this guy. We’ve got a smoky cloud of beer infusion, gouda cheese, mustard sauce, and a dash of horseradish. This is a man’s burger!! (but ask our wife first)

INGREDIENTS:

For the Burgers:

  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 oz beer (I like a lager style for this)
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 4 oz gouda cheese, sliced (you could also use smoked gouda for extra smokiness)

 

For the Aioli:

  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
  • 2 tablespoons horseradish

For Serving:

  • Burger buns
  • Lettuce
  • Tomatoes
  • Pickles

DIRECTIONS:

For the Burgers:

  1. Combine the garlic, onion, Worcestershire, and beer in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the a smooth paste forms; I like the onions and garlic to blend completely.
  2. Pour the paste into a mixing bowl and stir in the spices, salt, and pepper.
  3. Fold in the panko breadcrumbs and ground meat and mix to combine, being careful to not overwork the meat. Form the mixture into four equal patties.
  4. Heat a grill to medium-high and add the burgers. Cook for 4 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking, top each burger with gouda cheese and close the lid of the grill so the cheese melts.
  5. Remove from grill and tent the burgers with foil until ready to serve.

For the Aioli:

  1. Whisk together the Dijon mustard, egg yolks, and lemon juice. Whisking constantly, slowly stream in the oil until the mixture thickens and emulsifies.
  2. Whisk in the whole grain mustard and horseradish and season to taste with salt and pepper. This can be made ahead and kept in the fridge until serving time.

To Serve: Serve the burgers on buns with desired toppings and the aioli.

Recipe from Yes To Yolks

SWISS PAN BURGER

Swiss Pan Burgers with Rosemary-Mushroom Pan Sauce

Not all of us have a fancy schmancy grill out on the deck. Heck, some of us don’t even have a deck. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a mouth-watering burger like the rest of them! This single pan burger concoction is heavenly with mushrooms, rosemary, and Swiss cheese…my mouth is filling with saliva just typing this.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1lb lean ground beef
  • 1 small shallot, minced and divided (about 3 Tablespoons)
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced and divided
  • 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 slices swiss cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 8oz sliced mushrooms
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 4 buns

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine ground beef, 2 Tablespoons shallots, 2/3 of the minced rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl then mix until combined. Create 4 burger patties then set aside.
  2. Heat extra virgin olive oil in a very large (10-12″) cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet.
  3. Add burger patties then saute for 4-5 minutes a side for burgers cooked to medium, add swiss cheese slices then allow to melt slightly (don’t let cheese melt onto skillet or it will burn.) Transfer to a plate then loosely tent with a piece of nonstick-sprayed foil.
  4. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in skillet then add mushrooms and remaining Tablespoon shallots. Season with salt and pepper then saute until mushrooms are golden brown, 5 minutes. Add remaining rosemary and garlic then saute for 1 more minute. Add beef broth then simmer, scraping the bits up from the bottom of the pan, until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, 5 minutes. Add remaining Tablespoon butter then stir until melted.
  5. Place burgers on buns then top with mushrooms and sauce.

Recipe from Iowa Girl Eats

SHRIMP BURGER

Chunky Shrimp Burgers with Avocado Aioli sauce

Alright, alright. Let’s throw in some healthy options, shall we? Even though this shrimp patty claims to be a smarter choice to beef, it still looks amazing, doesn’t it? Who knew, crustaceans on a bun? It could work. Especially with the creamy avocado aioli sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

Shrimp Burgers

  • 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbl chopped cilantro
  • 1 Tbl garlic
  • 1/2 cup Panko or Gluten Free Panko
  • 1/2 jalapeno, chopped and seeded
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup red pepper, chopped small
  • 3 Tbl canola oil

 

Avocado Aioli

  • 1 avocado, halved, seeded and peeled (save the pit!)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbl fresh lime juice
  • 1 Tbl minced garlic
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (or 1/2 tsp cayenne)
  • 2 Tbl chopped cilantro
  • 1 tsp sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Avocado Aioli

  1. Scoop the avocado pulp into the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Add the sour cream, lime juice, garlic cloves, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and pepper.
  3. Process until smooth.
  4. Check and adjust seasoning.
  5. Place in a dish, add the pit (this helps prevent it from turning brown), cover and chill for an hour.

Burgers

  1. Divide the shrimp in half.
  2. Coarsely chop one half and set aside.
  3. Put remaining half in a food processor and grind to a coarse puree.
  4. Add egg, shallot, cilantro, jalapeno and garlic to processor.
  5. Process until smooth.
  6. Sprinkle mixture with breadcrumbs and process again.
  7. Transfer contents of food processor to a large bowl.
  8. Add coarsely chopped shrimp and red pepper.
  9. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix well.
  10. Form burgers and chill for 1 hour (covered).
  11. Heat oil in a heavy skillet.
  12. When very hot, fry the shrimp burgers until golden, about 3 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
  13. Drain on paper towels.
  14. Serve on a Onion Brioche Bun.

Recipe from The Kitchen Whisperer

SPICY CAULIFLOWER BURGER

Spicy Cauliflower Burgers

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cauliflower Burgers

  • ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 head cauliflower (about 6 cups florets)
  • 3-4 tablespoons oil, divided
  • a few generous shakes of spicy seasoning – cumin, chili powder, cayenne, etc.
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt OR just a minced garlic clove or two
  • ¾ cup breadcrumbs or ground almonds
  • ¾ cup shredded Pepperjack cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 1½ teaspoon salt

 

Burger Toppings

  • a few good squeezes of lime juice
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup chopped purple cabbage
  • magic green sauce
  • chipotle mayo
  • buns (may I recommend jalapeño cheddar?)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook the quinoa according to package directions but only using 1 cup broth of water to keep it from getting too heavy.
  2. Cut the cauliflower into florets, transfer to a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with spices to taste. Roast for 20-30 minutes. Let cool. Pulse through a food processor to form small pieces that stick together (see picture). We don’t want PUREE here, but we do want enough mushiness to help it all stick together.
  3. Combine the cooked, pulsed cauliflower with the quinoa, garlic salt, breadcrumbs, Pepperjack cheese, eggs, salt, and another teaspoon or two of spicy seasoning (cayenne will make it hot-spicy, so just add a few shakes of that one). Form 10 patties.
  4. In an oiled or nonstick pan over medium heat, cook the burgers until golden brown on each side, flipping very carefully to avoid breaking. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate.
  5. Toss the lime juice, cilantro, cabbage, and a quick stream of oil together. Season with salt.
  6. Arrange the burgers with: magic green sauce, the cauliflower burger, the slaw, and the chipotle mayo on top.

Recipe from Pinch Of Yum

THE CHILI CRUNCH

Chili Crunch Burger

For those of you who love the spicy side of things, this crunchy chili burger is perfection. A basic homemade patty, but topped with chili, jalapenos, onions, cheese…oh, and corn chips. How else do you get the crunch? This sandwich is so messy but so worth it.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 Beef patties
  • 8 slices Pepperjack cheese
  • 16 ounces Your favorite homemade or store bought chili, heated
  • 2 Small onions, chopped
  • 1 bag Corn chips
  • 1 Jar of jalapenos
  • 1 package KING’S HAWAIIAN Original Hawaiian Sweet Hamburger Buns

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Grill hamburger patties to your liking.
  2. Add cheese to the patty and allow to melt.
  3. Toast KING’S HAWAIIAN buns over indirect heat on your grill. If indirect heat is not an option, keep a very close eye on your rolls as they will toast fairly quickly over direct heat!
  4. Build your hamburger in this order: Bottom bun, hamburger patty w/ cheese, warm chili, chopped onions, jalapenos, corn chips, top bun.

Recipe from King’s Hawaiian

MAC-N-CHEESE

Mac And Cheeseburger

Oh yeah, you read that correctly. So, one of the main components of a burger is the cheese, right? So, why not kick it up a notch and instead of slapping on a slice, slap on a spoonful of macaroni and cheese? This sandwich combines two classic dishes; burger meets mac-n-cheese. A match made in food heaven.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups cooked elbow macaroni, drained
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces ground beef
  • ½ tablespoon salt
  • ½ tablespoon pepper
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • 6 slices cheddar cheese
  • 6 sesame-topped dinner rolls
  • 4 romaine lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a medium pot over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and stir thoroughly until there are no lumps. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is golden brown and smells toasty, about 1 minute, then add the milk. Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Add the macaroni and stir to coat evenly. Add the mozzarella and cheddar, stirring until cheese is completely melted and macaroni is coated evenly. Remove from heat.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Gently mix until evenly combined Pinch off some ground beef and roll it into a 2-inch ball. Flatten the ball and then mold it into a deep pocket with your thumb. Place 2 tablespoons of the mac & cheese into the center of the pocket, then pinch the edges of the beef together. To seal, use another tablespoon of the beef mixture to close up the top, enclosing the mac & cheese completely inside the beef. Repeat with the remaining ground beef and mac & cheese to make 6 patties.
  3. In a pan over medium heat, cook the patties on one side for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Place a slice of cheddar on top, then cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the meat is cooked through. Remove from the heat.
  4. Slice the dinner rolls in half and serve the cheeseburgers on the buns, topped with the lettuce.

Recipe from Buzzfeed.com

CORNED BEEF BLISS

Bacon and Cheese Corned Beef Burger with Guinness Caramelized Onions

Tired of beef patties? No, you’re not, but it never hurts to switch things up every now and then. Try this one on for size. A Southern-inspired patty made of corned beef smothered in bacon and cheese. Oh, did I mention that Guinness is involved? Hmm, I left that detail out, did I?

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 cup Guinness (or beef broth)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
  • 8 strips bacon
  • 1 1/2 pounds corned beef, ground in food processor
  • 4 slices white cheddar (or swiss) cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • 4 buns

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. Add 1/4 cup Guinness , cover and simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 15 minutes and repeat three more times.
  4. Remove from heat and mix in the Worcestershire sauce and grainy mustard.
  5. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a pan and set it aside on paper towels to drain.
  6. Form the ground corned beef into 4 patties and grill or pan fry over medium hight heat until cooked, about 3-5 minutes per side, topping with the cheese.
  7. Fry the eggs, assemble the burgers and enjoy!

Recipe from Closet Cooking

HAWAIIAN HEAVEN

Grilled Hawaiian Teriyaki Burger

You could get really creative with burger toppings and flavors, couldn’t you? This Hawaiian infused sandwich with teriyaki sauce is proof of that. I would never have thought to put those ingredients on a bun, but it works so well. It’s sweet and delicious. But you have to try it for yourself to know for sure (wink, wink).

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lbs 93% ground beef
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions
  • 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sriracha sauce (or more if you like it spicy)
  • 8 slices fresh pineapple
  • 8 whole wheat 100 calorie buns (I used Martin’s)
  • 8 lettuce leaves

For the pineapple teriyaki sauce:

  • 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger, very fine
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced

DIRECTIONS:

For the burgers:

  1. Gently combine the ground beef with grated carrots, scallions, ginger, soy sauce and sriracha sauce.
  2. Form into 8 equal sized patties, try not to overwork the meat so it doesn’t get tough.

For the teriyaki sauce:

  1. Combine the cornstarch in cold water and dissolve. Set aside.
  2. Mix soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, grated ginger, and garlic in small saucepan over medium-low heat; bring to a boil and simmer until sauce reduces about 15 to 18 minutes. Add cornstarch-water mixture and simmer until thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  3. Heat the grill. When hot clean the grates and spray with oil. Place the patties on the grill and cook on high heat for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side, or until burgers are cooked to your liking. While the burgers are cooking, grill the pineapple slices for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

To serve, place a piece of lettuce on the bottom of each burger bun. Top with the cooked burger and 1 tbsp of teriyaki sauce, then top with grilled pineapple.

Recipe from Skinnytaste

 PIZZA, PIZZA!

Pizza Burgers

Let me paint you a picture. It’s a Friday night, your friends are over, you guys are having some drinks and enjoying an evening out on the back deck. Everyone’s getting hungry but there’s a clear division of requests; pizza and burgers. So what do you do? A pizza burger, of course!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 whole medium onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 (10 ounce) can tomato soup
  • ¼ cups water
  • 1 tablespoon pizza or Italian seasoning
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 4 whole english muffins, split in half
  • 1 tablespoon garlic salt
  • 32 slices pepperoni
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Start by adding the onions and a drizzle of canola or vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Heat through. Add the ground beef and cook all the way through. Once the meat is cooked, add the tomato soup, water, and pizza seasoning. Reduce to low and let simmer.
  2. While the meat and sauce are simmering, preheat the oven on broil and spread the butter evenly on each English muffin half. Sprinkle with garlic salt and top each with 4 slices of pepperoni. Pop these under the broiler on a cookie sheet for about 2 minutes or until they begin to brown just on the edges.
  3. Take out of the oven and top each English muffin with about 1/4 cup of the meat and sauce mixture. Top each of those with the cheese. Place back under the broiler for another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese turns golden brown and bubbly.

Recipe from Keyingredient.com

AWW, BABY BURGERS

Muffin Tin Cheeseburgers

This is a cool take on the whole slider option. It still uses full sized buns, but after you cram them into a muffin tin they come out like this. Teeny, adorable burgers.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 6 regular-size burger buns, split
  • 3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • ½ cup diced yellow onion
  • ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 4 tablespoons ketchup
  • 6 slices American cheese, each cut in four pieces
  • Optional toppings: dill pickle relish, yellow mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 12 regular-size muffin cups with melted butter. Press half of a bun, cut side up, into each muffin cup.
  2. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat and transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Discard drippings in pan. Add beef and onion to the skillet; heat to medium-high heat. Cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is brown. Drain.
  3. Divide beef mixture evenly among muffin cups and top each with 1 teaspoon ketchup. Top each one with cheese.
  4. Bake 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Immediately top with cooked bacon, followed by whatever toppings you want (relish, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato).

Recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything

THE CLUCKER

Caprese Chicken Burgers

Well, it’s about time we had a decent chicken option on this list, right? We made it all the way to #17 without adding one, but the wait is totally worth it. This recipe calls for ground chicken but I would imagine it’d be just as good with a tender, juicy chicken breast. But the star of this sandwich is the massive chunks of Caprese. Oh, so good.

INGREDIENTS:

Caprese Chicken Burgers

  • 1 pound lean ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tomato cut into thick slices
  • 4 thick slices fresh mozzarella cheese
  • 8-12 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 buns

 

Basil Aioli

  • 1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared pesto
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl combine the ground chicken, pesto, salt and pepper with your hands until combined.
  2. Form the meat into 4 equal sized patties.
  3. Preheat grill or skillet to medium high heat.
  4. Spray or oil the grates of the grill or the skillet generously.
  5. Cook the chicken burgers for approximately 4 minutes per side depending on how thick they are.
  6. While the burgers are cooking prepare the basil aioli.
  7. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the aioli in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  8. About a minute before the burgers are done, place the buns cut side down on the grill and toast them until lightly brown.
  9. Assemble the burgers on the toasted buns and top with a slice of fresh mozzarella, a slice of tomato, 2-3 basil leaves, and some of the basil aioli spread on the top half of the bun.

Recipe from Recipe Runner

A CLASSIC

BLT Burger with Roasted Garlic Mayo

This is a tasty spin on an old classic, the BLT, and we’ll be darned if it’s not better than the original. Crispy bacon, lettuce, and tomato are still the main ingredients, but slip in a juicy beef patty and roasted garlic mayo and you’ve got this beast. The hardest decision would be to choose between charcoal or gas BBQ to grill up your masterpiece.

*You might also like: Best Charcoal Grill Review

INGREDIENTS:

For Roasted Garlic Mayo Sauce:

  • 1 head of roasted garlic
  • ½ cup real mayo
  • 1 TB lemon juice
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

For Burgers:

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 TB oil
  • 2 lbs ground beef (chuck, 80/20)
  • white cheddar cheese slices
  • 1 avocado, sliced and drenched in lemon juice
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked and drained
  • 1 vine-ripened tomato, sliced
  • lettuce

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Make Roasted Garlic Mayo: Mash up roasted garlic cloves. Mix well with remaining sauce ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Lasts for up to a week in fridge.
  2. For the Burgers: In a large nonstick pan, cook onions in the 2 TB oil over medium high heat, stirring often. Cook until very soft and golden brown, caramelized. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  3. In a bowl, liberally sprinkle ground beef with salt and pepper and mix to incorporate. Shape into 4 large patties, and keep at room temp. When ready to cook, grill burgers to medium rare or medium. Place cheese slices on top of the patties and keep warm.
  4. Assemble Burgers: Spread garlic mayo generously on buns. Layer on avocado, bacon, tomatoes, caramelized onions, and lettuce over warm cheese/beef patties.

Recipe from Chew Out Loud

THE BURGER DOG

Because what hamburger list is complete without…a hotdog? In an attempt to spice up the age-old idea of a round, flat patty between two buns, this was created. Rather than form the regular patty that you’ve come to know, form a tube shape filled with cheese instead. Slap it on a hot dog bun and you get this! Magnifique!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 1 block of cheddar cheese
  • Salt and pepper
  • Hot dog buns
  • Your favorite condiments

DIRECTIONS:

  1. First, slice cheese into sticks (about the same size as string cheese).
  2. Then, season your ground meat for taste. Next, you want to split the meat into 5-6 palm sized balls. Flatten each ball out into a rectangle and place a cheese stick toward the bottom. Finally, roll it up to completely conceal the stick of cheese.
  3. Now that the rolls are ready, you wanna lay those soon-to-be burger dogs on the grill and breathe in the precious scent of happiness.Grill for 6-10 minutes, turning the dogs when charred grill marks appear on a side. For safety: turn it about 3 or 4 turns… or more to insure even cooking around each dog.
  4. Serve on hot dog buns and spread your fave condiments on it and SLAY your mouth.

Recipe from Buzzfeed.com

THE CRACK ATTACK

Crack Burger

 

Aptly deemed the Crack Burger, this baby’s patty is infused with bacon, ranch, and loaded with cheddar cheese. So, really, you could just eat the meat and be happy. Screw the bun. Unless it’s one of those stellar soft pretzel types, then go for it.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 lb ground chuck
  • 3 Tbsp sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix
  • 1/3 cup cooked and crumbled bacon
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine all ingredients and form into 4 hamburger patties. Grill to desired temperature. The burgers will be very moist, be very careful when you flip them.
  2. Serve on your favorite hamburger bun topped with lettuce, tomato, mustard and mayo.

Recipe from Plain Chicken

FRENCH DIPPED

French Dip Burger with Havarti

So, you take a mound of beef and add a generous amount of French dip. Then you add bourbon fried onions and Havarti Swiss cheese? I’ll take two, please. Actually, make that three…and a side of fries.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound Certified Angus Ground Beef (I used 80/20)
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 pound havarti cheese, sliced thin
  • 1/2 pound swiss cheese, sliced thin

For the onions:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large vidalia onions
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

For the horseradish sauce:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons horseradish
  • 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  • kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

For the beef broth:

  • 2 cups low sodium beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Four Brioche Rolls

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat the grill.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with half the salt and pepper to combine. Divide the mixture into four equal parts and lightly work to form four burger patties. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
  3. In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions to the pan. Cook the onions until softened and golden brown, approximately 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle with the sugar and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bourbon. Return the pan to the heat and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in the thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and chives until thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. (The sauce can be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)
  5. Bring the beef stock to a simmer and stir in the thyme. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes and stir in the salt and pepper. Keep warm.
  6. Place the burger patties on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked to medium rare (internal temp will be 145 degrees). Top the burgers with equal amounts of cheese and turn the grill off. Add the rolls, cut side down, to the grill. Close the lid and allow the cheese to melt approximately 3-4 minutes. Transfer the burgers and rolls to a platter. Spread 2 tablespoons of horseradish sauce on the bottom of each roll and top each with a burger. Spread 2 tablespoons of onions on the top half of the roll and place on top of the burger. Serve each burger with 1/4 cup of beef broth.

Recipe from The Suburban Soapbox

THE MEXICAN

Mexican Cheeseburgers

Really, you could take any popular international dish and turn it into a burger. This Mexican version is a prime example. Beef, salsa, spicy green sauce, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes sandwiched between two toasted buns. It’s like a taco…but not.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1¼ lb lean ground beef (I use 90%)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup cornmeal
  • ½ cup chunky (not runny) salsa
  • ¼ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 TB canned diced green chilies, drained
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp table salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Toppings: Fresh guacamole, grilled onions, cheddar cheese slices, tomatoes, lettuce, extra salsa

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl, using wooden spatula, mix all ingredients together (take care not to over handle.)
  2. Shape into 4 or 6 patties; grill to desired doneness. Medium is recommended.

Recipe from Chew Out Loud

THE PHILLY CHEESESTEAK

Philly Style Cheesesteak Burger

This is a good choice for those cooler Summer evenings when you want some comfort food. Creamy provolone cheese smothers the patty. The onions and green peppers give it that Philly kick. This is an awesome burger, I ate two, and I don’t feel guilty.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Mix ground beef and Seasoning Mix until well blended. Shape into 4 patties.
  2. Grill over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes per side or until burgers are cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F). Grill onions and bell peppers in grill basket or grill rack 3 to 4 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add cheese slices to burgers 1 minute before cooking is completed.
  3. Serve burgers on rolls topped with grilled onion and bell pepper mixture.

Recipe from Mccormick

SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

Hey! Here’s that wicked soft pretzel bun I mentioned earlier. Man, they are the bomb! Especially when you have a meatless burger such as this. The black bean patty is soft and delicious. The sweet potato adds a unique layer of tastiness. And the baked cheddar beer onions rings? Come on!

INGREDIENTS:

Burgers

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (about 1 medium sweet potato)
  • 1/2 cup black beans, finely mashed
  • 1 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon worchestire sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for topping
  • 4 of your favorite burger buns, toasted (optional, try eating these atop lettuce!)
  • 4 fried eggs, optional… but not really

Baked Cheddar Beer Onion Rings

  • 2 large sweet onions, cut into 1/2 inch slices
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup of your favorite beer (I used pumpkin beer)
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese crackers, finely crushed (gold fish or cheez it’s)
  • 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a bowl combine the quinoa, mashed sweet potatoes, mashed black beans, tomato paste, egg, chili powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, pepper, brown sugar, and Worcestershire. Mix well to moisten the ingredients and then mix in the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix well again and form into 4 or 5 equal burger patties (I made 4). The mixture will be very wet and sticky, this is fine, just make rough circles. Place on a plate lined with wax paper and place in the fridge while you prepare the onion rings.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. To make the onion rings, whisk together the flour, buttermilk, beer and dijon mustard in medium-size mixing bowl. In another shallow bowl, mix together the cheddar cheese cracker crumbs, Panko breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
  4. Now take the slices of onion and dip them through the buttermilk/beer mixture, making sure they are completely covered in batter. Using your other clean hand, dredge the onion ring through the cheddar crumbs, coating completely. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining onion slices. Once you have coated all the onions slices, lightly spray them with olive oil or cooking spray.
  5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until coating is crisp, flipping halfway through. Season with salt, to taste.
  6. While the onion rings are baking, cook the burgers. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Remove patties from the fridge and place in the hot skillet. They will be moist and sticky. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then if needed add more oil and flip the burgers very gently (be gentle, they crumble easily when hot). Cook for another 5-6 minutes. It is important to not flip the burgers until they are ready. During the last minute or so of cooking add some cheddar cheese to the top of each burger, cover the pan and cook 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has melted. My burgers were a little moist and very delicate, if they break on you, just put them back together the best you can. Once you remove them from the skillet and they cool slightly, they will firm up.
  7. To assemble the burgers, place each burger on a bun (or lettuce), top with an egg and a few onion rings.

Recipe from Half Baked Harvest

LAMB ON A BUN

Greek Lamb Burgers with Spinach and Red Onion Salad

I guess you could really make a patty out of any type of meat, even lamb. It gives a different kind of taste, but when paired with things like spinach, red onions, and feta cheese you get a pretty awesome combo of tastes. It’s definitely different but still very delicious. If you’re daring and adventurous, try it out.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 1/3 pounds ground lamb
  • 4 hamburger buns or small ciabatta rolls
  • 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1 1/3 cups crumbled feta cheese
  • 4 1/4-inch-thick red onion slices
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Mix first 4 ingredients and 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in medium bowl; mix in lamb. Shape into four 3/4-inch-thick patties. Cook patties in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes per side for medium.
  2. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Broil buns until golden, about 2 minutes. Top each bun bottom with burger. Toss spinach, feta, onion, vinegar, and 11/2 tablespoons oil in bowl. Place salad atop burgers. Cover with bun tops, pressing firmly to compact.

Recipe from Epicurious

ALOHA!

Aloha Burger

Not sure if this is really a Hawaiian burger, but it’s for sure an ode to the tiny state. Start with a regular beef patty and add some pineapple, lettuce, bacon, and Swiss cheese. Voila! Or should I say, Pau?

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 Morningstar Farms® Grillers® Original patties
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
  • 1 can sliced pineapple rings
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked (optional)
  • 1 c. Romaine lettuce
  • 1/2 c. BBQ sauce
  • 4 hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Prepare sauce by placing BBQ sauce in a bowl and adding 2 Tbsp of the pineapple juice. Stir together and set aside.
  2. Grill patties according to the directions on the box. Add cheese slices and allow to melt before removing from the grill.
  3. Spread 1 Tbsp sauce on the bottom part of each of the four buns. Cover with 1/4 c. lettuce and a patty. Break two bacon slices in half and set on top of patty. Then top with pineapple ring. Spread 1 Tbsp sauce on the inside of the top bun and top the burger.

Recipe from Cupcake Diaries Blog

BACON & GOAT CHEESE

Bacon and Goat Cheese Aioli Burger with Crispy Onions

I actually made this burger not too long ago and it was TO. DIE. FOR. Mind you, I couldn’t find the “million dollar buns” listed in the ingredients, mostly because I have no Earthly idea what they are. But I use my beloved soft pretzel buns and it was so good!

INGREDIENTS:

For the aioli

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon (or more!) lemon zest
  • 2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the burger:

  • 1 and 1/2 pounds ground beef (I used 80/20)
  • 2 tablespoons red wine
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

For the crispy onion strings:

  • 1 whole large onion
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 scant tablespoon salt
  • 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 to 2 quarts canola oil

To assemble:

  • 4 ounces goat cheese, softened
  • 4 strips thick-cut bacon
  • 4 Million Dollar Buns (they are killer!) (sorry I can’t stop myself)
  • butter, softened

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Prep the onions. Slice the onion into very thin rings. Use a mandoline if you have one. Place the sliced onions into a baking dish and cover with buttermilk. Set aside for an hour.
  2. Make the aioli. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, zest, lemon juice, Dijon, 1 clove garlic, and salt and pepper. Don’t add too much lemon juice or it will be too runny to stay on the burger. Throw it in the fridge.
  3. Form the burgers next. In a medium bowl use your hands to combine ground beef, red wine, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt, pepper, garlic, and green onions. Form into 4 patties at least 4-5 inches across. Press the centers of the patties down so that the hamburgers don’t get too thick in the middle when you grill them. See the how-to photos on this post if you’re feeling lost. Set the hamburgers aside on a plate.
  4. Cut the bacon in half and cook until crisp. Drain on paper towels.
  5. Heat 1-2 quarts oil (depending on the size of your pan) over medium-high heat (375 F) in a high-sided skillet.
  6. Combine the 2 cups flour, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Drain the buttermilk-soaked onions and add them to the flour, making sure they all get coated. When the oil is hot, add the coated onions, doing several batches. Stir them around so they don’t stick together. When they are golden brown, remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining onions. You will probably have extra onions.
  7. Heat your grill to medium heat. Cook the burgers for 3-5 minutes, then flip. Spread 1 ounce of softened goat cheese on each burger, then cook for another 3 minutes or so, or until they are as done as you want them.
  8. Butter the cut sides of the Million Dollar Buns. Place on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes until the buttered sides are crispy.
  9. Assemble the burgers: Bun, aioli, burger, goat cheese, bacon, onions. Add more aioli for good measure.

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

BURGER BOMBS!

Bacon Cheeseburger Bombs

Hey, we can’t have a massive list of JUST burgers. We need a bit of variety, don’t we? And who doesn’t love a good ol’ burger bomb? Come on, just the sound of it makes you smile. Cheese and meat wrapped in pastry, then fried to perfection. Dip in your favorite condiments and enjoy!

SRIRACHA CHA, CHA, CHA

Asian Burgers with Sriracha Mayo

This a favorite of mine, mainly because it uses Sriracha mayo. But the Asian slaw that’s slapped on the beef patty is so, so good when you bite into it. Spicy, crunchy, deadly. There’s no cheese listed in the recipe, but I went ahead and added a slice of Mozza for the heck of it.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Burgers:

  • 1½ lb lean ground beef
  • ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 TB Asian oyster sauce
  • 2 TB regular soy sauce
  • 1 TB granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp Asian toasted sesame oil (caramel brown in color)
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 egg

Sriracha Mayo: ½ cup whole mayo + 4 tsp Sriracha + 2 TB dijon mustard (kick up or tone down the amount of Sriracha as desired.) For Serving: 4 buns or Ciabatta rolls, 8 oz bag cabbage cole slaw mix (no dressing), and fresh cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Make Sriracha Mayo: Combine mayo, Sriracha, and dijon mustard in a bowl. Add more or less Sriracha depending on how much kick you want. (As written, it’s a moderate spice level.)
  2. In a large bowl, combine all burger ingredients and mix well to thoroughly incorporate. Form into patties.
  3. Grill on preheated grill until patties are cooked to your liking. Medium is recommended. Serve with cabbage slaw, cilantro, and plenty of Sriracha mayo on buns.

Recipe from Chew Out Loud

GOBBLE, GOBBLE

Turkey Burgers with Creamy Gorgonzola and Chili Garlic Slaw

Another healthy turkey burger alternative, but this one was so much better than the last. I thought so, anyways. But I think it was the chili garlic slaw that really made this burger a winner.

INGREDIENTS:

chili garlic slaw

  • 1 head of napa cabbage, sliced into shreds
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot chili sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey (I use 94% lean)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 whole grain buns, toasted

creamy gorgonzola

  • 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 6 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. chili garlic slaw.  Heat a large skillet over low heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and cabbage, tossing well to coat and cook for about 1 minute, continuously stirring. Add the chili powder, brown sugar, and sriracha, tossing well to combine (I like to use kitchen tongs to pick up and turn over the cabbage). Remove the cabbage and place it in a large bowl, adding the lime juice and again tossing well. Place the bowl in the fridge so the slaw can cool completely (unless you’d like it warm, but I love coleslaw on a warm burger).
  2. In a bowl mix together the ground turkey, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic cloves and green onions until just combined. Gently mix until just combined and form into 4 equal sized patties. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add the patties and cook until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Or you can grill the burgers or cook them however you’d like.
  3. To make the creamy gorgonzola, combine the yogurt, 4 ounces of the gorgonzola, oil, salt and pepper together in a bowl and stir and mash until combined. Spread the mixture on top of the burgers before serving and crumble the remaining cheese on top. Top with a big handful of the chili garlic slaw and serve on toasted buns.

Recipe from Howsweeteats.com

INSANITY BURGER

Jamie Oliver's Insanity Burger

That Jaimie Oliver dude sure knows how to make a scrumptious meal, doesn’t he? And you can always be sure that it’s healthy. Well, healthy as a juicy burger can get, anyway.

FIVE GUYS

Copycat Five Guys Burgers

So, for those of you who are living under a rock and don’t know what Five Guys Burgers and Fries is, let me school you a little. It’s an awesome chain of restaurants with only ONE item on the menu: burgers. But they have side fries, too. Delicious, crispy, home fries that they literally just pour into a giant paper bag and hand over to you. But their sandwiches are homemade, as well, right in front of you and I’ve yet to taste a better burger. So, so good. Anywho, here’s a copycat attempt.

INGREDIENTS:

  • Be sure to Follow Raining Hot Coupons on Pinterest for more RECIPES!
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 6 slices bacon
  • 1 C mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 C onion, diced
  • 1 T butter
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 2 hamburger buns
  • Mayo, mustard, ketchup, etc

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the bacon on a baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.
  2. Place the butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and saute until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
  3. Make 4 patties out of the ground beef.
  4. Heat a griddle to medium heat and place the patties on the hot surface. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until edges are cooked. Flip and cook another few minutes, until the burgers are done throughout.
  5. To assemble the burger, place the bottom half of bun on a plate. Add mayo, mustard, or other condiments. Place a burger, top with cheese, then another burger and cheese. Top with bacon and sauteed veggies. Place the top of the bun on the burger.
  6. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Recipe from Raining Hot Coupons

THE BISON BEAST

 

bison with cabernet onions & wisconsin cheddar

Bison meat is a category all of its own. It’s a heady meat, with tons of flavor, so much that you barely need to add anything to it. But in the form of a patty, it’s good to top with veggies, cheese, and grilled onions.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3 cups sliced onions (about 2)
  • 3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine
  • 1 pound ground bison (buffalo)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 4 organic hamburger buns
  • 6 ounces sliced Wisconsin white cheddar cheese
  • Dijon mustard
  • 1 small head of escarole, leaves separated

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium- high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté until very tender and well browned, about 15 minutes longer. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.
  2. Preheat broiler. Gently mix meat and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
  3. Open buns and arrange, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Place cheese slices on bun tops. Broil until cheese melts and bottom halves are lightly toasted about 1 minute. Spread bottom halves with mustard. Top each with a few escarole leaves, then a burger. Spoon onions atop burgers, dividing equally. Cover with bun tops; press lightly.

Recipe from Epicurious

HOW TO STUFF

Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Cheeseburgers

A lot of these recipes are stuffed patties. Meaning; the meat is packed with ingredients inside. So here’s a quick visual of how to properly get those yummy items securely in the center.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 oz Hot Habanero Cheddar Cheese (crumbled or cut into small cubes)
  • 5 pieces Cooked Bacon
  • 1 lb 80/20 Ground Beef
  • 2-4 T Worcestershire Sauce
  • 5 Slider Rolls

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Take about 3 oz of ground beef and flatten it in your hand.
  2. Take a good bit of crumbled habanero cheddar cheese and put it on top of the beef.
  3. Add 1 slice of crumbled bacon on top of the cheese.
  4. Using your fingers bring the edges of the beef patty up around the cheese and bacon stuffing. Make sure the cheese and bacon are overloaded inside this slider!
  5. Seal the top and form it into a neat slider patty. Be sure it is sealed well.
  6. Repeat 4 more times.
  7. Pour Worcestershire sauce all over the uncooked slider patties.
  8. Grill sliders over medium or medium high heat.
  9. Place on slider rolls and serve.

Recipe from Grilling 24x7

COFFEE RUBBED ANGUS BEEF

Coffee Rubbed Burgers

All of the café dwellers and hipsters looked up when you said that. Coffee-rubbed meat? Could that be good? Well let me tell you, it most definitely is. The coffee does something to the beef, makes it…peppier. Then the addition of things like Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, brown sugar infused this and that, peppered bacon, apple cider vinegar, etc. makes this one sinfully good burger. Oh, and don’t forget the soft pretzel bun.

INGREDIENTS:

COFFEE RUB SEASONING MIX:

  • 1.5 Tbsp ground coffee
  • 1/2 Tbsp salt
  • 1/2 Tbsp paprika
  • 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp pepper
  • 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 Tbsp coriander

DR PEPPER BBQ SAUCE:

  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly minced
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 6 oz Dr Pepper
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp ancho chile powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 3 Tbsp brewed coffee

BURGERS:

  • 2 lbs Angus ground beef (85/15)
  • 2 Tbsp Dr Pepper BBQ sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • Pretzel buns
  • Arugula lettuce
  • 8 slices peppered bacon
  • 2 Tbsp butter

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine coffee rub seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl and mix together with a fork. Set aside.
  2. Melt butter over MED heat in a saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
  3. Add remaining sauce ingredients, stir to combine. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until sauce has thickened.
  4. Pour sauce into blender or food processor and puree. Set aside to cool.
  5. To a mixing bowl, add ground beef, salt, pepper and 2 Tbsp cooled bbq sauce. Mix well with your hands. Divide into 4 equal sections. Each burger will be 1/2 pound.
  6. Rub coffee rub seasoning mix over both sides of each burger.
  7. Heat a large skillet over MED-HIGH heat, add a small pat of butter and toast the pretzel buns (sliced side down). Remove from pan to cool.
  8. Add 1 Tbsp butter to skillet and add burgers. Cook for about 4-5 minutes per side, until burger is cooked to desired doneness.
  9. Spread BBQ sauce over both sides of pretzel bun, layer arugula, burger, peppered bacon, then add the top bun.

Recipe from The Chunky Chef

FRENCH ONION SOUP

French Onion Soup Burger

This may appear like a simple sandwich, but it’s really quite unique. Mixing the elements of yummy French onion soup with a beef patty and onions makes this so juicy and almost cozy. A great burger for a cold winter night.

INGREDIENTS:

Béchamel Sauce:

  • 2 tbs. Butter
  • 2 tbs. Flour
  • 1 1/4 Cup Heated Milk
  • Ground Pepper

Burger

  • 4 Large Spanish Onions
  • 1 Cup Beef or Chicken Stock
  • 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  • 4 tbs. Olive Oil
  • 6 Burgers (prepackaged or a blend of brisket, chuck and short rib)
  • 6 Slices of Emmental Cheese
  • 6 Thomas’® Original Sandwich Size English Muffins

DIRECTIONS:

Bechamel sauce

  1. In a heavy-bottom saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly, about 2 min. The mixture will bubble. Do not let it brown. Whisk in hot milk, making sure there are no lumps and mixture is smooth. Continue to stir as sauce thickens. Bring to a boil.
  2. Add salt and pepper, lower heat, and cook, stirring for 2–3 min.
  3. Remove from heat. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Burger

  1. Peel onions and cut them in half, lengthwise. Cut into thin half-moon slices. Over medium heat, sauté onion with 4 tbs. olive oil and thyme sprigs until caramelized.
  2. Add stock and cook until most is evaporated. This may take about 20 min. Remove thyme sprigs. Salt and pepper. Set aside.
  3. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Lightly brush pan with olive oil. Generously salt and pepper both sides of each burger. Place burger on grill pan and cook 5–6 min. each side for medium burger. After burger is flipped, place cheese on top and cook until desired internal temperature is reached and cheese is melted.
  4. Split the English Muffins with a fork. Toast and butter each side. Then, layer on a tbs. of béchamel sauce, followed by meat and sautéed onions.

Recipe from Thomasbreads.com

IN-N-OUT

In-N-Out Double Double

No doubt that the chain of diner style restaurants is rapidly growing in popularity, and for good reason. Their menu items are so freakin’ good. This copycat double-double burger is a prime example. So many fresh veggies and tons of cheese.

 

BIG BOYS

Big Boys' Beef Burger

Okay, if you like face-melting food then this is the burger for you. It is delicious, but definitely not for those who are blown away by a kick. Everything about this sandwich is spicy; spicy beef, jalapeno cheese, spicy candied bacon, and chimichurri mayo.

INGREDIENTS:

Spicy Beef Patties

  • 1 lb ground chuck beef
  • 1-2 tbsp ground pepper (less if you like it less spicy)
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp chilli powder (less if you like it less spicy)
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp salt (plus more to taste after the beef patty is grilled)

Beer & Jalapeno Cheese 1 cup of beer (choose a beer that you like to drink) 3 oz sharp cheddar, grated 3 oz pepper-jack, grated 1 jalapeno chopped 2 tsp cornflour 1 tsp paprika Milk or cream (a few tablespoons if needed) salt and pepper to taste Chimichurri Mayonnaise 10g cilantro (if you don’t like cilantro you can use only parsley instead) 30g parsley 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp crushed chilli ½ clove of garlic ¾ cup oil 1 egg yolk salt to taste or 1 cup of mayonnaise instead of the oil and egg yolk. Assembly 2 burger buns, toasted or grilled Sliced tomatoes Sliced Red Onions Washed and dried lettuce Your favourite pickle (I used Beet Pickle, and dill pickle) 4-6 candied spicy bacon (recipe here)

DIRECTIONS:

Spicy Beef Patties

  1. Mix all the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle it all over the ground beef.
  2. With “loose” fingers (keeping all your fingers spread out), gently toss the ground beef to mix in the spices. You do not want to over handle the meat.
  3. Leave to marinade for a few hours if you can, but it can be used right away too.
  4. Divide the beef into 4 portions (4 oz each) and gently flatten them out into patties with a 4-5 inch diameter. With your thumb press down gently in the middle of the patty to create “a dimple” on each patty.
  5. Heat a grill or non-stick pan on medium- high heat. Brush the surface with some oil (especially if you are using lean meat).
  6. Cook each burger patty on medium – high heat (you should hear a good sizzle), for 1 minute per side. Lightly sprinkle salt on the uncooked side.
  7. Flip the burger and immediately place a portion of the beer and jalapeno cheese on top and cover the burger with a lid to allow the cheese to melt for 1 to 1 and a half minutes. As these burger patties are relatively thin, they cook very quickly, without drying out. Please see note.
  8. When the burger is cooked through, place it on a plate to rest for a few minutes.

Beer and Jalapeno Cheese In a saucepan, place the 1 cup of beer and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat allowing the beer to reduce to about a ⅓ of a cup. Mix the cheese, cornflour, and paprika in a bowl. Add the cheese mix into the beer and allow the cheese to melt smoothly. If needed add a little milk or cream. Fold in the jalapeno pieces and add salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool down, and divide into four portions to use on the burgers. Chimichurri Mayonnaise In a small food processor combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic, chili and balsamic vinegar and pulse until the herbs are chopped finely. You can chop the herbs before adding to the processor to make the mixing easier, depending on what type of food processor you have. Add the yolk to the herb mix and mix it well. While the processor is running, add ½ a cup of oil in a thin stream until you have an emulsified thick mayonnaise like paste. If needed add the rest of the oil in a thin stream to get the right mayonnaise consistency. Add salt to taste. Please see note on mayonnaise. Keep in an airtight bottle in the fridge but use within 4 days. Assembly Place 2 burger patties on the bottom burger bun and top them with spicy candied bacon, tomatoes, onions, pickles and lettuce. Generously spread the chimichurri mayonnaise on the top burger and place it on top of all the toppings. Serve with your favorite beer and fries!

Recipe from The Flavor Bender

STUFFED WITH GOODNESS

Pepper Jack Stuffed Doritos Burgers

When mixing the meat for this burger, toss in some crushed Doritos instead of breadcrumbs. Then, fill the center with pepper jack cheese. After that, you really don’t need anything else, not even a bun, in my opinion. But then you’d just look like a savage.

INGREDIENTS:

  • ¾ C finely crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos (about 2 C chips)
  • 1⅓ lb ground beef- 85% lean or less
  • 1 egg
  • ¾ C pepper jack cheese, shredded
  • salt and pepper
  • buns and burger toppings

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Combine crushed chips with the meat and egg. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated, bur don’t over mix the meat.
  2. Divide the meat into ¼ C portions and flatten into about ½” thick patties. Use the back of an ice cream scoop to indent the middle of each patty and place 2 tbsp of the cheese in 5 of the indentations.
  3. Cover each cheese topped patty with the remaining patties, crimp the sides to seal and gently smooth out the patties to be uniform. You can also slightly flatten them at this point. Season each side of the patty well with salt and pepper
  4. Cook over medium high heat on a griddle or grill, about 6 minutes per side for well done.
  5. Serve with the usual hamburger toppings and don’t forget to take a bite while the cheese is hot, melty, and juicy!

Recipe from Heather Likes Food

BEAN, BEANS, THE MAGICAL FRUIT

Butternut Black Bean Burgers

So here’s another healthy vegetarian alternative using black beans again. It’s a juicy mouthful, for sure. Especially with the shredded butternut squash and melted pepper jack cheese. But my favorite was the poppy seed onion buns.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 flax egg [1 TBSP ground flax + 3 TBSP water] or 1 egg
  • 1 cup mashed black beans [refried black beans work too!]
  • 1 cup pureed butternut squash
  • 1/3 cup diced onion
  • 1/3 cup diced celery
  • 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 TBSP olive oil [or butter]
  • 3/4 tsp salt-free Italian seasoning blend [like mrs. dash]
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley [or fresh if you have it!]
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1.5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats [not instant]

the toppings:

  • 4 burger buns [I used a bakery poppyseed onion bun – amazing!]
  • 4 slices of pepper jack cheese
  • romaine lettuce
  • fresh baby spinach
  • mayo [store-bought or homemade] mixed with sriracha chili sauce

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Whisk together 1 TBSP ground flax with 3 TBSP water and pop it in the fridge to set.
  2. Next mash black beans in a large bowl and set aside. Alternatively, you can use refried black beans, I’ve made it both ways! Measure to ensure you have a cup and you’re good to go.
  3. Add your butternut squash to the beans and set aside.
  4. Next saute onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil until tender and near-translucent, adding the minced garlic towards the end to prevent burning.
  5. Season the veggies with your Italian seasoning blend, salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and parsley and stir to coat.
  6. Add the freshly sauteed veggies to your beans and squash and stir in your oats.
  7. Remove your flax egg from the fridge and add it to the bowl.
  8. Stir to fully incorporate and roll mixture into four balls.
  9. For optimal burger shape, cup each ball in your hands and squeeze tightly, rotating as you gently, but firmly, press it into a disc.
  10. Giggles aside, pop your burgers onto a plate, cover with foil or cling wrap and refrigerate as you prep your buns [or lettuce wraps!] and toppings. This will give them a little while to set. You can even leave them overnight and cook them up the following day. I often make one after 15-30 minutes of chill time and cook up the rest the following day.
  11. Ready to eat?
  12. Pour a tablespoon or two of oil in a skillet and heat to medium-high, so the burgers sizzle when you add them to the pan!
  13. Cook for a few minutes on each side until you’re left with a golden crust. and a warm center. Repeat for each burger, or cook two at once if you have a big enough pan! I’d skip crowding all four together just because they’re a pain to flip when all up in eachother’s business. A tip for perfectly shaped veggie burgers? While sizzling away in the skillet, I use my spatula to gently help form the sides into a perfect disc. Works like a charm!
  14. Slather your buns with sriracha mayo, pile them high with lettuce, spinach, pepper jack and top each with a yummy butternut burger. Enjoy!

Notes: The burger itself is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free, so choose your favorite toppings and have fun with it!

Recipe from Peas and Crayons

 

SUMMER SANDWICH

Cilantro Lime Chicken Sliders with Tomato Guacamole

This is as light, fresh, and zesty as a burger can get. A lean chicken patty infused with lime and cilantro, then topped with tomato guacamole. This recipe makes sliders, but you could totally make it on a large scale.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken

  • 6 chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, cut in half (you will have 12 pieces)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 12 slider buns

Guacamole

  • 1¼ cup chopped tomatoes (about 3 plum tomatoes)
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped white onion
  • 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2-3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • ¼ tsp. garlic salt
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Loosely shape your burgers and season them really well with kosher salt and pepper. Make a big dimple in the center of each burger. As it cooks the burger will shrink in a bit and take up this space in the center.
  2. Toss these burgers on a medium-high grill for about 4-5 minutes per side for a medium burger. Try not to fuss with them too much.
  3. After about five minutes, give the burgers a flip. You will hopefully have some nice grill marks and a good crust developing on the burger.
  4. Pile on about a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter and let it heat up on the burger for a minute or two. It may sound crazy but warm peanut butter and warm cheese have a very similar texture which, as you may know, works very well on burgers.
  5. Serve these bad boys with a big dollop of grape jelly and a few sliced jalapeños on toasted buns. The jalapeños are optional, but I like their crispness and heat on the burger

Recipe from littlebroken.com

BUFFALO CHICKEN

Buffalo Chicken Burgers with Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

Light and spicy pretty much sums up this recipe. You could form a patty using ground chicken, or you could just grill up a whole breast. Whichever you prefer. I’m not a huge fan of blue cheese so I switched it out for Mozza.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup Lingham’s Original Hot Sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 stalk celery, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 3 Kaiser rolls (or bun of your choice)
  • Baby greens
  • Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Gently combine the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl, be carefully not to over mix. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes
  2. Heat your grill (or grill pan) to medium-high heat.
  3. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator, divide the meat into thirds, and form your patties.
  4. Grill the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side (depending on the burger thickness), or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F.
  5. Serve the burgers on the kaiser rolls, with the baby greens and blue cheese sauce.

Recipe from Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen

CHICKEN PARM

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Everyone loves a good chicken parmesan recipe. But who would have thought it’d go good on a burger? Well, someone did and the results are superb! Again, you could use ground chicken or grill up a whole breast, whichever you prefer.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound ground white meat chicken
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cup canned tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 whole wheat hamburger buns
  • Optional: Fresh spinach leaves for serving

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix together the ground chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and egg using your hands. Form into four equal-sized patties.
  3. Meanwhile, heat saucepan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Sautee garlic for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Add tomato sauce, paste, sugar and dried basil. Stir until combined and heated through, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low until burgers are ready.
  4. While sauce is simmering, grill chicken burger patties over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking, top each burger with a ¼ cup of mozzarella. Heat until slightly melted. If you do not have access to a grill, you can easily cook these burgers in a skillet. Find those directions here.
  5. Place burgers and sauce on split buns. Serve immediately.

Recipe from Mom To Mom Nutrition

OPRAH’S FAV

Oprahs Favorite Turkey Burger

Everyone loves Oprah, and they love the things she recommends, this turkey burger is one of them. But even if the daytime TV Goddess didn’t vouch for this recipe, I’d still make it. It looks delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/4 cups scallions (thinly sliced)
  • 1/2 cups celery (finely chopped)
  • 3 granny smith apples (peeled and diced)
  • 1/8 cups canola oil
  • 4 pounds ground turkey breast
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons pepper sauce (Tabasco chipotle)
  • 1 lemon juice (and zest of, grated)
  • 1/2 bunches parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1/4 cups chutney (Major Grey, pureed)

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.
  2. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
  3. Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.

WHISKEY LULLABY

Whiskey Glazed Blue Cheese Burgers

A whiskey glazed blue cheese burger. Need I say more? Yeah, I probably should. Hmmm, let’s see. Grilled onions, saucy Dijon mustard, Guinness, and a soft pretzel bun. Is that enough words?

INGREDIENTS:

BURGERS:

  • 2 lbs angus ground beef or ground brisket works really well too
  • 3/4 tsp dried minced onion
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Tbsp Crumbled blue cheese about 4 worth
  • 4 pretzel buns toasted
  • Handful of arugula lettuce
  • Slices of Dubliner cheese (or white

cheddar Gruyere or sharp cheddar)

 

WHISKEY GLAZE:

  • 1/4 cup Jameson whiskey or any good quality whiskey
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard or 1/2 tsp mustard
  • powder
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • dash of hot sauce
  • black pepper to taste

 

GUINNESS CARAMELIZED ONIONS:

  • 2 yellow onions peeled and sliced thinly
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup Guinness beer
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

MAKE THE ONIONS:

  • Heat butter in a large skillet over MED heat. Add sliced onions and stir to coat in melted butter. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and thyme and stir to combine. Saute, stirring occasionally, for about 7-10 minutes, until onions are soft and golden brown at the edges.
  • Pour in half the Guinness, cover, and cook until liquid is about 3/4 of the way evaporated. Repeat with remaining Guinness. This time, cook until liquid is nearly all evaporated. Remove onions from pan and set aside.

MAKE THE GLAZE:

  • To a small saucepan, add whiskey and bring to a low boil. Continue to boil for about 2 minutes, then add remaining glaze ingredients and whisk to combine.
  • Reduce heat to LOW and simmer for 5-7 minutes, until glaze is slightly thickened.
  • Remove from heat and set aside.

MAKE THE BURGERS:

  • To a large mixing bowl, add ground beef, salt, pepper, and dried minced onion. Use your hands to mix it all together. Separate the meat mixture into 4 equal portions.
  • Shape meat into flattened balls, place about 1 Tbsp blue cheese crumbles in the center of the ball and push into the ball. Mold the meat around the cheese and form into a patty.
  • Heat a large cast iron skillet or grill pan over MED heat. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pan. Cook burgers about 6 minutes per side, or until desired doneness. The last minute of cooking, brush burgers with prepared whiskey glaze and place a slice of cheese on the burgers, then cover pan loosely with foil.
  • Remove burgers to a plate and cover with foil for 3 minutes.

TO SERVE: Line bottom bun with arugula lettuce, then top with burger. Place a generous helping of caramelized onions on top of the burger, then drizzle with additional glaze. Top with top bun and enjoy!

Recipe from The Chunky Chef

BACK TO BLACK

Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

Again, with the black bean patties. These particular ones may look more like bird seed, but they’re jam-packed with vegetarian goodness. These patties can be topped with just about anything, too.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tablespoons flax meal + 5 tablespoons water
  • Coconut or olive oil for cooking
  • ½ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 orange bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 cup packed spinach, chopped
  • 1½ cups cooked black beans, drained, or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne
  • ½ cup oat flour (ground-up rolled oats)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine flax meal and water in a small bowl; set aside in the fridge.
  • To cook quinoa, heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Rinse quinoa in a small mesh strainer. Once oil is hot, add quinoa to the saucepan and stir. Cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly toasted. Add 1 cup water; turn the heat to high. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 13-15 minutes.
  • *Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chopped onion; let it cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic; cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and stir immediately, letting it wilt slightly. Turn the heat off.
  • In a large bowl, add black beans; mash with a fork, leaving some texture. Add cooked quinoa, sautéed vegetables, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, cayenne, and reserved flax eggs. Mix until combined, then add oat flour. Stir.
  • Form 10-12 patties depending on desired size (see notes for a cool little trick!). Place on baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for 25-30 more minutes, until browned and crispy.
  • Serve on a whole-wheat hamburger bun with guacamole, barbecue sauce, and other desired toppings, or on top of a salad.

NOTES: You don’t have to sauté the vegetables, but I think it really brings out the flavors better. If not sautéing, simply mash them directly in the bowl with the black beans and other ingredients. To get evenly shaped burgers, line the lid of a jar (I use a peanut butter jar lid) with wax paper or foil. Stuff the lid with the burger mixture, then flip it over onto the baking sheet and remove the wax paper.

Recipe from Emilie Eats

HONEY BBQ BLISS

Ultimate Honey BBQ Bacon Burger

Honey BBQ sauce, tons of bacon strips, melty cheddar cheese, and an all beef patty on a whole wheat bun. (whole wheat because you have to at least TRY and watch your figure, right?) The thick slice of avocado makes me want to take a bite of this picture.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 packet Sweet Honey KC
  • Masterpiece’s BBQ Sauce Mix & Dry Rub
  • ⅔ cup beer
  • 2-4 slices bacon
  • ⅔ pound lean ground beef
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sliced cheddar cheese
  • 2 buns
  • 1 handful lettuce mix
  • 1 avocado, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Mix together sauce mix and beer in a small bowl. Set aside to thicken.
  2. Cook bacon in a pan on medium high heat until crisp, set aside.
  3. Preheat barbecue/grill to medium high heat. In a medium bowl combine ground beef, egg, garlic powder, salt pepper and Worchester sauce.
  4. Form beef mixture into two patties and place on center of grill. Cook 5 minutes (or until bottom is charred) then rotate and cook other side to desired doneness, about 5 minutes more. Top with cheese to melt.
  5. Toast buns if desired and spread with BBQ sauce, and top with burger patties, bacon, lettuce and avocado.

Recipe from Plating Pixels

JALAPENO BUSINESS

Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers

Remember how we talked about stuffing your burger patties? Use that info and jam some jalapenos in there, too. It’s like biting into a creamy jalapeno popper on a bun.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 28 oz lean turkey or beef (not extra lean)
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced onion salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese
  • 2 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced (seeds removed if you prefer less spice)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Rolls & Toppings as desired

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat grill to medium or oven to broil on high.
  • In a small bowl combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic powder and diced jalapeno.
  • Combine meat, salt & pepper and minced onion. Divide meat into 4 even pieces (7oz each). Take ¼ of the cream cheese mixture and flatten it into a pancake shape. Wrap beef or turkey around the cheese ensuring the cheese mixture is completely covered. Brush each burger with a little bit of olive oil.

To Grill

  • Grill burgers over medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side or until completely cooked. (Turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees and beef should reach 160 degrees.)

To Broil

  • Place burgers on a foil covered pan approximately 6″ from the broiler. Broil 5-6 minutes on each side or until completely cooked. (Turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees and beef should reach 160 degrees.)

Recipe from Spendwithpennies.com

SWEET POTATO CRUNCH

Sweet Potato Chickpea Burgers

Okay, just one more healthy veggie option before we go. This patty is made with chickpeas and sweet potato, which gives it more of a sweet taste than a tangy one. When you grill it, the potato gives it a bit of a crunch, too. So good!

*You might also like: 21 BBQ Potato Recipes

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 large sweet potato, cooked [use 1.5 cups]
  • 1 [15 oz] can of chickpeas or equivalent, drained and rinsed
  • 1 [15 oz] can of cannellini beans or equivalent, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2-1 cup of diced bell pepper
  • 1 medium-large jalapeno, diced
  • 1 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 cup white onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  • flax eggs
  • 1.5-2 cups of rolled oats [not instant]
  • 2-4 TBSP of your favorite healthy oil 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning blend [like Mrs Dash]
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper, parsley, and red pepper flakes, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To start, prep your flax eggs by adding 9 tablespoons of water to 3 tablespoons of ground flax seeds.
  2. Whisk together and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to set.
  3. Bake or microwave your sweet potato and remove/discard the skin. Set aside.
  4. Drain and rinse beans, then add to the sweet potato.
  5. Next saute your onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos in approx 2-4 tablespoons of oil with a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle or two of red pepper flakes.
  6. After about 7 minutes or so, add garlic and continue to saute until the veggies are translucent and tender.
  7. While they cook, use a large wooden spoon or potato masher to partially mash the beans, but not fully. You can also lightly chop them in a food processor or blender if desired, but the texture from the beans is great so try to keep them chunky. The whole beans give the burgers a meaty texture that makes me feel like I’m eating a traditional burger. Only they’re healthier… and more flavorful… and yes, just plain awesome this way.
  8. For the oats, they can be left whole or “chopped” by grinding them in a blender or food processor. If you’re sneaking them past a picky friend or family member, pulsing is the way to go, if you’re pressed for time, toss them in whole! I’ve had luck both ways!
  9. Once your veggies are ready, transfer to a large bowl with the beans, sweet potato, flax eggs, and raw oats, and then add your herbs/spices to season. I usually taste and sniff as I go and adjust the spices along the way. A little extra garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes made their way into these bad boys! YUM! Let your senses be your guide =)
  10. In order to gauge how much of the oats to add, start by adding 1 and 1/2 cups and mix thoroughly. Next, take a look at your mixture. It should be a little on the chunky side and slightly sticky. If it feels too wet to form into proper veggie burgers you’ll want to add an extra half cup.
  11. Good to go? The next step is to form the bean and veggie mix into balls.
  12. Cup each ball in your hands and squeeze, pressing it into a compact disc. Think of it as stress-relief!
  13. Form into 8 patties, cover, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
  14. Feel free to prep these overnight for the following day.
  15. Ready to eat? Pour a teeny bit of oil in a skillet, heat to high, and cook for a few minutes on each side until you’re left with a golden crust and a warm center. Cook a few at a time, trying not to overcrowd the skillet, it’ll be easier this way.
  16. Drizzle with yellow mustard and/or sriracha chili sauce and serve on a fluffy bun, wrapped in fresh lettuce, or atop a big bed of veggies. Empty out your crisper and have at it!
  17. I typically make one burger right away and then leave the remainder in the fridge overnight. The following day I cook up the rest of the burgers and split the batch between the fridge and freezer. To freeze: simply cook the burgers as indicated above, allow to cool a bit, and then freeze [spaced] on a plate or cookie sheet. Once they’ve had a chance to partially freeze you can pile them in baggies or your favorite airtight container for fast food without the freaky ingredients.

Recipe from Peas and Crayons

 EASY PEASY

Homemade cheese stuffed burgers

We’ll end it off on an easy note. This basic, cheese stuffed beef patty is effortless to whip up on any night. Toss in a few fresh veggies and some cheese and you’re good to go!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 500g good quality beef mince
  • 60g cheddar cheese (choose your favourite strength)
  • Salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place the minced beef into a bowl and break it up slightly, then season with salt (I use about ¼ tsp).
  2. Cut the cheese (60g) into 4 equal-sized squares.
  3. Divide the mince into 4 balls.
  4. Take half of one of the balls and form it into a circle about 6cm wide.
  5. Push a square of cheese into the center so that the mince comes about halfway up the side of the cheese.
  6. Form the remaining half of mince into a circle with the same width and carefully put in onto the top. Gently pinch around the edge to join the top to the base and then use your hands to form it into a circle (if it’s become a little misshapen).
  7. Cook your burgers on the barbecue or grill for about 15 minutes until cooked through, turning halfway through the cooking time.

Recipe from Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen

WE’D LOVE TO HEAR!

Did you like our list? Is there a nice puddle of drool sitting in your lap? Hopefully at least one of these awesome and unique homemade burgers has inspired you to get creative in the kitchen this weekend. We’d love to hear how yours turned out! Comment and share, we love to hear our readers’ recipe attempts!