Bye, Boring Burgers! 12 Easy Burger Recipes to Elevate Burger Night
What’s more American than making delicious, easy burger recipes, complete with ketchup, mustard, onion, pickle, cheese, lettuce, a slice of tomato, and a toasted bun?
But as much as we love the classic hamburger, the following recipes will add a little twist to your burger night. So fire up the grill, pop on a few patties, and read on for some delicious ideas.
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Jump to RecipeBurger Recipe Basics: The Meat and Heat
There are many ways to make a delicious burger, but before you even think about a burger sauce recipe or burger toppings, you’ve got to consider your meat (or veggie) and your heat.
The Meat: Think about your patties. Do you want one that’s premade, or would you prefer to make your own and combine other ingredients into your organic ground beef? Your answer to this dilemma might vary any given night, depending on whether you need a convenient, quick dinner or want to elevate your meal.
You might also want to consider alternatives to classic ground beef. You can make an excellent recipe with beef alternatives, like turkey, chicken, or vegan options.
Heat: Your cooking method is also crucial when it comes to making a good burger. Most hamburger aficionados love the grill, and for a good reason! Crank if up high (but not too high!) and let your meal grill to perfection.
But there are other great alternatives to this favorite, like an air fryer, where you don’t have to remember to flip your meat. If your recipe contains more delicate ingredients than ground beef, you might want to consider a frying pan to saute your meat instead. That way, even if your meal does fall apart, you can salvage it another way.
Burger Recipe: The Special Sauce and Toppings
Whether you’re making a turkey burger, lamb burger, hamburger, or bean burger— there’s nothing that gives your burger an added boost like the perfect burger sauce. Sure- your kids will probably prefer them plain or with only ketchup, but a little extra topping helps you hit all the right flavor notes. Here are a few great options.
Basic Burger Sauce– There are many variations of the classic “special sauce” you can find at fast-food restaurants from McDonald’s to In-N-Out. and it’s not hard to see why. It’s delicious! You can make your own by combining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup ketchup, and 1 tablespoon bread and butter pickle juice. If you like a spicy sauce with just a little kick, pick up the flavor by adding some garlic, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Hummus– Keep a little hummus as a dip, and spread some on your burger. It also tastes so fresh with some lettuce and tomato.
Guacamole– While there are plenty of ways to jazz up this sauce with spring onions and extra garlic, sometimes a simple avocado with lime and salt and pepper is perfect on its own.
Worcestershire Sauce– It’s hard to beat the classic Worcestershire sauce when incorporated into a perfect, juicy burger. Or if you don’t include it in the patty, it’s a great burger topping.
Salsa- Whether you like your salsa spicy or sweet, it adds a nice brightness to your burger. If you want to feel like it’s Taco Tuesday on burger night, swap out a bun for some tortilla chips, too.
Dressed up Burger Recipes
After you’ve chosen your burger meat, cooking method, and favorite sauce, your burger options are limitless! Here are a few favorite burger combos we love.
DIY Burger Bar: Yes, this is not technically a unique burger idea. But if you have picky eaters, it can be a game-changer. Put different toppings like cheese, sauce, ketchup, mustard, fried onions, fried egg, bacon, mayonnaise, and really whatever you want in little bowls. Let everyone choose their own burger adventures.
Greek Lamb Burger– In this recipe, use lamb meat and combine it with feta cheese, parsley, and Middle Eastern seasonings like za’atar or cumin to make the patty. Serve in a delicious bun or pita bread, and top with tahini dressing.
Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Burger- This is a delicious recipe packed full of protein and healthy fat.
Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Burger With Avocado Cream
Ingredients
- 20 oz ground turkey meat
- 12 sundried tomatoes
- 2 tbsp basil or parsley finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Turkey Burger
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, tomatoes, basil, mustard, salt, pepper, and mix with your hands until incorporated.
- Divide the burger mixture into 4 even portions and form into rounded patties about 3⁄4 inch thick. Be sure to form with wet hands so the burger doesn’t stick to them!
- Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat for a minute or until hot.
- Add the patties and cook until a browned crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn the patties over and cover the pan.
- Turn the heat to low and cook the burgers another 7 to 8 minutes.
- Once finished, top burgers with avocado cream, and garnish with additional toppings, like spring onion, parsley, lettuce and tomato. Serve over lettuce wraps or in a crispy bun.
Avocado Cream
- While the burgers are cooking, combine the avocado, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor or blender. Puree the ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Nutrition
Decadent Cheeseburgers
Caramelized Perfection Burger- Elevate your burger to new heights by topping with some caramelized onions and/or mushrooms. Pair with garlic aioli and bacon or avocado. Or you can add a goat cheese topping or incorporate goat cheese into your burger for a creamy, decadent treat.
Extra Cheeseburger– Why just have cheese on top of your burger when you can have it in the middle? Instead of waiting until the end to add cheese, mix sauce, and cheese into your ground beef mixture. Or you can wait until they’re cooking to flatten your burgers with a weight, so they’re really skinny. Then, place a slice of cheese between them for extra deliciousness.
Tropical Cheeseburger in Paradise: Add island-themed toppings to your favorite cheeseburger recipes, like grilled pineapple, tropical salsa, and guacamole. Or just keep it classic with lettuce and tomatoes, and french-fried potatoes. . . you know the rest! Bonus points if you have Jimmy Buffett playing as your background music.
Southern-Style Cheeseburger– Top your burger with Pimento cheese and tomatoes for a delicious mouth-watering treat. This would also be delicious on a buttermilk biscuit or served with cornbread.
Easy Burger Recipes on Your Menu
Hamburgers might be familiar and classic, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring. Remember– these ideas are just a starting point. Be sure to ask your friends and family on FamilyApp for their favorite burger ideas, especially if you have excellent cooks in your family. I’m glad I did!
What are your favorite sauce or burger recipes?
