Next Level Burger Recipes (2024)

Credit: Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Anna Hampton; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

With spices and other secret ingredients, these turkey, chicken, vegetarian,and spruced-up beef patties take your everyday burger to new heights.

Beach BBQ Burger

Beach BBQ Burger Recipe

This is the sweet-savory burger of your dreams. The two meat mixture is key here: The sirloin and has clean, distinctive flavor, while the chuck provides fattiness and keeps the burger juicy.

Mushroom Beef Burger

Mushroom-Beef Burger Recipe

For a really good flavor and really moist burger experience, nothing beats mushrooms!

Caviar Burgers with Caviar Mayo

Caviar Burgers with Caviar Mayo Recipe

Rich ground-beef patties studded with caviar make for the ultimate in surf and turf--and decadence.

The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers

The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers Recipe

This umami-rich burger is unabashedly attempting to imitate a beef burger in flavor,texture,and appearance.Mushrooms and grains form the bulk of the burger--the mushrooms are tender, and the grains stay firm to give theimpression of protein which has been cooked. The fathelps coat the separateelements so that it holdstogether nicely and isn't piecey like most veggie burgers.The pattyabsorbs lots ofgrill flavor to delivera charred, smokey patty just likea traditionalbeefybackyard burger.

Spiced Beef Burger

Spiced Beef Burger Recipe

A bit of a project (but well worth the effort), Middle Eastern spices flavor this weeknight-friendly, pita burger.

Cheddar-and-Onion Smashed Burgers

Cheddar-and-Onion Smashed Burgers Recipe

Inspired by the sliders at White Manna in Hackensack, New Jersey, Adam Fleischman creates beef patties by flattening balls of ground meat on the griddle.Tip: Burger purists handle ground meat as little as possible; over-working the beef can create a tight, meatloaf texture.

Burgers with Green Tomato Mayonnaise

Burgers with Green Tomato Mayonnaise Recipe

This is a fabulous new way to add even more tomato flavor to a great burger.

Serrano Pepper Burgers

Serrano Pepper Burgers Recipe

Florida Georgia Line's songwriter friend Craig Wiseman shared his recipe with the band. The secret? Grill-roasted peppers that add spicy heat and a touch of sweetness and smoke to juicy burgers. Use your favorite peppers, including milder Anaheim, Cubanelle, bell, or poblano.

The Classic Burger

The Classic Burger Recipe

Sink your teeth into a delicious restaurant-style, hamburger recipe made from lean beef. Skip the prepackaged patties and take the extra time to craft up your own, and that little extra effort will be worth it. To make cheeseburgers, about 1 minute before burgers are done, top with sliced cheese; continue cooking until cheese begins to melt.

Bloody Mary Burgers

Bloody Mary Burgers Recipe

Inspired by the classic co*cktail, these bold-flavored burgers make a fantastic brunch entrée. For an extra umami kick, whisk 1 to 2 teaspoons vodka into the sauce.

Cheesesteak Burgers with Pickled Peppers, Onions, and Cucumber

Cheesesteak Burgers with Pickled Peppers, Onions, and Cucumber Recipe

Quick pickles add tangy crunch to our fresh riff on the cheesesteak sandwich.

Grilled Beef-Mushroom Burgers

Grilled Beef-Mushroom Burgers Recipe

Blending finely chopped mushrooms with ground beef adds great flavor, moisture, and even fiber to these no-bun burgers. Garlicky cucumber-yogurt sauce is tasty Middle Eastern–inspired alternative to standard ketchup and mustard. Served with a juicy slice of fresh tomato and crisp butter lettuce, these burgers are naturally gluten-free. Double the greens and tomato and call it a burger salad. If you're in the mood for bun, try these tucked into warm whole-wheat pitas instead.

WD-Turkey Dinner Burger image

Turkey Dinner Burgers Recipe

Rocking a succulent turkey patty (flavored with traditional turkey day aromatics), a cranberry mayo, pickled green beans, and French’s crispy onions between within potato bun, this burger boasts all the familiar flavors of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner—but packaged in a manageable, handheld entree.

Hawaiian Burger with Spam and Pineapple Slaw

Hawaiian Burger with Spam and Pineapple Slaw Recipe

Elevate Hawaii’s claims to fame—Spam and pineapple—on this island-inspired burger. Chop freshly grilled pineapple (which adds a caramelized element) for a crunchy cabbage, sesame oil, and jalapeño slaw, and coat Spam in honey and soy sauce before grilling to perfection. The bun of choice? Sweet Hawaiian, of course. Pair with: Maui Brewing Co. Pineapple Mana. A hint of Maui Gold pineapple complements the tropical slaw, while Mana's wheat base softens Spam's saltiness.

Spicy Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers

Spicy Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers Recipe

Like the Gold Nugget Burger, these burgers feature cheese that melts between two patties instead of on top of one. However, mixing chipotle pepper purée with the ground meat before forming the patties adds a deliciously spicy kick to the burgers themselves. Have tomatoes, red onion, lettuce, mustard, and mayonnaise on hand for guests to dress the hamburgers as they please.

Greek Isles Burger with Tempura Lemon Slices

Greek Isles Burger with Tempura Lemon Slices Recipe

Step aside beef, there’s a new burger meat in town (and we’re not talking about turkey). Lamb has a similar richness to ground beef, but with an earthy, gamey touch. Finish your out-of-the-ordinary burger with a bracing fennel-celery slaw and tempura lemon slices—lightly fried bites that are a crispy to a fault. Pair with: Stillwater Artisanal Yacht. Tame tempura and gamy lamb with a pilsner bolstered by a significant hop backbone.

Pacific Northwest Umami Burger

Pacific Northwest Umami Burger Recipe

Prepare your palate for umami fires on all cylinders—paté-like mushrooms spread, red miso beef patties, and togarashi-mustard mayo. We recommendsaving this mushroom recipe (minus the pureeing) for a knockout side dish. Pair with: Ecliptic Brewing Capella Porter. This iconic brewer produces a porter robust enough for an over-the-top burger.

Mexican Chorizo Burger

Mexican Chorizo Burger Recipe

With a fiery burger (courtesy of freshMexicanchorizo blended with ground beef sirloin) and Serrano chile salsa,fresh avocado slices, and crumbles of cotija cheese help cool things down. Pair with: Full Sail Brewing Co. Sesión Cerveza. Like a salsa-capped chorizo burger, this light, Mexican-style lager demands to be savored on a hot summer day.

The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers

The Best "Beefy" Vegan Burgers Recipe

This umami-rich burger is unabashedly attempting to imitate a beef burger in flavor,texture,and appearance.Mushrooms and grains form the bulk of the burger--the mushrooms are tender, and the grains stay firm to give theimpression of protein which has been cooked. The fathelps coat the separateelements so that it holdstogether nicely and isn't piecey like most veggie burgers.The pattyabsorbs lots ofgrill flavor to delivera charred, smokey patty just likea traditionalbeefybackyard burger.

Korean Barbecue Burgers

Korean Barbecue Burgers Recipe

Enjoy traditional Korean flavors by grilling a batch of these burgers, based on a Korean barbecue specialty called bulgogi. Green onions, brown sugar, garlic, and classic Asian ingredients like fresh ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil give the burgers their tangy taste. A splash of rice vinegar and a touch of kimchi on top will add even more authentic flavors.

mr-Perfect Grilled Burgers

Perfect Grilled Burgers Recipe

Delightfully charred, juicy, and full of nuance, these burgers are the only ones you will ever want to make. That’s why we named them Perfect.

Bacon-Wrapped Barbecue Burgers

Bacon-Wrapped Barbecue Burgers Recipe

A sautéed mushroom and onion mixture offers the "Wow" factor for these bacon-wrapped burgers. Part of the savory mixture is pressed into the center of each burger before grilling, and the remainder is mixed with barbecue sauce and used for the topping. The result is "over-the-top" good.

BLTA Burger

BLTA Burger Recipe

Bacon brings the flavor, while avocado brings the chill. Enjoy the fusion of a BLTA sandwich and a burger by combining them together for the ultimate sandwich experience.

Mediterranean Burgers

Mediterranean Burgers Recipe

To add Mediterranean flavor to your burgers, stir feta cheese, oregano, rosemary, and lemon zest into ground lamb or beef, then spread a kalamata olive paste onto the buns.

Black Bean Burgers with Comeback Sauce

Black Bean Burgers with Comeback Sauce Recipe

What's our secret to a tasty black bean burger? The slow cooker. Slow cook the beans in broth kicked up with smoky bacon and sautéed aromatics, then use them to make these hearty Black Bean Burgers topped with a spicy, smoky sauce. You can easily make the burgers vegetarian by omitting the bacon and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable when slow cooking the beans. We’ve paired this flavorful burger patty with Comeback Sauce. This mayonnaise-based sauce hails from Mississippi, but Southerners all across the Deep South love the spicy kick it gives to a plethora of fried, grilled, and steamed foods.

Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers Recipe

These juicy burgers are a nice alternative to hamburgers. Roasted piquillo peppers add a sweet, clean taste to the burgers, but you can use regular roasted red peppers instead.

Shrimp Burgers With Sweet 'n' Spicy Tartar Sauce

Shrimp Burgers With Sweet 'n' Spicy Tartar Sauce Recipe

Recipes for shrimp burgers, a favorite food of Southern shrimping towns, are often a big secret. Here we divulge our version, which is chunky and spicy with some Cajun flair.

BLT Chicken Burgers

BLT Chicken Burgers Recipe

Poultry burgers have a reputation for being dry and bland, but jazzed up with sharp cheddar, parmesan, and garlic—and then topped with crisp bacon, juicy tomatoes, and lettuce—they're boldness in a bun.

Hoisin-Glazed Salmon Burgers with Pickled Cucumber

Hoisin-Glazed Salmon Burgers with Pickled Cucumber Recipe

Quick-pickled cukes give these burgers tart crunch. Panko and egg white hold the patties together. Use cilantro leaves on the burgers as you would ­lettuce for herby freshness.

Greek Turkey Burgers

Greek Turkey Burgers Recipe

Riffing off the flavor of a Greek gyro, these turkey burgers cook up fast in a cast-iron skillet or grill pan. Lemony, olive-studded yogurt sauce adds more Middle Eastern–inspired flavor and is a tasty alternative to ketchup and mustard. Piled high with arugula, cucumber, and red onion, these are filling enough to be called dinner. Or, round out the meal with roasted potato fries. For the juiciest burgers, go for 93% lean ground turkey (a combination of white and dark meat).

Cherry and Brie Burgers with Rosemary and Grilled Onion

Cherry and Brie Burgers with Rosemary and Grilled Onion Recipe

These are only quarter-pounders, but they look heftier because the meat is mixed with ground dried cherries (a powerful antioxidant) and a little bulgur. The seasonings and cheese take the cherries in a savory direction, keeping the burgers from being too sweet.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

"New" New Mexican Green Chile Cheeseburgers Recipe

Black bean patties make a savory, delicious alternative to beef. A poblano pepper can stand in for the Cubanelle in the green chile relish.

Cabernet-Balsamic Burgers with Sautéed Mushrooms & Onions

Grilled cheeseburgers get an irresistible upgrade with creamy blue cheese and caramelized onions spiked with jammy red wine and tart-sweet vinegar. A portion of the tender onions are mixed into the patties to help keep the lean beef moist.

Cilantro Burgers with Sriracha Mayo

Cilantro Burgers with Sriracha Mayo Recipe

Chopped cilantro flavors the beef, while whole sprigs take the place of the usual lettuce. Sriracha has rightfully become an all-purpose condiment--its sweet chile heat and its vinegar punch go well beyond burgers, perking up brothy soups, meat marinades, and dipping sauces.

Stilton Burgers

Stilton Burgers Recipe

Pistachio, Lamb, and Beef Burgers

Pistachio, Lamb, and Beef Burgers Recipe

Arabic spices meet the Persian touch of pistachios in the kefta (skewered ground meat) at Mamnoon in Seattle, where the food combines the owners' Syrian, Lebanese, and Persian heritage with chef Garrett Melkonian's Armenian background. We opted for an easier version: burgers.

Pacific Northwest Burger

Pacific Northwest Burger Recipe

Made with glazed grilled salmon, our Pacific Northwest Burger embodies the crunch, sweetness, pepper, and tang that's indicative of the West coast.

New England Turkey Burger

New England Turkey Burger Recipe

Caramelized onions that have simmered in hoppy Sam Adams beer top our New England Turkey Burger while shaved Vermont Cheddar adds tang and richness to the meat.

Lamb Burgers with Feta-Mint Spread

Lamb Burgers with Feta-Mint Spread Recipe

We combine ground lamb with lean ground sirloin for a less fatty patty; you can also use all sirloin. Try our grilled asparagus spears in place of fries: They get deliciously charred in the pan.

Great Plains Burger

Great Plains Burger Recipe

The Great Plains Burger delivers deep corn essence in two ways—one is right in the patty with corn chips crumbled into bison meat, and the second is with a sweet, creamy fresh-corn mayo that brightens up the whole burger.

Hoisin Pork Burgers with Pickled Vegetables

Hoisin Pork Burgers with Pickled Vegetables Recipe

Use hoisin sauce to amp up the great flavor in these pork burgers and serve with pickled vegetables.

Bacon, Peach, and Basil Burgers

Bacon, Peach, and Basil Burgers Recipe

Chopped pickled jalapeños and their juice ramp up the flavor of ground sirloin, while bacon, goat cheese, and tangy-sweet chutney balance the heat.

Blackened Grouper Burgers with Red Cabbage Slaw

Blackened Grouper Burgers with Red Cabbage Slaw Recipe

Grouper gets a new makeover in these flavorful grilled burgers. Serve with tartar sauce and cabbage.

Umami-Bomb Burgers

Umami-Bomb Burgers Recipe

The secret ingredient to this flavorful burger recipe is fish sauce. Add the sauce to the ground beef before pressing into patties.

Tuna "Poke" Burger Lettuce Wraps

Tuna "Poke" Burger Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Clocking in at under 300 calories, these tuna burgers feature sesame seeds that brown beautifully when cooked.

Arc Burgers

Arc Burgers Recipe

For these extremely flavorful, deluxe burgers, Noah von Blöm, chef at Arc restaurant in Costa Mesa, California, mixes ground rib-eye with boneless short ribs and bacon. Then he sizzles the patties in a cast-iron skillet set in the coals of a wood fire.

Piggy Burgers

Piggy Burgers Recipe

Piggy Burgers get their rich flavor from ground pork, crumbled bacon, and molasses-bacon seasoning blend. Top with barbecue sauce and Onion-Spiked Pickles.

Turkey Burger With Artichoke-Goat Cheese Spread

Turkey Burger With Artichoke-Goat Cheese Spread Recipe

A lighter take on a traditional beef burger, these turkey burgers are each under 300 calories.

Smoked Gouda Burgers with Horseradish Butter, Grilled Onions, and Arugula

Smoked Gouda Burgers with Horseradish Butter, Grilled Onions, and Arugula Recipe

Gouda fans rejoice! These burgers have the wonderful cheesy flavor of gouda with the added punch of horseradish to make each bite a memorable addition to any cookout.

Red Beans-and-Rice Veggie Burgers

Red Beans-and-Rice Veggie Burgers Recipe

Stirring the rice as it cooks releases the starch that helps hold the veggie patties together. Want to go beyond vegetarian? Top these burgers with grilled shrimp or sausage.

Carolina Chicken Burgers with Ancho Slaw

Carolina Chicken Burgers with Ancho Slaw Recipe

Using lean ground chicken will make your next burger experience a lighter and lower calorie affair.

All-American Grilled Burger

All-American Grilled Burger Recipe

20-Minute Black Bean Burgers

20-Minute Black Bean Burgers Recipe

Try using half of a spare whole-grain hamburger bun in place of the bread slice. These burgers also work with any other canned bean variety. Pile it high with red onion, creamy avocado, and a juicy tomato slice.

Buffalo Quinoa Burgers

Buffalo Quinoa Burgers Recipe

This is the kind of satisfying, protein-rich veggie burger everyone will love, kicked up with a splash of hot sauce.

Turkey Sliders

Turkey Sliders Recipe

Light the grill for crowd-pleasing, mini turkey burgers — because size doesn't always have to matter. Patty on water rolls and top with pepperoncini peppers, if desired.

ranch-turkey-burgers

Ranch Turkey Burgers Recipe

A mix of reduced-fat sour cream, mayonnaise, and buttermilk keeps the patties moist, while a few spice-rack staples add the ranch flavor everyone loves.

Gyro Burgers with Tahini Sauce

Gyro Burgers with Tahini Sauce Recipe

You can find tahini paste on the imported food aisle of large supermarkets or in Mediterranean markets.

ck-Smoky Caramelized Onion Burgers

Smoky Caramelized Onion Burgers Recipe

Sometimes we want our grilled beef patties to have just a little more oomph. These burgers deliver exactly that and more. Caramelized onions and garlic go into the ground sirloin mixture to keep the burgers moist, followed by a bold hit of ground cumin and smoked paprika for a jolt of flavor.

This recipe goes with: Thai Beef-and-Cabbage Salad, Skillet Nacho Dip