20 Burger Recipes for Backyard Barbecues
Nothing feels like the start of summer quite like the warmth of the sun on your skin and the smell of barbecue wafting through the air. And chances are, when you follow your nose to the grill, you'll probably see a few burgers, hot dogs, and even some ears of corn charring up.
While traditionally burgers are made out of beef, most types of meat, and grain for that matter, can be transformed into a burger patty. Whether you're a meat-eater or a vegetarian, we've gathered 20 of our favorite burger recipes to enjoy all summer long. And when summer is long gone, you can still savor these recipes by using your stovetop!
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Gourmet Greek Burger
Topped with a basil, mint mayonnaise, this is flavorful recipe is a great way to change up your burger.
Ingredients
Burger
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound ground beef
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large russet potato, sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces, sprinkled with oil and salt
1 large tomato, sliced
2 ounces arugula
4 Kaiser rolls or whole wheat burger buns
Mayonnaise
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely minced
1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely minced
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch each of salt and ground black pepper
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk all of the mayonnaise ingredients together until well blended. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve the burgers.
Preheat the grill to medium-high. Mix the ground meats, cheese, egg and spices together well and form into 4 patties. Grill the burgers and sliced potatoes about 4 minutes on each side until meat is cooked to desired doneness and potatoes are tender.
Assemble each burger on a bun with grilled potato slices, tomato slices, about half an ounce of arugula and top with lemon basil mayonnaise.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Apple Cheddar Turkey Burgers
Juicy grated apples are the secret to these moist, flavorful burgers.
Ingredients
1 small and 1 medium apple
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground sage
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 pound lean ground turkey
4 whole wheat buns, toasted
1 tablespoon honey
4 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
Directions
Grate or shred the smaller apple into a large bowl. Add onion, sage, Dijon mustard, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix the ingredients well, then add the turkey, and gently mix with your hands. Divide the mixture into four even portions and form patties.
Thinly slice the medium-sized apple crosswise and remove the seeds. Toast the buns. Stir the Dijon and honey together in a small bowl.
To cook the burgers, place a large skillet with a lid over medium heat and heat for about a minute. Spray or brush the pan with canola oil and add the patties. Let cook for about 5 minutes per side, uncovered, then insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the patty. When it reads 160°F, the burgers are done. (See Tips & Notes below for a grilled version.) Top each patty with a slice of cheddar, cover the skillet, and remove from the heat to allow the cheese to melt a bit. Place each patty on a bun; top with apple slices and honey-mustard spread. Serve immediately.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Rice Bean Burgers
Adding brown rice, sunflower seeds, and oats to black bean burgers provides them with more texture and flavor.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup quick oats
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup red onion, minced
1/2 cup grated sweet potato
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil, for cooking
Directions
Place the beans into a medium-sized bowl. Using a potato masher or large spoon, mash beans to a coarse paste.
Add the remaining ingredients (except the bread crumbs and oil) and mix well. If mixture is dry, add a little more water until mixture binds together.
Shape the sticky bean mixture it into four large patties. Coat both sides of the patties in the bread crumbs and set aside.
Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and fry patties 1-2 minutes on each side until very crisp and brown.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Garnet Yam Burgers
And, if you're not a fan of black beans or lentils, here's a plant-based burger made out of yams and chickpeas.
Top it with sriracha mayo and pickled jalapenos for an extra kick of heat to balance out the sweet yams.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup peeled and diced garnet yams or sweet potatoes
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed, drained and smashed
1/2 cup millet
1 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons vegetarian Worcestershire
Salt
1 cup bread crumbs, divided
1 egg, beaten
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions
Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium soup pot. Add the yams and simmer for about 8 minutes, just until the yams are getting tender. Add the onion, garlic, chickpeas, and millet, cover the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The millet should be tender and the liquid should be entirely absorbed when done.
Remove from heat and stir in the cumin, chili powder, Worcestershire, a pinch of salt, and half of the bread crumbs. Stir well and form into 6 even burgers.
Put the beaten egg in a small dish and the remaining bread crumbs in another small dish or plate. Gently dip each burger in the egg, and then coat well in bread crumbs. Place the burgers on a sheet pan or plate and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the yam burgers to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned well on one side. Gently flip the burgers and cook another 4 to 5 minutes.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Mushroom Swiss Burgers
If you've only had sloppy, greasy mushroom swiss burgers, here's a much better, less-greasy version to enjoy at home.
If you want to make it even leaner, sub in ground turkey or chicken, or a plant-based patty, for beef.
Ingredients
8 ounces button mushrooms
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 pound grass-fed ground beef
1 large egg
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 hamburger buns
Directions
Place half of the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse several times to mince. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, then scrape the mushrooms into the hot pan. Add the remaining mushrooms to the food processor and mince, then add to the pan. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mushrooms are sizzling and give up their liquids. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and reduce the heat to medium. Stir until the pan is dry, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Add the ground beef to the mushroom mixture and stir with your hands to combine. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and gently shape into patties. Refrigerate until time to cook.
Grill or pan-fry the patties for about 3 minutes per side. When the burgers are done, top each with a slice of Swiss cheese and let sit in the hot pan for a few seconds to melt the cheese, then serve on toasted buns.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Wild Rice Burger
A hint of sage and nutty wild rice add flavor depth to these tasty beef burgers.
Ingredients
1/2 cup wild rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
1 large yellow onion, slivered
1/2 teaspoon, plus a pinch, salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lb. ground beef or bison
6 hamburger buns
Directions
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a 2-quart pot. Add the wild rice and return to a boil. For hand-harvested wild rice, cook for about 20 minutes, until the grains are tender and many are split open. Drain in a wire mesh strainer. For cultivated wild rice, cook for 40 minutes to an hour. Let the wild rice cool completely. Wild rice can be prepared a day ahead of time and refrigerated.
In a large saute pan, place the oil or butter and put over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir until it starts to sizzle. Lower the heat to low, stirring the onions occasionally. Note: The longer the onions are cooked, the sweeter and more caramelized they’ll become. Season with a pinch of salt, and when golden and soft, move onions to a small bowl and reserve for topping burgers.
Put the cooled wild rice in a large bowl and add the sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt and Worcestershire sauce and mix well.
Add the ground beef to the wild rice mixture and mix with your hands to combine. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and gently shape into patties. Refrigerate until time to cook.
To cook, grill or pan-fry over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes per side. Serve on buns, topped with sauteed onions and condiments.
Honey-Mustard Turkey Burgers
Ground turkey is a leaner alternative to ground beef, but that doesn't mean it can't be just as flavorful.
Honey mustard adds a flavorful element to turkey that also makes it moister.
Crispy Quinoa Burgers Topped with Sweet Potato Fries and Beer Caramelized Onion
Remember that burger recipe from earlier with the fries piled on top?
Here is a plant-based vegetarian approach to that recipe, featuring sweet potato fries and a quinoa burger.
And of course, some sweet and juicy caramelized onions.
Black Bean and Beet Burgers
When you incorporate beets into black bean burgers, they tend to look a little more like your traditional beef burger, if that's something you're interested in.
This recipe features a whole lot of cheese, juicy-lucy style, but if you wanted to make it vegan, you could definitely leave the cheese out or sub in a plant-based alternative.
Cherry Burgers
You might not think about fruit when you imagine a juicy burger straight off the grill, but this recipe is sure to change your perception.
In this recipe, fresh cherries are mixed into the ground beef to add a touch of sweetness to contrast with savory beef.
Some hot sauce on top would add another kick of flavor to this dish.
Mini Burgers with Caramelized Onions
These mini burgers would work well as an appetizer, but feel free to eat 2 or 3 as your main course.
A simple topping of caramelized onions brings a big punch of sweet flavor to complement salty, savory burgers.
Photo Courtesy of Feasting at Home
Smoky Chipotle Black Bean Burgers
Another alternative to traditional beef burgers is veggie-friendly black bean burgers.
This black bean burger in particular features spicy chipotle powder and cumin for a flavorful vegetarian meal.
Lentil Burgers
If you're not a fan of black bean burgers, here's another plant-based burger to try out.
Lentil, Greek yogurt, miso, and mushrooms come together in this lentil burger that has a bit of a Mediterranean flair.
French Fry Bourbon Burgers
Why settle for fries on the side when you can just add them to the top of the burger?
This is definitely not your average backyard BBQ burger! You'll want to serve it with a big side salad.
Photo Courtesy of Feasting at Home
Thai Turkey Burgers with Asian Slaw
The incorporation of lemongrass, basil, and fish sauce turns ground turkey into something reminiscent of your favorite Thai food restaurant.
Asian slaw adds a nice crunch while spicy aioli balances out the whole meal.
Chicken and Lentil Burger
If you eat meat but want to add a little more protein and fiber to your burger, consider this recipe that utilizes both chicken and lentils.
You could also sub in ground turkey or beef if you'd prefer to go that route.
Other Recipes To Enjoy With Burgers
Are you looking for some side dishes or toppings to pair with your burger? Make sure to check out our other recipe blog posts: