Japanese Burgers With Wasabi Ketchup

Recipe from Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat

Adapted by Alex Witchel

Japanese Burgers With Wasabi Ketchup — Photo Illustration by Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Total Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(254)
Notes: Read community notes

This burger recipe comes from the chef Tadashi Ono's 2011 book, “The Japanese Grill: From Classic Yakitori to Steak, Seafood and Vegetables,” written with Harris Salat. The writer Alex Witchel raved about it in The Times that same year: “Half beef, half pork, it stayed uncannily moist despite being cooked through. Perfection.” —Alex Witchel

Featured in: A Play Date With Champagne and Burgers

Learn: How to Grill

Learn: How to Make Burgers

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the Wasabi Ketchup

½cup ketchup
2tablespoons soy sauce
1tablespoon wasabi paste

For the Burgers

½cup panko or other dry bread crumbs
¼cup whole milk
8ounces ground sirloin
8ounces ground pork
¼cup finely chopped white onion
1½teaspoons soy sauce
½teaspoon salt
¼teaspoon pepper
Sesame oil, for coating hands
4brioche buns, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

For the Wasabi Ketchup
1. Step 1
  Prepare the wasabi ketchup: Whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce and wasabi paste.
2. Step 2
  Make the burgers: Prepare a grill for medium heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread crumbs and milk and let rest 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sirloin, pork, onion, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Knead the meat until it becomes sticky and binds together; divide into 4 parts.
3. Step 3
  Lightly dab your hands with sesame oil. Using your palms, roll each part of the meat into a ball, then pat the ball flat, shifting it from hand to hand, to form a ½-inch-thick patty. Make a shallow indentation across the center of the patty with the side of your hand, to keep it from puffing while it grills.
For the Burgers
1. Step 4
  Grill the burgers, flipping twice, until browned and cooked through, with no pink in the middle, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, they may be broiled or sautéed.) Let rest for 2 minutes. Serve on buns, topped with some wasabi ketchup.

Ratings

5 out of 5

254 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

AJ6 years ago

I think that the people describing this as a meatloaf on a bun are a little correct. In Japan there is a dish called "hamburg" or "hamburger" which is this recipe without the bun. I think its awesome how this is essentially an american interpretation of a Japanese dish which is originally an interpretation of American meatloaf.

Rob DiCarlo6 years ago

Trichinosis from pork is extremely rare and has largely been eliminated. Cooking to 140 degrees is fine.

Mark6 years ago

Only out of curiosity, what, in your opinion, would make a burger (and why)? I've always thought a burger, really, is a way of serving it (with a bun). However, I'm always interested in learning and I've been wrong on more than one occasion.

Tracy6 years ago

These burgers were great! Wonderful flavor from the pork and the soy sauce and the sesame oil. I chose to make a sriracha ketchup as I don't care for wasabi, nice and spicy without taking away from the burger.

Alan6 years ago

No garlic? Soy and garlic are made for each other, use it. Painting burgers with sesame oil before grilling makes more sense than following instructions and adds an even flavor to the browned burger.

J’Amy1 year ago

Made the burgers with all beef and without the milk — that works well for those of us who are non-dairy. Really like the wasabi ketchup! Super easy different take on a burger. Will make again.

SM1 year ago

Made this with all beef, which was delicious. Will make again.

Justin Seitz2 years ago

Not an enormous fan of this recipe - I did the pork beef blend as recommended but think it would be better with only one or the other. Little too much of a peanut taste. The sauce is delicious - the burger itself was just okay.

Lisa D3 years ago

Made these with chicken and pork instead of beef. Was very good! Doubled the recipe. Loved the ketchup! Toasted the buns. Awesome flavor but felt like it was missing a textural element. Lettuce helped. Only used a pinch of garlic powder, would either use more or add minced garlic. Would totally make again!

Alex3 years ago

I loved these. I’ll for sure make these again and potentially add a bit more soy sauce and some garlic...but they were great as is. I made them as sliders and was a bit doubtful about the wasabi ketchup but it was a winner. Added some thin sliced cucumbers on top as well.

Stacy3 years ago

This recipe is a family favorite - the kids love it. Sometimes I make little sliders. I never add beef - just use all pork due to dietary restrictions. I then substitute shallots for the onion. I think the onion is overpowering to the pork, but is probably fine if following the recipe and using half ground beef. I also add about 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha to the meat mixture.

Ben4 years ago

Love this recipe. Our little variation is to use Chinese hot mustard instead of wasabi, delicious!

Ellen5 years ago

Due to dietary restrictions, I make this with 100% beef. This is now one of our favorite recipes, and my husband swears this is the best hamburger he has ever eaten. We think that little touch of sesame oil is the secret ingredient.

TNS5 years ago

I made this recipe, sauteed a bit to taste, and ended up adding grated fresh ginger, minced garlic, sambel oelek, sesame oil, MORE soy sauce and minced fresh chives. The ketchup tweek was good, but how can you call something 'Japanese' if the only Asian ingredient is soy sauce?

Witcher5 years ago

What about the panko, Wasabi, and sesame oil

Nigel3356 years ago

This is nothing special and certainly does not taste Japanese other than the sesame oil. Will not make again.

Kiyo6 years ago

Delicious! The panko and milk moisten the burgers perfectly. The combination of beef and pork is perfect. I upped the beef and pork by 2 ounces each to ensure each patty weighed at little over 5 ounces each. It's definitely a burger I'll be making on a regular basis.

Denton6 years ago

While I was worried that these would be bland they were actually quite lovely in their simplicity. I doubled the amount of soy sauce in the mince. Loved the wasabi ketchup; perfect contrast to the meat.

Alan6 years ago

No garlic? Soy and garlic are made for each other, use it. Painting burgers with sesame oil before grilling makes more sense than following instructions and adds an even flavor to the browned burger.

phoov6 years ago

I have had burgers in Japan and they are indeed different! But they are still burgers. Often they are served with a fried egg on top...and not always in a bun! Good stuff no matter what you call it!

Barclay T6 years ago

I agree, very much like meat loaf rather than hamburger. I do like the ketchup even if it is like a sauce used for shrimp cocktail.

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