Our 66 Best Burger Recipes
There are burger recipes for every craving: Crispy hamburger patties smashed into a cast-iron griddle and layered with cheese, earthy lamb burgers with tangy yogurt, juicy sliders on pillowy buns, and the best veggie burgers, made with all manner of pantry staples and flavorful veg. There are easy burger recipes that you throw together and char on the grill and fun projects that involve slowly-cooked caramelized onions and even getting out your meat grinder attachment. The only question that remains: Will you bake your own hamburger buns? (Go for it! Or don't, and see if you can find our favorite brand.) Below, find 51 of our best burger recipes for backyard summer dinners and beyond.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Simon Andrews1/66Spiced Lamb Burgers With Spring Slaw
Asparagus ribbons, sliced sugar snap peas, and red onion tossed in lemon juice are the perfect springtime toppers for these smoky-spiced lamb burgers.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson2/66
Salmon Burgers with Red Pepper Mayo
Made from canned salmon—plus a few pantry staples you likely keep in stock—and slicked with tangy red-pepper mayo, this burger recipe is easy to toss together on the fly.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kate Buckens3/66
Sesame Pork Burgers with Sweet and Spicy Slaw
These pork burgers—inspired by Southeast Asian dumplings—are an ideal weeknight meal. The sweet and spicy mayo acts as both a dressing for the slaw and a sauce for the burger.
- Photo Alex Lau, food styling by Chris Morocco, prop styling by Emily Eisen4/66
Easiest-Ever Grilled Veggie Burgers
The vegan patties in this burger recipe go straight from the mixing bowl to the grill without falling apart—all in about 20 minutes.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, styling by Claire Saffitz5/66
Extra-Juicy Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers always sound like a great idea, but they too often taste like a fat sawdust patty. No more, friends! Mashing avocado into the turkey mixture helps prevent the meat from shrinking and drying out during cooking, which is why these stay awesomely juicy, even when they’re cooked all the way through.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Catherine Campbell Pearson6/66
Black Bean Smash Burger
Our genius solution for a black bean burger that’s not at all gummy: Treat it like a smash burger, griddle until crispy, and devour with lots of chipotle mayo.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.7/66
Crispy Golden Shrimp Burgers
Topped with crunchy cabbage and creamy egg salad and nestled between toasted brioche buns, these extra-crispy shrimp burgers are over-the-top in the best way.
- Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua8/66
Chicken-Bacon Smash Burgers
Cook a chicken burger in bacon fat, never look back.
- Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime9/66
Seared Squash and Halloumi Burgers
This vegetarian recipe makes a strong case for replacing a veggie burger with a slab of melty, salty cheese.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich10/66
Lamb Burgers With Yogurt Sauce and Arugula
This flavorful lamb patty with lemony yogurt sauce is guaranteed to spice up your burger routine.
- Alex Lau11/66
Ultimate Veggie Burger
Veggie burgers are not easy to make awesome, but we think this one nails it. We solved the “mush” factor by folding in bouncy mushrooms and pleasantly firm black beans, threw a hard sear on it for crisp texture on the outside, and seasoned it aggressively to combat any blandness. There’s no imitation protein or weird ingredients, just a rich, moist mixture of vegetables, grains, and nuts that work with any toppings you want to throw at it. It may not be vegan, but it’s pretty darn good. This is .…
- Peden + Munk12/66
BLT Turkey Burgers
Ground turkey is hardly the stuff of flavor fireworks, but turkey sausage, preseasoned and ready to cook, tends to have great flavor right out of the package.
- Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Liza Jernow13/66
Chickpea-Mushroom Veggie Burgers
If you think you don't like veggie burgers, you need to try this flavorful, mushroomy burger recipe from Test Kitchen Director Chris Morocco. These can be made in advance and frozen until firm—then you can bake them from frozen, topping with cheese at the last minute.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li14/66
Salmon Burgers With Ginger and Quick-Pickled Cucumbers
Fresh salmon makes these ginger and scallion-laced burgers luscious and flavorful. Pile them high with peppery watercress, crunchy cucumber quick pickles, fragrant mint, and cilantro.
- Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Sue Li15/66
Lentil Burgers
These veggie patties are streamlined enough for a weeknight dinner, packed with protein, and deeply savory thanks to mushrooms and mellow white miso.
- Kana Okada16/66
Spicy Chicken Burgers
Low-cal 'shrooms up the heartiness factor of these patties, for burgers that are backyard barbecue-worthy.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks17/66
Veggie Burgers with Zucchini and Corn
Bright zucchini, sweet corn, nutty millet, and creamy white beans add vibrant flavor and texture to these gluten-free veggie burgers.
- Photo by Romulo Yanes18/66
Black-Bean Burgers
These easy veggie burgers take advantage of what's in your pantry. You'll make the patties from black beans, mayo, and bread crumbs, flavored with cumin, oregano, cayenne, and cilantro. Get them nice and brown in a skillet before piling onto a bun with your favorite toppings.
- Photo by Lizzie Mayson19/66
Big Bhaji Burger
These Indian-inspired vegetarian burgers are spiced with fresh ginger, garam masala, red chile, cilantro, and cumin, and topped with mango chutney.
- Photo by Joff Lee20/66
Halloumi and Sweet Potato Burgers
This flavorful burger recipe starts with sweet potatoes, kale, scallions, garlic, and chile. That mix sits on top of a golden-brown slice of squeaky halloumi.
- Photo by Martin Poole21/66
Thai-Spiced Turkey Burgers
These tasty burgers have a little chile kick, plus the warmth of fresh ginger and a bright punch from cilantro.
- Michelle K. Min22/66
Miso-Glazed Maitake Mushroom Burgers
This is my version of a veggie burger—using the meatiness of seared clusters of maitake mushrooms gives an additional layer of umami with a miso glaze.
- Hugh Forte23/66
Mushroom and Brown Rice Veggie Burger
Sandwich this burger between English muffin halves or serve with lots of arugula.
- Photo by Alex Lau24/66
The BA Smash Burger
Ground chuck is a great all-purpose, buy-it-anywhere choice for burgers. But if you want to get ambitious and blend, say, chuck with ground short rib or brisket, we say go for it.
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich25/66
Sunny Side Burger with Salsa Verde
What’s better than a griddled burger with the crispiest exterior? One that comes sandwiched between a vibrant tomatillo salsa and topped with a runny fried egg.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Ali Nardi26/66
Islak Burger (Wet Burger)
A good soak in buttery tomato sauce gives this ultra-juicy burger—a popular late-night Turkish street eat—its name.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Dawn Perry27/66
Steakburger with Tangy Caramelized Onions and Herb Butter
If you only eat burgers every blue moon, you want it to be special. This luxe burger gets its umami-packed richness from dry-aged steak. One bite of the juicy patty, steak sauce–flavored onions, and rich herb butter and you may swear you're never eating any other burger again.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell28/66
Diner-Style Patty Melt
This classic diner mash-up of a grilled cheese sandwich and a hamburger is stuffed with a tangle of sweet pan-seared onions.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Simon Andrews29/66
Classic Smashed Cheeseburger
Crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside. It's not a myth, and here's why: Freezing the patties for 15 minutes before cooking prevents them from cooking too quickly in the middle, which gives you time to get that deeply browned crust.
- Photo by Frankie Gaw30/66
Lion’s Head Big Macs
Lion’s head meatballs are traditionally stewed or steamed in a casserole dish; here they star in the sandwich of my childhood dreams.
- Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Anna Billingskog31/66
The Basically Burger
It's all about that special sauce.
- Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Rhoda Boone, Food Styling by Ali Nardi32/66
Mini Beef and Mushroom Patties
These mini burger patties are versatile and family-friendly. Make a big batch to freeze and then serve all week long as sliders, on grain bowls, in pita sandwiches, and more.
- Photo by David Loftus33/66
Insanity Burger
This recipe uses the brilliant technique of brushing the burgers with mustard and a dash of Tabasco Chipotle sauce as they cook to build up an incredible gnarly layer of seasoning.
- Photograph by Shawn Michael Jones, Food Styling by Spencer Richards, Prop Styling by JoJo Li34/66
Breakfast Smash Burgers
These spiced lamb burgers prove anything can be breakfast when you put an egg on it.
- Photo by Peden & Munk35/66
Spiced Lamb Burger
As the lamb cooks inside the pita, the fat will render into the bread, creating a crunchy, compact, vibrantly flavored meat pie that's unlike any burger you've ever had.
- Peden + Munk36/66
Double RL Ranch Burger
This decadent, delicious burger, featuring a 6-ounce patty, clothbound cheddar cheese, and the requisite "special sauce," comes from Ralph Lauren's restaurant (yes, that Ralph Lauren) in Chicago.
- Photo by Noah Fecks37/66
Basic Veggie Burgers
This vegan burger recipe from chef Tyler Kord is anything but basic, actually. Roasted broccoli and seitan add chew and flavor. Once they're caramelized, Kord urges you to garnish your burgers with “whatever toppings make you feel badass.”
- Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich38/66
Smash Burger Alfresco
Cooked in a pan on the grill, this double-decker smash burger won’t smoke out your kitchen, blanket your stove with grease, or force you to spend even one more minute of the sweet summer nights indoors.
- Photo by Matthew Benson39/66
The Barbecue Burger
Here’s a way to infuse the evocative spice and smoke flavors of true barbecue into a conventional fast-cooking burger. It uses a smoke-scented barbecue rub.
- Photo by Dennis Prescott40/66
Goat Cheese–Stuffed Lamb Burgers with Caramelized Red Onions
Lamb burgers are a great way to switch up burger night at home. Lamb has more of an earthy, gamey flavor than beef, and it’s completely delicious paired with creamy goat cheese and deeply caramelized onions.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott41/66
Lamb Burgers with Lemon-Caper Aioli and Fennel Slaw
These lamb burgers work best with sturdy buns that can absorb the extra liquid from the slaw and burger without disintegrating.
- Ian McSpadden42/66
Beef Burger With Grilled Kale
After you've grilled these burgers, you'll add kale leaves to the grill and layer them in on the bottom bun. Crumbled blue cheese goes on top.
- Photo courtesy of Belly Acres/Rob Ray43/66
Belly Acres' Better Burger
This burger combines button mushrooms with beef for a juicy patty. Top it off with a zesty Ginger-Lime Mayonnaise.
- Evi Abeler44/66
Chipotle Salmon Burger
Made from simple canned salmon, this is a budget-friendly way to enjoy all of the nutritional benefits salmon has to offer. The Creamy Chive Sauce is like a more-delicious version of tartar sauce—and pairs perfectly with any type of fish.
- Rockport Publishers45/66
Tabbouleh Burger
This veggie burger has a clean, light flavor that just tastes healthy. If you have a food processor, now is the time to use it.
- Jeffery Schad and Chris Gentile46/66
Triple Smoke Burger
This burger packs on smoky flavor three ways: chipotle chiles mingled with adobo, smoked paprika, and bacon. Throw on a sliced seared avocado, because it's just always a good idea.
- Photo by Evi Abeler47/66
Sweet Potato Avocado Burger
This California-style burger was tested numerous times to perfect and ensure that the patties are crisp, firm, tasty, and delicious.
- Lara Ferroni48/66
The Burger Lover's Burger
For good burgers, it's the inside that counts. Selecting your own cuts and grinding the meat yourself is worth the extra effort.
- Marcus Nilsson49/66
Burger Deluxe
If the quintessential American burger is what you're after, look no further. Grilled ground chuck, salt, pepper, American cheese, and potato rolls are classic for a reason.
- Photo by Kana Okada and Craig Cutler50/66
Bison Burgers with Cabernet Onions and Wisconsin Cheddar
This gooey cheddar-topped burger leaves you wanting one more bite of Cabernet-cooked onion.
- Hans Gissinger51/66
Grilled Burgers with Meyer Lemon Butter
Butter + burger = no brainer. Put a pat of tangy lemon butter into the center of each beef patty. As the burger cooks, the butter melts, giving the meat an extra-tender texture and a hit of citrusy flavor.
- Photo by Elinor Carucci52/66
Coffee-Rubbed Cheeseburgers with Texas Barbecue Sauce
Freshly ground coffee adds a depth to the spice rub and brings out the flavor of the meat. You may want to use decaf if you're serving these at dinner time.
- Photo by Brian Leatart53/66
Jalapeño Cheeseburgers with Bacon and Grilled Onions
The burger has worcestershire written all over it. Using the umami-rich sauce with sugar and coffee makes a sweet and savory glaze that's your secret to a better burger.
- Photo by Romulo Yanes54/66
Buffalo Burgers with Pickled Onions and Smoky Red Pepper Sauce
This rich red pepper buttermilk sauce > ketchup.
- 55/66
Chicken Zucchini Burgers
Who needs beef? When you combine chicken with shredded veggies and a tangy Greek yogurt sauce, you get a burger as thick and juicy as any other.
- Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani56/66
Beef Sliders with Provolone and Balsamic Onions
Macerating red onions in balsamic vinegar with a big pinch of sugar helps soften the onions and sweetens them right up.
- Stephanie Gaudreau57/66
Spinach and Olive Turkey Burgers
Turkey burger recipes sometimes need a little help in the flavor department, but this one's a gem, nodding to the Mediterranean with fresh herbs, lemon, and red onion.
- Romulo Yanes58/66
Portobello Buffalo Burgers with Celery Apple Slaw
How to make a healthier burger? Look to where the buffalo roam. Buffalo meat is lower in fat than beef, and with a tart celery root and apple slaw, it taste better, too.
- Photo by Jennifer Davick59/66
Second City Diner Veggie Burger
This vegetarian take on the classic diner burger is made with mushroom, onion, rolled oats, celery, and soy sauce.
- 60/66
Pimiento Cheeseburgers
We love to make these from scratch, complete with homemade pimiento cheese, but the burger's not bad even if you have to use a good-quality store-bought pimiento cheese.
- Ray Kachatorian61/66
Patty Melts with Charred Onions
In this sandwich-style burger recipe, charred onions develop a deep sweetness that perfectly counterbalances the earthy, slightly sour character of the rye bread and the nutty flavor of the Swiss cheese. This is a first-class knife-and-fork burger that you will want to eat again and again.
- Brian Leatart62/66
Andouille and Beef Burgers with Spicy Mayo and Caramelized Onions
This Louisiana-inspired recipe gives you the kind of burger that wins cook-offs and championships.
- Photo by Romulo Yanes63/66
Turkey Cheddar Burgers
Ground turkey (not all-white meat!) mixed with shallot is stuffed with extra-sharp cheddar in this beloved Gourmet recipe.
- José Picayo64/66
Triple-Beef Cheeseburgers with Spiced Ketchup and Red Vinegar Pickles
This burger blows smoke and heat at your hamburger expectations. Topped with peppery watercress, a spiced ketchup, and flavored with miso.
- 65/66
Lemon Herb Chicken Burgers with Thousand Island Dressing
These chicken burgers are topped with a creamy macadamia nut-based take on Thousand Island dressing, plus sautéed onions and fresh greens.
- Levi Brown66/66
Black Bean-Corn Burger
Black beans and sweet corn come together in this chipotle-spiced veggie burger recipe.
Wilder Davies
Emily Johnson
Kendra Vaculin
Adina Steiman