It's burger season! With a basic burger recipe that you can customize and all the fixings you could want on the side, a burger bar is fun, fast, and simple summer dinner solution at its best! Here, I share almost everything you need to know about burgers to help you build-your-own ultimate burger bar.
Whether you're preparing dinner for your family or planning a summer gathering with friends, burgers are always a great option. And when you want to throw a memorable, fun, creative BBQ gathering, a burger BAR is the way to go!
In this article, I try to cover all the bases to help you build the ULTIMATE burger bar. Got anything else to add? Let me know in the comments!
Jump to:
What's a Burger Bar?
Much like a Loaded Pub Chips Bar or a Bacon Bar, a Burger Bar is a buffet-style way of serving this summertime favorite dish. It's a fun way to make the meal itself interactive and get the conversation flowing, and for guests to create the kind of burger they LOVE.
There are four main components to a build-your-own burger bar:
- Burger meat
- Condiments
- Fixings
- Bun
Let's start by talking about how to make the best burgers.
How to make the best burgers
There are so many ways to make burger patties these days. Whether you choose ground beef, turkey, chicken, bison, or lamb - or a ground meat alternative - here are some tips to help you form the best burgers.
- In a large bowl, use a meat chopper to break up the ground meat.
- Add any mix-ins you want with your burger (spices, oils, sauces, garlic, ginger, etc), then season with salt and pepper.
- Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients well into the burger meat. Then divide the meat into equal portions and roll each portion in the palms of your hands to form balls. Gently press each one into a 1-inch thick round patty.
- Gently press your thumb into the center of each patty to leave a slight indentation. You don't want to press too deeply and you don't want to create a hole; just a slight little inverted bump in the center will do. This will help the burger cook up into an even patty, since the center tends to bulge up when cooking.
Burger Fixings
Here's a comprehensive list of fixings to help make the ULTIMATE burger bar.
Condiments
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- BBQ sauce
- Mayonnaise
- Fry sauce
- Garlic Aioli
- Pesto sauce (try my Easy Spinach Pesto recipe)
- Teriyaki sauce
- Soy sauce
- Tzatziki sauce
- Marinara sauce
Best cheeses for burgers
- Cheddar cheese
- Provolone cheese
- Gouda cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Feta cheese
- Gruyere cheese
- Bleu cheese
Best fruits & veggies for burgers
- Romaine, butter, red leaf, or iceberg lettuce
- Microgreens
- Cabbage/slaw
- Arugula
- Mushrooms
- Sliced raw, caramelized, or crispy onions
- Minced garlic in the burgers
- Pineapple
- Sautéed red pepper slices
- Pickles, relish
- Sauerkraut
Meat
- Bacon (heck yes!)
- Sliced pepperoni
Bun options
- Classic hamburger bun
- Ciabatta bread
- Brioche buns
- Focaccia (try my Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread recipe!)
- Kaiser roll
- Pretzel bun
- Hawaiian rolls
Build-Your-Own Ultimate Burger
Now that you have the basic ingredients to building the best burger bar ever, it's time for guests to put them all together. Here are some ideas for inspiration!
Hawaiian burgers: burger meat + pineapple slice + teriyaki sauce + Asian slaw
Greek burgers: burger meat +smashed feta cheese + cucumber slices + tzatziki sauce
Italian burgers: burger meat + Provolone cheese + pasta or pizza sauce
Filipino burgers: burger meat + mango slices + adobo sauce
Vegan burgers: portobello mushroom + red pepper slices + Romaine lettuce + vegan cheese + vegan ranch sauce
Classic American burgers: burger meat + American cheese and Cheddar cheese + iceberg lettuce + pickles + ketchup + bun with mayonnaise.
Swiss burger: burger meat + Gruyere cheese + sautéed mushrooms + Kaiser roll
German burger: burger meat + sauerkraut or cabbage slaw + mustard with pretzel roll
BBQ Bacon Burger - get the full recipe for this classic BBQ Bacon Burger here!
Burger FAQs
This is definitely a taste preference. Some people love beef burgers, which are more traditional in the United States. My family prefers turkey burgers, for the lower fat content but still flavorful meat. Some love lamb burgers for a more gamey flavor. And some prefer meat alternatives like Beyond Burger or portobello mushroom burgers.
Ground beef is the most common and tends to be the leanest style. Beef chuck is typically used as classic burger meat and it also has the most fat. Sirloin tends to be the most expensive, but it also has amazing flavor.
The juiciest burgers start with the right meat. Look for beef that's an 80/20 blend. You need some fat to add that juiciness to the burgers.
Eggs act as a binder to help create structure in burgers. They bind all of the other ingredients together so that your burgers don't fall apart while cooking.
Beef burgers are cooked through when a thermometer inserted into the center of the burger reads 160°F. Turkey burgers and chicken burgers are done when a thermometer inserted into the center of the burger meat reads 165°F.
Yes! You can make burger patties up to one day in advance. Simply store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Store leftover cooked burger patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator on their own, without any fixings or the bun, for up to four (4) days. You can also freeze cooked burger meat in freezer-safe bags or freezer-safe containers for up to two months.
What wine pairs well with burgers?
If you're making beef burgers, reach for a red wine that has medium to high tannins, to stand up to the richness of the meat. Malbecs, Tempranillos, Syrahs, and Cabernet Sauvignons all pair well with beef burgers.
Turkey burgers pair well with lighter red wines, such as Pinot Noir, or white wines such as dry Riesling and Pinot Gris.
Veggie burgers like black bean burgers and portobello mushroom burgers pair well with red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
More summer recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
The Ultimate Burger
Ingredients
- avocado oil or olive oil, for greasing the grill
- 1 pound burger meat of your choice such as ground beef, turkey, bison, or lamb
- mix-ins of your choice such as minced garlic, ginger, herbs, spices, sauces
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- Using a basting/pastry brush, lightly oil the grill with olive oil or avocado oil. Pre-heat your grill to high heat, around 400°F.
- In a large bowl, use a meat chopper to break up the ground meat.
- Add any mix-ins you want with your burger (spices, oils, sauces, garlic, ginger, etc), then season with salt and pepper.
- Using your hands, mix all of the ingredients well into the burger meat. Then divide the meat into equal portions and roll each portion in the palms of your hands to form balls. Gently flatten each ball to form a 1-inch thick round patty.
- Gently press your thumb into the center of each patty to leave a slight indentation. You don't want to press too deeply and you don't want to create a hole; just a slight little inverted bump in the center will do. This will help the burger cook up into an even patty, since the center tends to bulge up when cooking.
- Carefully place the patties onto the main section of the grill and close the lid. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, checking halfway through. As soon as the bottom half is browned and cooked, use a spatula to flip the burgers over. Close the lid and cook until done through to your preferred taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Anjali says
Love the idea of doing a burger bar the next time we have an outdoor picnic or get together!! This is great for accommodating a bunch of different dietary restrictions which is always the case when we get together with family and friends!
Lisa Huff says
Whoah so many great tips and topping ideas! Perfect for summer BBQs and parties!
Jen says
This makes me so hungry for burgers! It's my favorite summer meal. I can't wait to try the Greek burgers with feta and tzatziki sauce.
Maike says
Oh my goodness, I love these burger ideas. They will be perfect for my husband's birthday in a couple of weeks. Maybe I'll print up a little menu with the different combinations. Thank you for the inspiration!
Alisa Infanti says
This is such a great read for anyone who is planning a barbecue