Try These Creative Burger Toppings at Your Next Cookout
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Just because burgers are a cookout classic doesn't mean they have to be boring! Typical toppings like lettuce, tomato, and onion are always welcomed additions to any burger, but there are so many more of the best burger toppings that'll play off of the bold flavors of your patty. Whether you're whipping up beef burgers, veggie burgers, salmon burgers, or even sliders, there's a topping on this list that will work for you. Take it from Ree Drummond herself, who loves to try out creative burger combos like her favorite burger recipe with blue cheese, caramelized onions, and a spicy Tabasco mayonnaise.
When you're dressing up your own burger, it helps to think of your favorite sandwich fixings. If you love barbecue sauce on a pulled pork sandwich, you'll probably love it on a burger, too! Are you a BLT fan? A bacon cheeseburger may very well satisfy your cravings. You should also think about what kind of protein you're using. Beef burgers will stand up to super flavorful toppings like classic caramelized onions, while chicken or veggie burgers are a great base for milder ingredients like avocados.
Read on for the 25 best burger toppings that will be the star of any cookout, and enjoy them with the best sides for burgers and other BBQ recipes. And while you've got burgers are the brain, try this amazing cheeseburger dip!
Feta Sauce
Go Greek and finish your lamb burgers with a fresh feta cheese spread. It's made with a few Mediterranean staples like yogurt, cucumber, feta, and mint.
Get the Lamb Burger recipe.
Special Sauce
Take your favorite burger sauce from secret to staple with this foolproof recipe! It combines all the best condiments in one, like relish, mustard, ketchup, mayo, and more.
Get the Classic Burger Sauce recipe.
Tzatziki
Cooling tzatziki sauce with fresh herbs makes for an unexpectedly tasty topping! It also helps keep the burgers moist and delicious.
Get Ree's Spinach and Feta Chicken Burger recipe.
Onion Rings
Add some crunch to your burger with a juicy onion ring! The classic onion flavor pairs perfectly with the patty, while the golden, crispy coating adds texture to the sandwich.
Get the Onion Rings recipe.
Ranch Dressing
There's not much that a bit of creamy ranch can't fix, especially when it's homemade! Drizzle the herby dressing on top of your burger for a tangy touch.
Get Ree's Homemade Ranch recipe.
Sautéed Peppers and Onions
A classic sausage and pepper sub is the inspiration behind this Italian-style burger. Ree tops juicy beef-sausage patties with provolone cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, and fresh basil.
Get the Sausage-and-Peppers Burgers recipe.
Green Chiles
Spice up your cookout with these green chile cheeseburgers. A creamy garlic mayonnaise balances the heat of the green chiles and pepper jack cheese.
Get Ree's Green Chile Cheeseburger recipe.
Barbecue Sauce
Many barbecue sauces are made with ketchup, so it's a natural match for burgers! Grilled onions, cheddar, and dill pickles take these bison burgers over the top.
Get the Bison Burger recipe.
All the Fixings
Sometimes you just can't improve upon the classic toppings. This burger has them all: American cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and onions, dill pickle slices, ketchup, mustard and mayo.
Get the Classic Cheeseburger recipe.
Bacon
When in doubt, add some bacon! Make your bacon extra-crispy so you get a satisfying crunch with every bite. You can fry it in a pan on the stovetop or cook it in the oven.
Get the Bacon Cheeseburger recipe.
Buffalo Sauce
If you love Buffalo wings, you'll love the app in burger form. Blue cheese on top tastes like your favorite blue cheese dressing on the side!
Get the Chicken Burger recipe.
Pesto Mayo
Mix 1/4 cup mayo with 1 tablespoon prepared pesto to make an amazing new condiment. Swiss cheese, avocado slices, and red leaf lettuce round out the toppings for these turkey burgers.
Get the Turkey Burger recipe.
Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese
This is one of Ree's favorite burgers of all time! She tops it with Tabasco-infused mayo, caramelized onions, and blue cheese. "I’ll just tell you that after half of this baby, I’m usually sufficiently full...and I can really put away some serious food most of the time," she says.
Get Ree's Favorite Burger recipe.
Sprouts and Cream Cheese Spread
A portobello burger is a great vegetarian alternative to a beef burger. A flavorful cream cheese spread like Boursin and some sprouts for texture make it the perfect meal.
Get the Portobello Mushroom Burger recipe.
Grilled Pineapple
Fans of salty-sweet flavor combos will love this burger topped with a teriyaki mayo, grilled pineapple rings, and grilled peppers—Ree included. "It's hands down one of the most scrumptious burgers I've ever had," she says.
Get Ree's Hawaiian Burger recipe.
Mango
Slices of fresh mango brighten up these Caribbean-style teriyaki burgers. They're perfectly complemented by Ree's colorful mango slaw on the side.
Get the Caribbean Burgers with Mango Slaw recipe.
Salisbury Steak-Style
Ree took all the best parts of a Salisbury steak and put them on a burger! The patty recipe calls for a beef bouillon cube for extra savory flavor, and it's topped with a Worcestershire mayo and caramelized onions.
Get the Salisbury Steak Burger recipe.
Guacamole and Honey Mustard
Ree's blogger friend Heather Christo makes a California-style burger with iceberg lettuce, tomato, onions, bacon, guacamole, and honey mustard. You certainly don't have to be a California girl to appreciate the tasty mix of flavors and textures!
Get the California-Style Burger recipe.
Manchego and Mushrooms
Heather Christo sautés mushrooms in wine for an earthy, irresistible topping. The mushrooms pair perfectly with sharp Spanish cheese.
Get the Manchego and Mushroom Burger recipe.
Goat Cheese
The easiest way to mix up your burger toppings: Try a new kind of cheese. This ultra-indulgent burger is a flavor and textural wonder—it's topped with creamy goat cheese, sweet onions, and crunchy bacon.
Get the Burger with Goat Cheese recipe.
Fried Egg
Egg lovers, this one's for you. A runny fried egg just makes anything better, burgers included.
Get the Burger with Fried Egg recipe.
Pickled Red Onions
Liven up a plain patty with pickled red onions and jalapeños. They taste great on this cilantro and ginger beef patty, but they'd also make an ideal topping for a turkey burger.
Get the Sweet and Spicy Pickled Red Onions recipe.
Sweet Onion Chili Ketchup
Upgrade your ketchup! Heather Christo makes a flavor-packed Greek burger with lots of fresh herbs like parsley and dill, then tops it with a "semi-homemade" ketchup that includes sautéed onions, Fresno red chili, and cinnamon. It's a little sweet, a little spicy, and a lot of deliciousness.
Get the Sweet Onion Chili Ketchup recipe.
Ketchup Chutney
Ree's pal and fellow Food Network star Aarti Sequeira tops her burgers with a sweet and fragrant ketchup chutney. It's incredibly flavorful thanks to spices like turmeric and garam masala, and the tomatoes pop in your mouth with every bite!
Get the recipe at Aarti Sequeira.
Homemade Burger Sauce
If you've ever had a Big Mac or an In-N-Out Burger, you're probably familiar with the addictive sweet-spicy-tangy sauce that comes on top. You don't have to hit the drive-through to enjoy it: Kim's Cravings recreated an at-home version with mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, paprika, and a little cayenne.
Get the recipe at Kim's Cravings.
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