15 Creative Burger Ideas

Go Beyond the Typical Beef Patty

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 09/17/20
Juicy Baked Turkey Burgers on a cutting board with various ingredients in the background
The Spruce

Our beloved hamburger has been around for more than 100 years. According to The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, by John Mariani, one of the first known mentions of a "hamburg steak" in print was in 1884 in the "Boston Evening Journal." The term "hamburger" appeared on a New York Delmonico's restaurant menu which was believed to have been printed in 1834. In Mrs. Rorer's New Cook Book (1902), the hamburg steak is described as beef put twice through a meat grinder and mixed with onion and pepper.

By 1912, ground meat patties were being served in buns, and according to "The American Dictionary of American Slang", the suffix "burger" came to mean "any hot sandwich served on a bun, often toasted, with many condiments...."

White Castle opened their first "hamburger stand" in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas, and the popularity of the hamburger grew as Americans began to travel by car. In the 1950s the McDonald's chain began, creating more competitors.

Also according to "The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink", Americans eat three hamburgers per week per person! That's about 38 billion annually, or 59 percent of all sandwiches consumed.

  • 01 of 15

    Basic Grilled Burgers With Topping Suggestions

    Basic Burgers
    Diana Rattray

    These easy grilled burgers are flavored with some Worcestershire sauce and a bit of brown sugar. Top them with a slice of pepper jack or cheddar cheese and your choice of toppings.

    Remoulade sauce and chipotle mayonnaise are delicious on burgers, and they're a nice change of pace from ketchup or mustard.

  • 02 of 15

    Burrito Burgers

    Burrito Burger
    Diana Rattray

    Taco or burrito seasoning flavors the burger mixture, but the toppings make this a true burrito-flavored burger. Refried beans, salsa, pepper jack cheese, and your favorite burrito toppings make this burger extraordinary.

  • 03 of 15

    Juicy Baked Burgers

    Juicy baked burgers recipe

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    These indoor burgers are seared and then baked in a hot oven. A little steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper jazzes these burgers up.

  • 04 of 15

    Beef and Bacon Burgers

    Bacon Burgers
    Diana Rattray

    An egg and breadcrumbs bring the ground beef and diced bacon together in these great-tasting burgers. The burgers are flavored with simple seasonings, along with chopped onion and Worcestershire sauce.

    Continue to 5 of 15 below.
  • 05 of 15

    Cajun Burger With Remoulade

    Cajun burger with remoulade sauce.
    Diana Rattray

    Cajun seasonings are in both the burger as well as the remoulade sauce, giving these hamburgers a double dose of Louisiana spice. The recipe calls for making your own Cajun mix, but you can use store-bought if need be.

  • 06 of 15

    Juicy Baked Turkey Burgers With Garlic

    Juicy baked turkey burger with garlic

    ​The Spruce Eats / Katarina Zunic

    These yummy turkey burgers are made with a combination of turkey thighs and turkey breast, making them lean but still juicy.

  • 07 of 15

    Grilled Garlic Burgers

    garlic burgers
    Diana Rattray

    Included in the recipe for these easy garlic burgers are four tasty sauces: Secret sauce, Sriracha mayo, and chipotle mayo.

  • 08 of 15

    Chicken Burgers

    chicken burger
    Diana Rattray

    Ground chicken thighs keep these burgers moist and juicy. The chicken burgers are flavored with garlic, some lime juice and cilantro, and Cajun seasoning.

    Continue to 9 of 15 below.
  • 09 of 15

    Poblano Burgers

    Poblano burger
    Diana Rattray

    Poblano chile peppers have a pleasant flavor and heat when roasted, and they make a great topping for burgers. These burgers are grilled, but they can be pan grilled or broiled. For more heat, use pepper jack cheese on the burgers.

  • 10 of 15

    Saucy Barbecue Burgers

    burgers barbecue sauce
    Diana Rattray

    Ground pork sausage and ground beef team up in these delicious stovetop barbecue burgers. These are similar to sloppy Joes, but with barbecue flavor. 

  • 11 of 15

    Mushroom Stuffed Burgers

    Mushroom stuffed burgers with bacon and cheese
    Diana Rattray

    Sautéed sliced mushrooms are tucked into the center of these delicious burgers. Top your burgers off with your favorite cheese and toppings.

  • 12 of 15

    Mexican Burgers

    mexican seasoned burgers
    Diana Rattray

    Tex-Mex seasonings add flavor to these burgers along with pepper jack cheese. Broil, grill, or pan-grill these burgers.

    Continue to 13 of 15 below.
  • 13 of 15

    Reuben Burgers With Sauerkraut and Thousand Island Dressing

    burger
    The Picture Pantry/Lisovskaya Natalia / Getty Images

    These round beef patties are topped with classic Reuben sandwich toppings, including Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, and Thousand Island dressing. Serve the burgers open-faced on rye bread or serve them in multi-grain or rye buns.

  • 14 of 15

    Grilled Salmon Burgers

    grilled salmon burgers made with sockeye salmon
    Diana Rattray

    Use fresh sockeye salmon to make these delicious burgers. Cilantro, ginger, and sesame oil give them Asian flavor. 

    Serve the salmon burgers with a spicy chili mayonnaise or sweet chili mayonnaise (see directions, below). Cook the burgers on the grill, an electric grill, or in a grill pan on the stovetop.

  • 15 of 15

    Easy Meatloaf Sliders

    Meatloaf Sliders
    Diana Rattray

    These little meatloaf burgers are baked in muffin tins. The burgers are the perfect size for sliders. Top them with bacon and cheese if you'd like.