Burgers are a summertime staple. They’re quick and easy and crowd-pleasing. They’re fairly easy to adapt if you’re sharing a meal with vegetarians, vegans, paleos, or those with allergies. A variety of veggie burgers are available in the freezer case, and buns can be swapped out for lettuce leaves or the burger just served ‘naked’ on a plate. Tired of beef? Try ground turkey, chicken, or even salmon.
Towards the end of summer, burgers can get a little tiresome. It’s really not so much the protein in a patty form, nor the bun, nor eating the whole thing as a sandwich. It is more that the toppings are bo-ring. Ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickle, onions, lettuce, tomato. Cheese. These seem like a lot of choices, but after enough burgers they get repetitive and ho-hum.
We’ve scoured the country for the hottest burger topping inspirations to elevate your next burger cook-out from boring and bland to excitingly awesome. Check these out:
1. Mushrooms
Mushrooms on burgers is hardly new, but somehow we forget them. If you buy pre-sliced mushrooms, it just takes a few minutes to cook them up with a little bit of butter or olive oil and some salt. If you like, grind some black pepper, add some fresh garlic, and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Guess what? You can even skip the cooking altogether and add them to your burger raw.
2. Bacon
Bacon is a crowd-pleasing topping that gets forgotten. Cut each slice in half before or after cooking to make patty-friendly. If you are looking for a time-saver and to keep your kitchen cool on scorching days, buy already-cooked bacon. You can crisp it up with a short trip through the microwave. Read and follow the package instructions.
3. Carmelized onions
Carmelized onions are so ‘90s but are really good. They are not hard to make, just a little time consuming. To make them, slice up a frypan full of onions (3 large). Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frypan. Add the onions and a teaspoon or so of salt. Fry over medium heat, stirring every few minutes, until the onions have cooked down and turned a non-burnt brown color, 20 minutes or so. If onions are burning, turn the heat down a little and add a splash of water (or beer) so that they steam gently rather than scorch. When the onions have carmelized, add a few shakes of balsamic vinegar if desired. Store leftover carmelized onions in the refrigerator.
4. Avocado slices (or guacamole)
Avocado or guacamole add extra richness to your favorite burger. Slice a ripe avocado just before serving, as the slices turn brown fairly quickly. If you are looking for the ‘easy’ button, buy pre-made guacamole. Of course, if you are up for it, homemade guacamole is the best and can also serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips.
5. Horseradish sauce
Horseradish sauce adds a nice bite to a holiday beef roast or roast beef sandwich, so why not a hamburger? You can buy prepared horseradish, a simple preparation of ground horseradish root, vinegar, and salt, and then mix with horseradish and salt and pepper to taste. Or, look for a ready-to-serve horseradish sauce in the condiment aisle of your favorite grocery store. Can you just serve the prepared horseradish as is? Yes, though it might be too strong (sinus-clearing strong) for some guests.
6. Over-easy egg
To up the protein and the richness, add an over-easy cooked egg to the top of your burger. The white provides extra protein while the runny yolk adds a mouthfeel like nothing else. Warm eggs are a must, so cook them ot order for each guest. Note: Eating raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.
7. Slaw
Coleslaw, either may- or vinegar-based adds crunch and tang to your burger. Homemade is best, and is a snap with pre-shredded coleslaw mix. Either use a bottled dressing, or scan the internet for a well-rated recipe. Bonus: the slaw can be served as a side dish as well as a burger topping.
8. Cheese
Yes, cheddar cheese is an overused burger topping, but only one of a huge variety of cheeses available. Try something new, like Taleggio, asiago, havarti, feta, or brie. If you like strong flavors, blue cheese is an option. It goes well with carmelized onions and mushrooms, above.
9. Indian Lime Relish (mild or hot)
Visit the Indian food section of your grocery, or an Indian market to purchase lime relish, also sometimes known as lime pickle. This relish is made with preserved limes and is seasoned with chili peppers (hence the ‘hot’) and other spices and seasonings. It can be quite spicy and also pretty chunky. If you want a finer texture, remove it from the jar and cut up larger pieces of lime.
10. Peppers
Cut up fresh bell peppers and a poblano pepper or two and stir-fry to make a tasty burger topping. If you are looking to save time, find stir-fry pepper and onion mix in the freezer section. Cook up with a little olive oil and sprinkling of salt.
What are your favorite alternative burger toppings? Please leave a comment below.
