Juicy Bacon Cheddar Burger

Jump to Recipe

This Bacon Cheddar Burger is tender, incredibly flavorful, and loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, green lettuce, juicy sliced tomatoes, and crunchy red onions. A generous coating of homemade spicy mayonnaise sauce seals the deal while toasting the burger buns has proved to be a little trick I’ll never skip!

Serve your juicy burgers with a simple side dish such as creamy coleslaw, French fries, or a pasta salad. There’s no going back once you’ve made these burger patties for dinner.

Beef burger with bacon and cheddar on a white background

Whether you've tried our famous Crispy Chicken Burgers, Salmon Burgers, or seen our Chili Cheese Dog Casserole, this Bacon Cheddar Burger recipe is no disappointment!

Why We Love This

It’s a guaranteed family meal favorite that you can serve for lunch or dinner. I mean, who doesn't love a delicious and juicy cheesy burger?!

While most beef burgers are made with regular ground beef, I’ve used lean ground beef as a healthy option - less fat to clean up or work off!

Adapt your bacon cheddar burger with simple ingredients swaps or additions. The toppings are extremely versatile and you can make the spicy mayonnaise sauce as hot or mild as you like.

Ingredients

Ground beef - while a fattier ground beef will be naturally more flavorful, I usually opt for lean ground beef when making cheesy burgers since it’s more healthier and you won’t have to deal with any excess fat draining.

Cheese - Cheddar is preferred for its sharp, salty flavor and melty texture. Other melty cheese alternatives include Pepper Jack, Monterey, Edam, Gouda cheese.

Breadcrumbs and egg - these two ingredients are binding ingredients. In other words, they keep the beef patties holding together. You can opt for a gluten-free brand of breadcrumbs if you wish. Panko could work too but I prefer regular fine breadcrumbs.

Bacon - you can use both thick-cut bacon or regular crispy bacon slices. For easier assembly, I recommend cooking them upfront in the pan or oven.

Patty seasoning - the Worcestershire sauce and simple seasoning of salt and pepper are all you really need to enhance the flavor of the juicy beef patties. Make sure to add a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Burger Toppings - I’ve used thinly sliced tomatoes, red onion, crispy lettuce, and sharp cheddar cheese for a classic beef cheeseburger. Feel free to add other toppings such as sliced pickles.

Chipotle Mayo - this sauce is a simple combination of regular mayonnaise, ground chili or chipotle powder, and a hot sauce of your choice such as sriracha. If you want to try something new, add fresh garlic or garlic powder, onion powder or some dried or fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, cilantro, oregano. Alternatively a simple barbecue sauce will taste delicious here too.

For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down where you'll find the recipe card.

Beef burger with bacon and cheddar wrapped in parchment paper in hand

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with salt, black pepper. Add Worcestershire sauce and breadcrumbs. Stir to combine.

Refrigerate for at least 10-15 minutes for flavors to blend.

ground beef with an egg and breadcrumbs in a bowl, ready for mixing

Form 4 compact beef balls. Flatten the balls into ¾-inch patties about 4-½ inches across.

If you’re looking for round edges, form the patties using your hands instead of a burger press.

Prepare the ingredients for burger assembly and lay them on a table for easy prep.

Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

raw beef burger patties stacked on top of each other divided with parchment paper

Heat up a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add a little bit of vegetable oil. Cook the patties, until browned on both sides, 5 minutes on each.

Towards the last minute, add 1-2 slices of cheese and top with crispy bacon (or add this later). Remove from heat.

four beef burger patties are being cooked in a white skillet

Perfect burger assembly. Before serving, toast your favorite buns on a pan or in the oven.

Add toppings, spicy mayonnaise sauce, and enjoy!

Tips

Save some preparation time by slicing the red onion, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese ahead of time. You can store these ingredients in separate airtight containers overnight in the refrigerator.

Beef burger with toppings, bacon, cheese on a wooden board

This recipe will yield 4 regular patties or 2 thicker patties. If you opt for thicker patties, make sure to increase the cooking time to ensure that the meat isn’t raw upon serving.

Shaping the patties from rolled balls with your hands is not difficult, although I do recommend that you flatten the center of the patty even more so that they don’t rise in the middle while cooking and to also ensure an even cook throughout. For easier handling, you can also use a burger patty mold and/or burger press.

Toasting the burger bun halves in the oven is an extra step that I always take and it’s so worth it! You’ll get a crispy crunch when biting into your bacon cheddar burger that’s truly irresistible.

Beef Burger Temperature Chart

I like to cook my burgers leaving them a little pink inside.

For best results, always use a kitchen meat thermometer. Insert it in the thickest part in the center of the beef patty.

Depending on what are you used to, aim for one of these internal temperatures below:

Medium-rare: 130˚ to 135˚ Fahrenheit
Medium: 140˚ to 145˚ Fahrenheit
Medium-well: 150˚ to 155˚ Fahrenheit

Anything more than this is considered well done and will be ''very dry''.

However, USDA recommends higher temps or hamburgers. Whenever possible always shop for organic and best quality meat products and use your best judgment when handling and cooking meat products.

Freezing and Storing Instructions

To maintain those cheesy burgers fresh and juicy for later consumption there are a few steps to consider.

These can be easily made ahead and the best advice is to combine the beef mixture ingredients, shape them into patties, and keep them in the freezer raw until ready to cook.

Freezing instructions. Cook the beef patties, place them on kitchen paper towels to drain the excess oil. Let cool and freeze for 2-3 months.

I would still recommend freezing raw patties as they will last for longer, about 6 months, and the flavor will be fresh once thawed and cooked in the skillet.

Don't forget to separate each patty with parchment paper before stacking them all together for freezing in an airtight container.

Make-ahead instructions. Combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Mix until combined and either leave it as it is or shape them into patties. Seal tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days.

Serving Suggestions

We love making cheesy burgers a tradition at least once in a couple of weeks at our home. We usually go all in and make plenty of side dishes to enjoy along the way.

Side dishes don't have to be traditional French fries or pasta salads but can be more light and healthy too.

Easy Creamy Potato Salad
Hot Dog Relish (Easy Corn Relish Recipe)
Caesar Salad With Dressing
Healthy Asparagus Fries

Also, I highly recommend trying out my friend Julia's Homemade Parmesan Truffle Fries and the best Marinated Cucumber, Tomato and Onion Salad that pairs with most of our favorite meat dishes!

FAQ

How should I store the beef patties?

You can store cooked beef patties in the refrigerator, wrapped with plastic wrap in an airtight container, for up to 3-4 days. To extend the shelf life of cooked patties, store them in the freezer for up to 3-4 months.

If you plan on making and storing raw beef patties, I recommend that you store them in the freezer with parchment paper between each patty in an airtight container or wrap them individually with plastic wrap. These will last for up to 6 months and can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator.

Can I make these beef cheese burgers ahead of time?

Yes. Instead of assembling the cheese burgers ahead of time, rather prepare the different components of the beef cheese burgers to store in the refrigerator the day prior to serving.

All of the burger toppings and spicy mayonnaise sauce can be prepared and stored in separate containers. You can also prepare the raw beef patties mixture and store that in the refrigerator.

Thank you so much for reading about how to make cheesy burgers. Please feel free to comment with any questions you may have! I love reading your feedback.

Rita