Our easiest ever burger recipes and top tips
- Alice Johnston
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Read our top tips on how to make the best burgers. Follow simple steps to achieve the perfect patties, then consider our ideas for tasty twists and toppings.
Whether you're grilling, frying or barbecuing your burgers, you need to try our tips to ensure you end up with the most succulent burgers you'll ever taste. The recipes are as simple as possible with basic steps that everyone can follow.
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How to make a burger patty
- When choosing your mince, make sure to pick the best quality produce you can to maximise on taste. Look out for mince with at least 20% fat as this will improve the flavour and juiciness of the meat. Lower quality mince will release a lot of moisture when cooking, resulting in a drier burger.
- If you're buying mince from the butcher, you don't have to choose fillet or sirloin. Instead, opt for rump, skirt, shin or chuck – more affordable options that still have lots of flavour.
- When shaping burger patties, lightly wet your hands so the mince does not stick. Carefully roll the mixture into balls, each about the size of a tennis ball. Then gently squeeze these down against the palm of your hand to make flat patties, about 3cm thick.
- Adding egg helps to hold the mixture together and create a nice soft texture, though they're not always neccessary.
- Use spices and herbs to jazz up your burger. For Middle Eastern vibes, add harissa pasta to lamb mince, or if you're going for an Asian flavour, spring onion and miso are good choices.
- Add an extra element of flavour and texture with toppings like bacon, your favourite cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup or another sauce, salads and pickles.
How to make a veggie burger patty
- Choose your basic burger ingredient. Lentils, pulses, mushrooms and halloumi work especially well.
- Ramp up the flavour by using garlic, herbs and spices in the patty.
Read our guide on how to make the perfect veggie burger.
Now try our top 5 easy burger recipes...
1. Fabulous falafel
One of our most popular burger recipes, these falafel burgers are amazingly light yet packed with flavour from harissa paste and spices. If you're short on time, this simple veggie option is quick to whip up, requiring less than 20 minutes to prepare and cook before serving in a toasted pitta with fresh tomato salsa and salad. For another tasty veggie option, make these healthy chickpea & coriander burgers, both high in fibre and delivering two of your five-a-day!
2. Brilliant beef
Sometimes, you just can't beat a big, juicy beefburger. Only four ingredients are needed to make these succulent patties, but you can customise the recipe to your taste by adding any extras like cheese, herbs and spices. For example, mature cheddar, parsley and Worcestershire sauce work well and they're also excellent additions to this easy cheeseburger recipe, served with homemade chips.
3. Super salmon
Not only are these prawn & salmon burgers simple and quick to make – needing only 25 minutes – they're also packed with a healthy dose of omega-3. For an extra kick, mix a few teaspoons of sriracha with mayo sauce to create a super spicy filling. If you're looking for more fish burger options or want something even more wholesome, you should also try our Thai-style superhealthy salmon burgers.
4. Luscious lamb
These DIY lamb kofta burgers are cheap, easy and quick to master, so you can keep away from that kebab van. The patties are made with garam masala for a warm, spicy note that is so satisfying. If you love classic Greek flavours, try our lamb burgers with tzatziki. These patties are more gently spiced with cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika, providing a delicious constrast with cooling cucumber and mint yogurt.
5. Tasty turkey
Make your patties with turkey for a low-fat, healthier alternative to beef or lamb. Our basic turkey burger recipe contains hidden oats which are a great way to increase the fibre in your kids' diet, too. Because turkey mince has a mild taste, it lends itself to more exciting, flavourful ingredients that all the family will enjoy. For example, we've used it to devise variations like coriander & guacamole and lemon & thyme.
Cooking tips:
- Cook onions well before you put them into a burger. Sweat them off with garlic and thyme, then add to mince or other fillings.
- Once you have made the patties, rest them in the fridge for half-an-hour before cooking, so they firm up.
- Make a dent in the middle of the burger to help it cook evenly and not rise in the middle.
- If you're cooking burgers on the hob and want to achieve a charred effect, use a griddle pan. Wait for the pan to get smoking hot (a splash of water will sizzle immediately) before adding your burger.
- If cooking on the barbecue, make sure the temperatures from the direct flame are not too hot as this ensures the burger patty has a chance to cook through before charring.
- Resist the temptation to press your burgers down with a spatula whilst cooking as this will squeeze the juices out.
- Remember to lightly brush each side of the burger with oil before flipping. Otherwise, try not to move burgers around too much or they may stick.
- If using beef or other meats, decide how long you normally like yours to be cooked. It's about 5 mins each side for medium. If you like your burgers pink in the middle, cook for 1 min less on each side. For well done, cook for 1 min more.
Watch our video on how to make great cheeseburgers:
Liked this? Try more juicy burger recipes...
Burger recipes
Vegetarian burger recipes
Best veggie burger recipes
Healthy burger recipes
10 burger sauces you can make in minutes
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Do you have any top tips for making burgers? Let us know in the comments below...
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