Recipes Comfort Food Burgers 16 Next-Level Cheeseburgers to Master By Bridget Hallinan Bridget Hallinan As an Associate Food Editor, Bridget Hallinan primarily focuses on home cooking content for Food & Wine.com. She writes and edits recipe content, interviews chefs for helpful tips and tricks, and works on franchises such as our cookbook roundups and taste tests. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 14, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio Sometimes, there's nothing better than a cheeseburger — fresh off the grill, piping hot, and oozing with melted cheese and condiments. In this roundup, we've gathered some of our favorite recipes, including creative burgers topped with cheddar, smoked gouda, stilton, and more. More of a cheese sauce fan? We've got options for that, too: the nacho burger from Bobby Flay also counts salsa, sliced pickled jalapeños, and blue corn tortilla chips among its toppings. Read on for the recipe, and more cheesy burgers we love. 01 of 16 Hatch Chile Smash Burgers Victor Protasio Is this the best burger on the Internet? We think so. This spicy, crispy, cheesy, swoon-inducing smash burger will have you going back for seconds thanks to the cheese and salsa that melt into a queso-like moment and take this burger to the next level. Get the Recipe 02 of 16 Pimiento Cheeseburgers with Bacon Jam © Abby Hocking "This is like a bacon cheeseburger that went to heaven," says chef Edward Lee, of Whiskey Dry in Louisville. The pimiento cheese and sweet bacon jam both melt into one dreamy, messy bite — this is not a burger for the faint of heart (quite literally). Save any leftover spreads for an out-of-this-world grilled cheese sandwich. Get the Recipe 03 of 16 Fleishers' Perfect Burgers © Abby Hocking For that perfect juicy-on-the-inside and crispy-on-the-outside burger patty, Bryan Mayer suggests keeping your uncooked patties extra cold and only salting them right before they hit the heat. Both tips ensure a super-tender burger, keeping those little bits of fat and moisture inside the beef. Get the Recipe 04 of 16 Smoked Gouda and Bacon Burgers with Barbecue Sauce Brian Perrone was reluctant to put a burger on the Slows Bar BQ menu because he wanted to focus on barbecue. At the insistence of his partners, he came up with this patty melt-style burger topped with smoked Gouda, sweet housemade barbecue sauce, and hot sauce-spiked onions. He's glad he did: It was an instant hit. Get the Recipe 05 of 16 Classic Cheeseburgers Dennis Prescott "This recipe is for a classic, diner-style burger with all my favorite toppings," Dennis Prescott writes. "Adding a mustard layer to the beef before frying creates the most insanely delicious crust — you'll be an immediate convert." Get the Recipe 06 of 16 Bacon-and-Kimchi Burgers © Con Poulos Chef Wesley Genovart makes this over-the-top, Shake Shack–inspired burger with two thin stacked patties, thick-cut bacon, kimchi, and a spicy homemade sauce. Get the Recipe 07 of 16 Cheddar BLT Burgers with Tarragon Russian Dressing This burger recipe from Laurent Tourondel features a homemade tarragon Russian dressing, and we recommend pairing it with a substantial red wine. Get the Recipe 08 of 16 Umami Burgers with Port and Stilton Resist the urge to pile on any of the usual toppings — lettuce, tomato, ketchup. "The port is your condiment," explains Adam Fleischman. Get the Recipe 09 of 16 Fried Green Tomato Double Cheeseburgers JOHN KERNICK "Anyone who loves a good burger has a soft spot for the Big Mac," says chef Edward Lee. In his ode to the fast food classic, he swaps the middle bun for a crisp fried green tomato that absorbs all of the savory juices from the beef, melty cheese, and sweet chile mayo. "More bread is just boring," he says. "The fried tomato adds crunch and a mild acidity." Get the Recipe 10 of 16 Nacho Burgers These juicy burgers are topped with a cheese sauce (including both Monterey Jack and pecorino), as well as salsa, sliced pickled jalapeños, and blue corn tortilla chips. Get the Recipe 11 of 16 Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers with Pickled Slaw and Fried Shallots MARCUS NILSSON Kyle Bailey makes these cheese-stuffed "Juicy Lucy" burgers with a custom blend of ground rib eye steak and pork fatback, and serves them on housemade herb-butter rolls. This streamlined version for the home cook calls for ground beef chuck and store-bought brioche buns. Get the Recipe 12 of 16 Stilton Sirloin Burgers with Onion Jam © Frances Janisch These sliders are topped with Stilton cheese, homemade onion jam, and Boston lettuce leaves. Get the Recipe 13 of 16 Spicy 50/50 Burgers Mixing seasonings into ground beef can make the burgers tough if the meat gets overworked. Chef Michael Symon ingeniously solves the problem by combining seasoned hot Italian sausage with the ground chuck. The sausage gives this cheeseburger, which is adapted from Symon's 5 in 5 cookbook, a great texture as well. Get the Recipe 14 of 16 Classic Beef Burgers The sauce for these burgers, made with either Colby or cheddar cheese and lager, can be prepared the day beforehand. Get the Recipe 15 of 16 Caprese Burgers In this play on the classic Italian salad, Grace Parisi kneads basil pesto into ground beef before grilling, then tops the burgers with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and even more pesto. Get the Recipe 16 of 16 Bacon Burgers on Brioche Buns Photo © John Kernick Brie cheese lovers will appreciate these burgers, which are not only topped with the creamy cheese but also bacon, roasted onions, and lemon mayonnaise. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit