Food Recipes Dinner Burgers 20 Next-Level Cheeseburgers to Try 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 January 15, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player 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 flavorful cheeses. The saucy nacho burger from Bobby Flay also counts salsa, sliced pickled jalapeños, and blue corn tortilla chips among its toppings. Read on for more cheesy burgers we love. 01 of 20 Crispy Comté Frico Cheeseburgers Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell Salty, buttery, and slightly sharp, Comté cheese crisps similarly to Parmesan, adding an irresistibly crunchy frico layer to these cheeseburgers. For best results, don't flip the buns straight out of the oven; letting them cool keeps the cheese crispy at the edges and soft in the center. Get the Recipe 02 of 20 Hatch Chile Smash Burgers Victor Protasio A contender for the best burger on the internet, 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 the burger to the next level. Get the Recipe 03 of 20 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. Save any leftover spreads for an out-of-this-world grilled cheese sandwich. Get the Recipe 04 of 20 Fleishers' Perfect Burgers © Abby Hocking For that perfect juicy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside burger patty, butcher 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 05 of 20 Smoked Gouda and Bacon Burgers with Barbecue Sauce © Marcus Nilsson Founding chef 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 06 of 20 Classic Cheeseburgers Dennis Prescott "This recipe is for a classic, diner-style burger with all my favorite toppings," cookbook author Dennis Prescott writes. "Adding a mustard layer to the beef before frying creates the most [incredibly] delicious crust — you'll be an immediate convert." Get the Recipe 07 of 20 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 08 of 20 Cheddar BLT Burgers with Tarragon Russian Dressing © Quentin Bacon This burger recipe from chef Laurent Tourondel features a homemade tarragon Russian dressing, and we recommend pairing it with a substantial red wine. Get the Recipe 09 of 20 Umami Burgers with Port and Stilton © Marcus Nilsson Resist the urge to pile on any of the usual toppings — lettuce, tomato, ketchup. "The port is your condiment," explains restaurateur Adam Fleischman. Get the Recipe 10 of 20 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 11 of 20 Nacho Burgers © John Kernick These juicy burgers from star chef Bobby Flay 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 12 of 20 Cheddar-Stuffed Burgers with Pickled Slaw and Fried Shallots MARCUS NILSSON Chef 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 13 of 20 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 14 of 20 Spicy 50/50 Burgers © John Kernick 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 15 of 20 Caprese Burgers © Ryan Liebe In this play on the classic Italian salad, basil pesto is kneaded into ground beef before grilling. The burgers are then topped with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and even more pesto. Get the Recipe 16 of 20 Bacon Burgers on Brioche Buns © 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 17 of 20 Urdaburger Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Smoky, melty "pimentón" cheese, crispy jamón serrano, and a savory-sweet aïoli top beef patties in this towering tapas-inspired burger from Urdaneta, a popular tapas spot in Portland, Oregon. Kalimotxo, a Spanish red wine and cola cocktail, is the inspiration for the marvelously mauve aïoli. Get the Recipe 18 of 20 Double Cheeseburgers, Los Angeles-Style © Chris Court For these double cheeseburgers, chef Roy Choi mixes toasted sesame seeds into the mayo for extra flavor and texture. He also tops the burgers with a combination of fresh shiso leaves and butter lettuce, in addition to thinly sliced red onion and tomato. Get the Recipe 19 of 20 Grilled Halloumi Burgers with Citrus Tapenade Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn These vegetarian burgers feature halloumi, a tangy, salty cheese from Cyprus that holds its shape when heated, making it ideal for the grill. When grilled or sautéed, halloumi develops a charred crust that yields to soft cheese inside. Here, we cut the halloumi across the equator for the centerpiece of the burger and season it with cumin, salt, and pepper. It's then topped with a citrusy olive tapenade with just enough crushed red pepper flakes to lend it a touch of heat. Get the Recipe 20 of 20 Classic Beef Burgers © Tina Rupp The sauce for these burgers from master griller Steven Raichlen, made with either Colby or cheddar cheese and lager, can be prepared the day beforehand. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit