15 Tempting Twists On The Classic Burger

At the Marketplace at Emerald Valley in Washington, Pennsylvania, lemon zest and fresh mint go into every lamb burger patty. A tangle of sweet balsamic onions, a hint of chile, and briny feta balance the charred meat and brioche bun. Ground lamb falls on the fattier side; if using a grill, watch out for flare-ups. Lamb Burger with Mint, Feta, and Balsamic Onions

This burger, inspired by one created in Modernist Cuisine co-author Nathan Myhrvold’s culinary lab, is topped with a tangy cream and vermouth sauce. Adding egg yolks to freshly ground meat makes for a supremely rich burger. Get the recipe for the Ultimate Grilled Cheeseburger »

“Combining a mild fish like cod with store-bought curry paste, cilantro, and kaffir lime makes for an incredibly flavorful patty, and serving it with a simple topping of thinly sliced cucumbers, red onion, and cilantro tossed with nuoc cham (a classic Vietnamese dipping sauce made from garlic, chile, sugar, fish sauce, and lime) is my ideal summer meal.” —Farideh Sadeghin, Test Kitchen Director Get the recipe for the Thai Fish Burger »

The sweet onions and earthy rye bread in this sandwich call for a fruity Belgian-style beer. Get the recipe for Patty Melt »

Japanese comfort food meets the all-American burger. Get the recipe for Japanese Pretzel Tonkatsu Burger

A riff on a breakfast plate, these burgers get a wonderfully spicy flavor from an even mix of ground beef and chorizo. Get the recipe for Pan-Fried Chorizo Burgers with Avocado, Fried Eggs and Spicy Mayo »

A far cry from the standard grilled-mushroom-cap-as-burger, these ultra-savory portobello patties get a further umami boost from garlic and steak sauce—a perfect match for a flavorful topping of melted blue cheese and tangy caramelized red onions.

Cumin, paprika, coriander, and both poblano and chipotle chiles lend their robust flavor to this earthy black bean burger.

For these addictively tasty burgers, ground beef is pressed onto the griddle with paper-thin slices of onion and seared until crisp around the edges.

Get the recipe for Papa’s Favorite Wild West Hamburger »

These spicy burgers are topped with roasted New Mexico chiles and two kinds of cheese.

Pimento cheese is a popular burger topping in and around Columbia, South Carolina. The cheese gives so much flavor to the burger that you won’t need ketchup. See the recipe for Pimento Cheese Burger »