Have you ever tried a burger with salsa? This zesty, delicious salsa burger recipe will have you coming back for seconds! Topped with a chunky salsa made of tomatoes, peppers and onions, these salsa burgers bring serious flavor and freshness to our favorite summertime staple.
No cookout, summer pot-luck or back yard BBQ is complete with out a great burger. However, sometimes burgers get a little ordinary. I’ve got a sure-fire way to bring your regular, ordinary burgers to extraordinarily awesome!
This salsa burger recipe is made with a seasoned ground beef burger mixture that stays flavorful and juicy. The burgers are topped with a zesty salsa along with pepper jack cheese.
These burgers will be a new summertime staple for your next cookout with friends and family.
What do I need to make salsa burgers?
To make juicy, flavorful burgers you’ll need a few simple ingredients:
- Ground beef – to keep your burgers juicy while cooking, go with a 80/20 fat mixture. Don’t go any lower than a 90/10 mix, as the fat is important to the flavor and juiciness of the burger.
- Worcestershire sauce – this universal seasoning sauce is a fantastic way to add flavor to any burger recipe.
- Mayonnaise – adding mayo to your burger mix is a great way to add some moisture and helpful binding to help your burgers hold their shape.
- Seasoning salt – I use a simple garlic/pepper/salt mixture that is great for seasoning beef.
- Chili powder – this is a complimentary spice that goes well with the salsa.
- Pepper
- Pepper Jack Cheese – a great pairing with the salsa. If you would prefer another type of cheese, Cheddar, American or Jack cheeses would be good alternative.
- Burger Buns – I chose a sesame bun, bun any burger bun of your choosing is good.
- Salsa – in the recipe I created a simple chunky salsa that includes a can of petite diced tomatoes, yellow and green bell peppers, white onion, cilantro, garlic and vinegar. If time is tight, feel free to use a store-bought pico de gallo or other chunky salsa.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post to the recipe card. Thanks!
How do I make a salsa burger recipe?
To make hamburgers, start by mixing the ground beef with the Worcestershire sauce, mayo, seasoning salt, chili powder and pepper in a mixing bowl.
Divide the ground beef mixture into baseball-sized balls. Pat the balls into 3″ round patties.
Pro-Tip: To prevent the burgers from puffing up while cooking, create a small divot in the center of each patty. This will allow the burger to cook flatly and retain its shape.
How long do I grill hamburgers?
For a medium-cook, grill burgers of a 1/2″ thickness for approximately 5 minutes per side at a medium-low heat. This cook time is for using a gas grill where you can regulate the temperature.
How do I know my burgers are done?
For best results, use an instant-read digital thermometer to check the temperature of your burgers. Hamburgers need to reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees to be considered done and safe to eat.
I use and love my Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Thermometer for grilling burgers, chicken, chops and steaks. It’s also fantastic for roasts and even my Thanksgiving turkey!
Thermapen ONE Instant Read Digital Thermometer
This is my go-to tool for grilling and roasting! With a Thermapen there’s no guessing if or when the meat is done. The precise temperature will provide you with meat that is perfectly cooked, juicy and delicious EVERY time!
Once your burgers come off the grill, top with some slices of pepper jack cheese while they’re still hot. Cover with some foil for a couple minutes to let the cheese melt a bit, and to also help keep the juices in the burger. From here, you’re then ready to top your burgers with your homemade salsa.
Along with burger buns, and a few lettuce leaves, your burgers are then ready to be topped with the delicious salsa.
Love salsa? Check out our other salsa and sauce recipes:
- Classic Pico de Gallo Salsa
- Pineapple Mango Salsa
- Parmesan Ranch Dipping Sauce
- Loaded Guacamole
- Smokey Chipotle Dipping Sauce
- Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
- Chick fil A Creamy Salsa Dressing
What can I serve with burgers?
Traditionally, burgers are paired with fries. However, there are many more side options that go great with burgers. Here are some of our most popular sides that go great with burgers and are perfect for a barbecue or cookout:
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Wedges
- Calico Beans with Bacon
- Classic Macaroni Salad
- Parmesan Ranch Steak Fries
- Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
- Italian Tortellini Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Deviled Egg Potato Salad
FAQ’s for making and grilling salsa burgers:
Use an 80/20 ground beef for burgers. An ample amount of fat is necessary for flavor and to prevent your burgers from drying out when cooking.
For a burger that’s 1/2-3/4 inches thickness, cook the burgers for approximately 5 minutes per side over medium-low heat. This will render a medium doneness that will have a small amount of pink in the center of the burger.
To make a juicy, flavorful hamburger, consider adding Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise and a combination of seasoning salt, pepper and or onion powder. Mix these ingredients into the ground beef before forming the beef patties.
When cooking or grilling burgers, add the cheese slices approximately one minute before removing them from the grill or pan. This will allow the cheese to soften and melt slightly, without completely melting the cheese and having it slide off the patty.
If you loved this burger recipe, check out our other popular recipes from the grill:
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Juicy Salsa Burgers with Pepper Jack Cheese
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls These stainless steel mixing bowls are an essential cooking tool for every kitchen.
- Grilling Spatula These stainless steel grilling tools by OXO are perfect for quick grilling.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef (80/20 or 90/10 fat content)
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese (or other cheese of your preference)
- 4 hamburger buns
Salsa Recipe:
- 1 (14.5 oz. can) petite diced tomatoes
- 1/2 large green pepper about 1/2 cup, diced
- 1/2 large yellow pepper about 1/2 cup, diced
- 1/2 medium white onion (about 1/2 cup), diced
- 3 Tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
Instructions
For the Salsa:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, green and yellow pepper, onion, cilantro, garlic and vinegar. Stir to combine all ingredients. Set aside.
For the Burgers:
- Preheat your grill to a medium high heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, Worcestershire, mayonnaise, salt, chili powder and pepper. Mix well. Using your hands, press and pat four quarter pound patties, making sure to wash hands before and after handling the raw meat.
- Reduce grill temperature to medium low. Grill the burgers for about 5 minutes per side for a medium doneness. Add the pepper jack cheese, and let cheese melt for about 1 minute. Remove the burgers from the grill.
- Cover burgers with foil and let rest for a couple minutes to help the burgers retain their juices.
- Add burgers to slices buns, and top with approximately 2 tablespoons of the prepared salsa. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I love the idea of using the salsa on the burgers! Delicious! #client
We like burgers and we like salsa so we really liked the idea of putting them together. I have a rule that when I end up going to someone’s blog twice from a link party that it is time to sign up to follow them and so here I am signing up to follow you. I look forward to many more wonderful recipes from you. Thank you for sharing on Happiness is Homemade link party. Shared and pinned.
That looks like a good burger! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up!
Those burgers look so pretty and delish! I’m going to try this next time I make burgers. Although, since I’m Mexican, I’ll add some jalapenos to the salsa. 🙂
I’ll be pinning and tweeting this.
Greetings from the Inspire Me Monday Linky!
-Fabi at Wonder Fabi
These are so colourful and look too good to eat! I could try though LOL Thanks so much for sharing with us at #overthemoon link party. I’ve shared on social media. Have a great week and see you next week.
Sue
Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
What a fabulous idea! Yum! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
This sounds like a yummy spin on a traditional burger! Thanks for linking up with Merry Monday; I’m featuring your salsa burgers at our upcoming party. I hope you’ll stop by and link up again!
This is one awesome burger. Thanks for sharing at the #InspirationSpotlight party @DearCreatives Pinned & sharing. Have a happy 4th of July.
This looks so yummy! Love the vibrant colors too. Perfect for summer! Thank you for sharing it with us at Food Friday! Your recipe is our feature for this week, yay! 😀