You’ve got to try our Thai Burger! It’s smoky, sweet, savory, and has just enough heat to make it exciting. Perfect for family dinners!
If you love Thai-style food and a good burger, these easy Thai burgers are going to quickly become your new favorite. Trust me, they’re bursting with Thai flavors. This burger is amazing – seriously, one of the best burgers of my life. And I should know, having eaten my fair share of burgers over the years.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Thai Burger
- This Thai Burger packs a punch with smoky, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors in every bite.
- Grilled pineapple on top and peanut sauce in the Thai Burger give it a fun and delicious twist.
- This burger recipe is quick and simple, perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sriracha: Adds a spicy kick to your burger.
- Garlic: This aromatic adds a pungent, aromatic kick.
- Pineapple Rings: Provide a sweet and tangy contrast.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Meat Variation: You can easily swap ground beef out for ground turkey, chicken, lamb, or even plant-based meat. Each option brings its own unique flavor and texture to your burger.
- Topping Options: For an extra burst of flavor, try adding pickled onions, microgreens, avocado, cucumber slices, shredded carrots, jalapeño slices, or fresh mint or basil. Alternatively, you can try this Thai-style burger with my Asian broccoli slaw instead of the usual lettuce, pineapple, and onions.
How to Make Thai Burger
Step #1: Start by making the patties. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, carrots, ginger, garlic, cilantro, peanut sauce, Sriracha, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil until just combined. Avoid overworking the meat or it can become dry.
Step #2: Divide the meat into four portions and work them into hamburger patties.
Step #3: Fire up your grill! I used our pellet grill, and they came out fantastic.
Step #4: Place a cast iron or other BBQ-safe piece of cookware on the grill and place the intact onion rings in with a bit of oil (grapeseed works best as it has a very high smoke point) and some salt & pepper.
Step #5: Slice your pineapple into rings. If you are using canned pineapple, try to find the kind packed in natural juices instead of syrup.
Step #6: Once your grill is hot (I set our pellet grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius), place the patties on the grate and close the lid. After 5-7 minutes, flip the patties. The patties should have grill marks on them and feel a little firm. If they are still floppy when you try to turn them, it may be too soon. Once flipped, they will need another 5-7 minutes on the other side until they are done.
Step #7: Meanwhile, flip the onion rings in the cast iron skillet to get the opposite sides nice and golden.
Step #8: Place the pineapple rings directly on the grill grate. After 2-3 minutes, give them a flip. They are done when both sides have beautiful brown grill marks.
Step #9: Place both sides of your buns, interior side down, on your grill. Check them closely as they go from not done to burnt pretty quickly.
Step #10: Grab yourself a big platter and take everything off the grill.
Step #11: Assemble your burgers: Bottom bun, Sriracha mayo, lettuce, burger patty, onion, pineapple, peanut sauce, cilantro, top bun.
Ways to Serve This Thai Burger
- With Sides: Serve with an easy cucumber and onion salad or enjoy with a couple of beers.
- On Greens: Serve it over dressed greens for a refreshing salad-like meal.
- In a Wrap: Serve in a lettuce wrap for a light, crunchy option.
- As a Burger Bowl: Skip the wrap or bun and create a flavorful burger bowl.
- Low-Carb Option: If you’re watching your carbs, this burger is also delicious without the bun—just wrap everything up in a big piece of lettuce and dig in!
Expert Tips
- Achieve Perfectly Cooked Burgers: Use an instant-read thermometer and aim for an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to make sure they’re juicy and fully cooked.
- Use a Pineapple Corer: For perfect pineapple rings, use a fresh pineapple and make the job easier with a pineapple corer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Cooking these burgers on an outdoor grill adds a wonderful smoky flavor. Just make sure to preheat your grill to medium-high heat and follow the cooking times mentioned in the recipe for juicy, perfectly cooked patties.
For a different twist, instead of Sriracha mayo, try using a tangy lime juice and cilantro yogurt dressing or a creamy Thai peanut sauce.
Storage Info
To store your Thai burgers, place the cooked patties in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the patties by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer bag; they’ll stay good for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw frozen patties in the fridge overnight and warm them in a skillet over medium heat or in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.
More Delicious Thai Recipes You’ll Love
Thai Burger Recipe
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
For the Patties
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup grated carrots
- 1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 1 Tbsp. peanut sauce - you can make your own authentic Thai peanut sauce, or you can use store bought
- 2 tsp. Sriracha
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- 1 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the Burger
- 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
- 4 lettuce leaves
- 4 pineapple rings
- 1/2 onion - sliced into thick rings, keeping the sections together
- Additional peanut sauce for garnish
- Additional cilantro for garnish
- 4 tablespoons Sriracha Mayo - combine mayonnaise, Sriracha, and some sweet chili sauce in a bowl
Instructions
- Start by making the patties. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, carrots, ginger, garlic, cilantro, peanut sauce, Sriracha, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil until just combined. Avoid overworking the meat or it can become dry.
- Divide the meat into four portions and work them into hamburger patties.
- Fire up your grill! I used our pellet grill, and they came out fantastic.
- Place a cast iron or other BBQ-safe piece of cookware on the grill and place the intact onion rings in with a bit of oil (grapeseed works best as it has a very high smoke point) and some salt & pepper.
- Slice your pineapple into rings. If you are using canned pineapple, try to find the kind packed in natural juices instead of syrup.
- Once your grill is hot (I set our pellet grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius), place the patties on the grate and close the lid. After 5-7 minutes, flip the patties. The patties should have grill marks on them and feel a little firm. If they are still floppy when you try to turn them, it may be too soon. Once flipped, they will need another 5-7 minutes on the other side until they are done.
- Meanwhile, flip the onion rings in the cast iron skillet to get the opposite sides nice and golden.
- Place the pineapple rings directly on the grill grate. After 2-3 minutes, give them a flip. They are done when both sides have beautiful brown grill marks.
- Place both sides of your buns, interior side down, on your grill. Check them closely as they go from not done to burnt pretty quickly.
- Grab yourself a big platter and take everything off the grill.
- Assemble your burgers: Bottom bun, Sriracha mayo, lettuce, burger patty, onion, pineapple, peanut sauce, cilantro, top bun.
NOTES
Nutrition
This burger came together so easily and tasted even better than I expected! Thank you for sharing this recipe. 😊
“We’re Here, We’re Gruyere, Get Used to It Burger” oh my gosh I am CRACKING UP over here Anetta 🙂
I KNOW! I wish I could take credit for that. Brilliant.
Haha… I’ve never seen Bob’s Burgers but now I feel like I need to watch it! Your burger looks delicious, whatever you choose to call it. As for name suggestions, hmmm…. Thai-me-down burger? I am terrible at these things!
That’s so clever! Very fifty shades of grey 😉