This Hawaiian burger offers the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Nothing says summer like a nice, juicy burger, and this is an easy recipe the whole family will love. Ready in just 15 minutes!
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Why You'll Love These Hawaiian Burgers:
In our house, we live for a big old cheeseburger! It's a super easy dinner that whips up pretty quickly and satisfies people of all ages. And even better, there are a ton of different ways you can add a delicious twist to a grilled burger recipe.
For today's twist, I'm throwing it back to almost 15 years ago. My husband and I had just gotten married and were on our 10-day honeymoon on the island of Hawaii. The entire trip was pretty magical, but one thing I remember laughing about (then and now) is how nuts my husband went over each Hawaiian burger he ate on that trip!
For those who have been readers for a while, you know I married one of the pickiest eaters out there. So you can imagine my surprise when he couldn't get enough of them! And being that we were in Hawaii, pretty much every menu had some sort of Hawaiian hamburger option, complete with a piece of pineapple on it.
If my picky husband loves these, I'm almost positive you all will too. Here are some of my favorite parts of this recipe:
- Dinner is prepped, ready, and on the table in just 15 minutes
- Such a fun flavor combination
- Features grilled pineapple and onion slices too
- Everything you love about Hawaiian cuisine in burger form!
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Ground Beef- Choose your preferred ground beef blend. I like 80/20 myself!
- Pineapple- I'm using canned pineapple to make things a whole lot easier. Plus, I like making Hawaiian burgers whenever the mood strikes — and anyone who's been to Hawaii will tell you, mainland pineapples just aren't the same after you've eaten them in Hawaii!
- Onion- As mentioned we're also grilling the onions. I love the added charred flavor, and cooking the onion will mellow out that sharpness. Red onion is my choice , but whichever variety you like will work.
- Cheese- I like mozzarella, but other options include gouda, provolone, or a mild cheddar.
- Sauces- You'll need soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Hawaiian cuisine is heavily influenced by Japanese cooking, so it makes sense and add great flavor!
- Seasonings- Ground ginger and garlic salt highlight the Asian-inspired flavors.
- Buns- Just regular hamburger buns are okay here. You could also go all out and serve these on Hawaiian rolls!
How To Make Aloha Burgers
Step 1- Make the burger patties.
Add the ground beef, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, ground ginger, and garlic salt to a large bowl and mix until well combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat!
Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions to form your patties. Make a small dimple in the middle of each.
Step 2- Make the quick marinade for the pineapple and onion.
Place the pineapple and onion slices in a separate bowl and drizzle with teriyaki. Gently toss to coat evenly- our you can brush them sauce evenly over them.
Step 3- Grill the burgers and toppings.
Place the burgers on your preheated grill and cook for around 4 minutes on each side. Top with cheese during the last few minutes of cooking time.
Place the pineapple rings, onions, and buns on the grill for about 2 minutes on each side.
Step 5- Let rest and assemble.
Remove the burgers, pineapple, onions, and buns from the grill and let the burgers rest for about 5 minutes so the juices settle.
Assemble your Hawaiian burger recipe — don't forget to drizzle with some extra teriyaki sauce — serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You don't have to, but I find that it improves the flavor of both components and mellows out the onion flavor a bit as well.
You can, but your Hawaii burger won't be as juicy or flavorful. Now I understand if you’re trying to be healthier, but a good alternative could also be eating a smaller portion of the 80/20 burger so you don't have to sacrifice flavor.
Yes! Use whatever cheese you want. I went with mozzarella because it's pretty mild in flavor. I didn't want the cheese flavor to overpower all the other delicious sweet and savory flavors in these burgers.
I personally love the combination of sweet and savory flavors! I also find the soy sauce and teriyaki do a great job of bringing everything together. If you love Hawaiian pizza with ham and pineapple, you'll likely love my Hawaiian hamburger recipe!
Tips For Making A Pineapple Burger
- Get the right kind of ground beef. You’ve probably heard that fat equals flavor. This could not be more true! I encourage you to go with no less fat content than 80/20 ground beef.
- Keep the ground beef super cold up until cooking. Warm ground beef will often stick to your hands making it difficult to create a nice patty. This is due to the fat melting as it warms. This also means the fat is not where you really want it, which is in your burger.
- Don’t overwork the beef. When you mix the ingredients for your Hawaiian burgers, make sure you don’t overmix the beef or it will get tough as it cooks.
- Make a dimple to maintain the shape. When forming your patties, it’s generally a good idea to create a small dimple in the middle of each. This helps keep the cooked patty flat since the center will dome upwards as it cooks.
- Turn your Hawaiian burger once. This seems to be a debate in various circles. While I’ve heard valid arguments on both sides, in our home we turn our burgers once.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for a perfectly cooked burger every time. Getting the temperature right is important first and foremost for safety reasons, but also for great texture and flavor! Aim for 140-145°F for a medium cook.
- Rest the burgers. Resist the temptation to dig right in and let it rest to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can make the patties ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to 1-2 days or freeze up to 3 months in an air tight container.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Use your microwave or oven to reheat.
What To Serve With An Aloha Burger
I've been known to scarf down a few of these as a full meal! But they would also pair wonderfully with:
More Delicious Ground Beef Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Hawaiian Burger Recipe
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef,
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 bottle teriyaki sauce, divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 can sliced pineapple, drained
- 1 large red onion, sliced into ½ inch thick rings
- 4 slices mozzarella cheese
- 4 burger buns
Instructions
- Spray the grill with nonstick cooking spray and preheat to medium high.
- In a large bowl add ground beef, 2 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, ground ginger and garlic salt. Mix until well combined being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Divide into 4 equal portions and form them into patties, making a small dimple in the middle of each.
- In a separate bowl, drizzle a couple tablespoons of teriyaki sauce onto the pineapple slices and onion slices. Gently toss to fully coat, being careful not to separate the onion rings.
- Grill the burgers for around 4 minutes per side, turning once until they reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees (or more if you don't want any pink). Top with slices of mozzarella during the last minute or two of cooking to melt.
- Grill the pineapple rings, onion slices and the buns for around 2 minutes per side to get a nice char without fully burning them.
- Remove everything from the heat and rest the burgers for 5 minutes.
- Place the burgers on the bottom bun.
- Top with onions and then pineapple.
- Drizzle with a little more teriyaki sauce and top with top bun. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Get the right kind of ground beef. You’ve probably heard that fat equals flavor. This could not be more true! I encourage you to go with no less fat content than 80/20 ground beef.
- Keep the ground beef super cold up until cooking. Warm ground beef will often stick to your hands making it difficult to create a nice patty. This is due to the fat melting as it warms. This also means the fat is not where you really want it, which is in your burger.
- Don’t overwork the beef. When you mix the ingredients for your Hawaiian burgers, make sure you don’t overmix the beef or it will get tough as it cooks.
- Make a dimple to maintain the shape. When forming your patties, it’s generally a good idea to create a small dimple in the middle of each. This helps keep the cooked patty flat since the center will dome upwards as it cooks.
- Turn your Hawaiian burger once. This seems to be a debate in various circles. While I’ve heard valid arguments on both sides, in our home we turn our burgers once.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for a perfectly cooked burger every time. Getting the temperature right is important first and foremost for safety reasons, but also for great texture and flavor! Aim for 140-145°F for a medium cook.
- Rest the burgers. Resist the temptation to dig right in and let it rest to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can make the patties ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to 1-2 days or freeze up to 3 months in an air tight container.
- Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Use your microwave or oven to reheat.
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