Hawaiian Burger Recipe

Male hands holding a Hawaiian burger up to the camera.

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Low Salt

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Resting time 5

Total Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 581kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

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.

Nutrition