Hawaiian Burger
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Make an incredibly flavorful restaurant-style Hawaiian Burger at home with this easy recipe! This tasty burger is topped with grilled pineapple slices, pepper jack cheese, and teriyaki sauce creating a delicious dish that’s bursting with tropical flavors!
Table of contents
Back in high school and college, I worked at a few different burger restaurants. My first job in San Diego was at Islands Restaurant, a So Cal burger chain featuring all kinds of specialty burgers. This was the first place that I ever had pineapple on a burger and I was immediately hooked!
Inspired by the Islands Hawaiian burger, I created this recipe with grilled pineapple and homemade teriyaki sauce. For the cheese, I wanted something with a little spice, so I went with pepper jack, but Swiss cheese is also a good option.
These burgers give you all the flavors, including sweet, salty and notes of umami. They’re so delicious and easy to make in 25 minutes, or just 15 minutes if you make the homemade teriyaki sauce ahead of time. Hawaiian burgers are always a crowd pleaser at parties, and perfect for easy summer weeknight meals!
Ingredients
- Ground beef – I recommend a ground beef that’s 80/20, meaning 80% lean ground beef and 20% fat. This will give you the perfect amount of fat to make tender, juicy burgers!
- Hamburger seasoning – this easy blend of 5 spices, includes salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. It adds great flavor to any burger recipe, and it’s easy to mix up in 5 minutes or less. Click the link for the recipe, mix up a big batch and store it in your pantry for anytime you want to make burgers!
- Soy sauce – my secret ingredient for adding a wonderful umami flavor to burger patties.
- Pineapple slices – feel free to use slices from a whole fresh pineapple, or purchase sliced canned pineapple at the grocery store. I’ve made this recipe with both, and they both work great!
- Pepper jack cheese – I love this cheese on these burgers for a little kick of spice to pair with the sweetness of the pineapple and teriyaki sauce. You can also use sliced Swiss cheese, provolone or havarti cheese for a more mellow flavor.
- Hawaiian hamburger buns – any burger buns will work, but I love the sweet Hawaiian burger buns that pair perfectly with these Hawaiian burgers!
- Teriyaki sauce – click the link for my homemade recipe, plus tips and tricks on how to make it. Of course you can use bottled store-bought teriyaki sauce, but this homemade recipe is so delicious and easy to make in 10 minutes with pantry staples like soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
To begin this recipe, start by preparing the teriyaki sauce. Click the link for the full recipe. The teriyaki sauce can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in the fridge until you’re ready to make the burgers.
- Form the burger patties. Combine ground beef, hamburger seasoning and soy sauce in a bowl. Divide the mixture into four 6 ounce burger patties, about ½ inch thick. I use this burger press to get perfectly formed patties. Use your thumb to press an indentation in the middle of the burger. This will help prevent the burgers from shrinking up as they cook.
- Grill the pineapple. Heat a grill over medium-high heat. When the grill is hot, add the pineapple slices to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and set the pineapple slices aside.
- Grill the burgers. Add the burger patties to the hot grill. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Add the cheese. During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time, top each burger patty with a slice of cheese. Remove the burgers from the grill and set them aside to rest for 5 minutes.
To assemble the burgers, toast the Hawaiian hamburger buns on the grill, or in a hot skillet on the stove. Add a leaf of lettuce to the bottom bun, then place the burger patties on the lettuce. Spoon 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce over the burgers, then top with the grilled pineapple slices, any other optional toppings of your choice, and the top buns.
Optional toppings
- Pickled onions – I love the tang these pickled red onions add to this Hawaiian burger. They pair perfectly with the sweetness of the grilled pineapple and spice of the pepper jack cheese.
- Caramelized onions – if you prefer caramelized onions over pickled onions, try adding these deliciously sweet onions to the burger. While caramelizing onions does take a little time, it’s super easy! You can make them ahead of time and store them in the fridge for up to one week, or the freezer for 3 months. Click the link above for my easy step-by-step guide to caramelizing onions.
- Raw onions – if you don’t have the time to pickle or caramelize onions, you can simply add slices of raw onions to the burgers.
- Lettuce – while I used a leaf of butter lettuce on these burgers, romaine, leaf, or iceberg lettuce would also work.
- Tomatoes – a big slice of a juicy tomato is a delicious addition to these burgers.
- Mayonnaise – the original Hawaiian burger at Islands includes both mayo and teriyaki sauce. The teriyaki is enough for me, so I don’t add mayonnaise, but if you want to, you could spread some on the bottom bun, before adding the lettuce. You could also use sriracha mayo if you want to kick up the spice on the burgers!
- Bell peppers – slice a large bell pepper into 4 pieces. Add them to the grill with the pineapple and top the burgers with grilled bell peppers for a tasty addition.
- Jalapenos – sliced raw jalapenos will add a kick of spice to these burgers. You can also remove the stem, slice the jalapenos in half and remove the seeds, then grill the jalapenos with the pineapple. This will add a smoky, spicy flavor to the burgers!
- Avocado – for a creamy addition to the burgers, smash a quarter of an avocado on the bottom bun before adding the lettuce.
Recipe tips
- Do not immediately place the burgers on the buns when removing them from the grill! This is a common mistake people make when preparing burgers, and one that I did for years. By placing the toasted buns and grilled burgers on separate plates, you allow the juices to redistribute throughout the burgers and not just soak right into the buns. I recommend waiting 5 minutes before assembling the burgers. Just like you rest a steak, resting burgers makes them more juicy and flavorful! And this process prevents your buns from getting soggy, so it’s a win-win!
- Cooking a one inch thick burger for 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat will result in a medium burger. If you’d like your burger medium-well, add 1 minute per side. If you’d like well-done burgers, cook them for 6-7 minutes per side.
- Always make sure your grill is hot before adding the burgers. Adding burgers (or any food for that matter) to a hot grill is important for cooking safety. It will also give you a beautiful sear on the outside, while keeping the burgers super juicy on the inside. Burgers should be cooked over medium-high heat, between 350-400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Never flatten the burgers with a spatula while they’re on the grill. This will release all of the juicy flavor in the middle of the burger, creating a hamburger that’s less flavorful and juicy.
- This recipe can be made on the stove. No grill? No problem! Simply sear the pineapple slices and cook the burgers on a grill pan, cast iron skillet, or the heaviest skillet you have available. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple slices and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the pineapple from the skillet and add the burger patties. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Add the sliced cheese on top during the last 1-2 minutes of cook time.
What to serve with the burgers
There are dozens of options when it comes to scrumptious sides to pair with these burgers. Fries or onion rings are always a great choice, but pasta salad or grilled veggies are delicious options as well!
Try pairing this Hawaiian burger recipe with any of these tasty side dish recipes.
- Air Fryer Onion Rings (pictured above with the burgers – recipe coming soon!)
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Truffle Fries
- Red White and Blue Cheese Potato Salad
- Grilled Zucchini
- Animal Style Fries
- Cheesy Grilled Potatoes
- Grilled Brussels Sprouts
- Grilled Caesar Salad
- Bacon Tomato Avocado Pasta Salad
- Grilled Pineapple Guacamole
- Grilled Corn on the Cob
More burger recipes
Don’t miss these other delicious burger recipes, and be sure to check out my Top 10 Grilling Tips to become the master of your grill!
Hawaiian Burger
Ingredients
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce, click link for the recipe
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef, 80/20
- 1 tablespoon hamburger seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 8 pineapple slices
- 4 slices pepper jack cheese, or swiss cheese
- 4 Hawaiian hamburger buns
Instructions
- Start by preparing the teriyaki sauce, using the recipe linked here. This can be done up to 2 weeks in advance.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, hamburger seasoning, and soy sauce.
- Divide the mixture into four equal 6 ounce portions and form into ½ inch burger patties. Use your thumb to press an indentation in the middle of each burger.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.
- When the grill is hot, add the pineapple slices to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and set aside.
- Add the burger patties and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.
- During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking time, add a slice of pepper jack cheese on top of each burger patty.
- Remove the burgers from the grill and set them aside to rest for 5 minutes.
- Toast the hamburger buns on the grill, or in a skillet on the stove.
- Add a leaf of lettuce on the bottom bun (optional), then place the burger on the lettuce, spoon teriyaki sauce over the burgers, then top with the grilled pineapple and any other optional toppings, like onions, tomato, or avocado.
Notes
- Do not immediately place the burgers on the buns when removing them from the grill! By resting the grilled burgers, you allow the juices to redistribute throughout the burgers and not just soak right into the buns. I recommend waiting 5 minutes before assembling the burgers. Just like you rest a steak, resting burgers makes them more juicy and flavorful! And this process prevents your buns from getting soggy, so it’s a win-win!
- Cooking a one inch thick burger for 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat will result in a medium burger. If you’d like your burger medium-well, add 1 minute per side. If you’d like well-done burgers, cook them for 6-7 minutes per side.
- Always make sure your grill is hot before adding the burgers. Adding burgers (or any food for that matter) to a hot grill is important for cooking safety. It will also give you a beautiful sear on the outside, while keeping the burgers super juicy on the inside. Burgers should be cooked over medium-high heat, between 350-400 degrees fahrenheit.
- Never flatten the burgers with a spatula while they’re on the grill. This will release all of the juicy flavor in the middle of the burger, creating a hamburger that’s less flavorful and juicy.
- This recipe can be made on the stove. No grill? No problem! Simply sear the pineapple slices and cook the burgers on a grill pan, cast iron skillet, or the heaviest skillet you have available. Place the skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple slices and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the pineapple from the skillet and add the burger patties. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side. Add the sliced cheese on top during the last 1-2 minutes of cook time.
Nutrition Facts
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