The Best Teriyaki Burgers

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I've been on a quest to find a recipe for the best teriyaki burgers for quite some time.

teriyaki burgers

Every one I've tried in the past seems to have some issue: the sauce requires too much work or winds up tasting like soy sauce, the pineapples are too watery and limp, the burger is just “blah.” On top of that, Nate has a weird hangup about mixing fruit/sweet tastes with any sort of meat, so it's nearly impossible to find a teriyaki burger that he won't turn his nose at. But I've done it. I've finally, finally done it. And it's so easy.

Yield: 8 servings

The Best Teriyaki Burgers

teriyaki burgers

These teriyaki burgers are so easy and so flavorful, with the perfectly-grilled pineapples on top of a melty-buttery patty.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 can (20 oz) pineapple slices
  • 1/2 cup teriyaki glaze
  • 2 pounds ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 8 whole grain hamburger buns
  • 8 slices Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise as a condiment, if desired

Instructions

  1. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice
  2. Stir together teriyaki sauce and reserved pineapple juice in small bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, ginger, bread crumbs and 1/4 cup teriyaki mixture. Shape into 8 patties.
  4. Heat grill to medium-high heat
  5. Brush the grill with oil. Grill patties over direct medium-high heat, brushing with remaining teriyaki mixture, approximately 3 minutes per side until brown, adding cheese slices during the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat.
  6. Grill pineapples about 30 seconds to one minute on each side over direct high heat and top burgers with pineapple slices.
  7. Serve on buns spread lightly with mayonnaise, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

8 servings

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 740Total Fat: 45gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 28gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 1311mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 47g
teriyaki burgers with pineapple
teriyaki burgers sauce

One of the things that makes the sauce for these teriyaki burgers so incredible is the fact that the recipe uses a mixture of teriyaki sauce and pineapple juice, so the teriyaki sauce isn't too overpowering. I've seen a lot of recipes use straight teriyaki sauce, but I use teriyaki glaze because I prefer a thicker consistency. Keep an eye out when you're buying at the grocery store – they are different.

teriyaki burgers with ginger

Freshly grated ginger is a key part of these teriyaki burgers. Don't try to use the powdered stuff.

teriyaki burgers recipe

The BIG key to these, I think, is using ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. The taste doesn't fight with the teriyaki and the meat easily absorbs the flavors quite nicely so you don't have to drown it with sauce. These are tender and light instead of heavy like so many I've tried.

grilled teriyaki burgers

It's important to brush the grill with oil before cooking the teriyaki burgers, otherwise they'll stick.

Good Pineapples are the Key to Good Teriyaki Burgers

pineapple teriyaki burgers

Lightly charred pineapple slices make the perfect edition to this burger, but you really do need a grill to accomplish this. I use Dole pineapple slices because they're nice and thick as opposed to some store-brand ones I've tried. Make sure to get pineapple slices in 100% pineapple juice, not the ones in heavy syrup. Otherwise, you'll be adding unnecessary sweetness to the teriyaki burgers.

teriyaki burgers

I served my teriyaki burgers with a side of garden-fresh jalapeño peppers stuffed with worcestershire, mozzarella and cream cheese and grilled briefly in foil. Delicious!

teriyaki burgers

Everyone else in the house seemed thrilled with the recipe as well. Nate's comment was, “Wow, I'd actually eat these again!” which is utterly unheard of for any dish containing fruit AND meat. Score.

Have you ever tried making teriyaki burgers at home, or do you generally stick to teriyaki burgers from a restaurant?

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