The BEST Jalapeño Cheddar Burgers
Get ready for the ultimate burger experience! These jalapeño cheddar burgers have been dubbed the BEST burgers I’ve ever made by my teens. The combination of ground beef and pork creates an incredibly juicy, flavorful burger that’s perfectly spicy and cheesy in every single bite.
Whether you’re firing up the grill for a weekend cookout or making weeknight burgers special, this jalapeño cheese burger recipe delivers big flavor with minimal fuss. The best part? The cheese melts inside the patty as it cooks, creating pockets of gooey deliciousness!
The Secret: Beef and Pork Blend
While you can certainly make these with 100% ground beef, the beef and pork combination takes them to another level:
A typical ratio is 70% ground beef to 30% ground pork, but anywhere from 60/40 to 80/20 works great. Use 80-85% lean ground beef for best results.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
If you prefer to keep this recipe pork-free, simply substitute with ground beef.
- Ground beef / beef mince.
- Ground pork / pork mince.
- Panko breadcrumbs. You can use Italian breadcrumbs or fresh breadcrumbs too.
- Eggs.
- Seasonings: I kept it simple with salt, black pepper, dried oregano and a touch of garlic powder. Feel free to add any seasonings of your choice.
- Fresh jalapeños. Fresh jalapeños maintain a nice bite and don’t make the patties soggy like pickled ones can.
- Cheddar cheese. I chose to grate my own cheddar cheese as I don’t like the starch store-bought shredded cheese is coated with to prevent sticking. Choose a good sharp or matured cheddar for the best flavor. Pepper Jack, Gruyere, etc. are all good substitutes.
- Burger toppings: When the patty has this much flavor, I keep the burger simple. A toasted bun, a slick of mayo and to mirror the flavors, some more cheddar and jalapeños on top. That’s completely optional though. Make them even simpler by serving the juicy patties on toasted buns as is. Or go all-out and add sliced or caramelized onions, crispy bacon, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes.
How to Make Jalapeño Cheddar Burgers
This homemade burger recipe comes together quickly:
Step 1: Prep the Ingredients Finely chop fresh jalapeños (remove seeds for less heat, keep them for more spice). Grate the cheddar cheese using the large holes of a box grater. Don’t use pre-shredded cheese – it contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly.
Step 2: Mix the Patties In a large bowl, gently combine ground beef, ground pork, grated cheddar, chopped jalapeños, salt and pepper. Don’t overmix! Overworking the meat makes tough, dense burgers. Mix just until combined.
Step 3: Form the Patties Divide the mixture into equal portions. Form into patties slightly larger than your buns (they’ll shrink as they cook).
Step 4: Cook the Burgers Grill over medium-high heat, pan-fry in a cast iron skillet or use your air fryer. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side for medium doneness, until internal temperature reaches 160°F/71°C (since we’re using pork, it needs to be fully cooked).
Step 5: Toast the Buns While burgers rest, toast your buns on the grill or in a pan with a little butter for extra flavor and texture.
Step 6: Assemble and Serve Spread mayonnaise on toasted buns, add your burger, top with extra cheddar slices and fresh jalapeño slices if desired. Or keep it completely simple and let the loaded patty be the star!
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
✶Make-Ahead: Form patties up to 24 hours in advance. Stack with parchment paper between each patty and refrigerate in an airtight container.
✶Freezing: These freeze beautifully! Form patties, place parchment paper between each one, and freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer to freezer bags. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
✶Cooking from Frozen: You can cook these straight from frozen—just add 3-4 minutes to the cooking time and ensure they reach 160°F internal temperature.
Serving Suggestions
Classic Sides:
- French fries or sweet potato fries
- Potato chips
- Coleslaw
- Potato salad
- Corn on the cob
Lighter Options:
Ingredients
- 2 lb (1kg) ground beef / beef mince
- 1 lb (500g) ground pork / pork mince
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs beaten
- 3 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1-2 fresh jalapeños finely chopped (remove seeds if you want it less spicy)
- 4-5 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine the meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, grated cheese, jalapeños and seasoning in a large bowl.
- Using your hands, mix together until everything is fully combined.
- Fry a tablespoon of the mixture in a hot pan and taste for seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
- With wet hands, form the mixture into 12 patties. I made mine around 5oz/150g but make them bigger if you prefer.
- At this point, I wrapped the patties in strips of parchment paper and frozen them in freezer bags. I'll thaw them overnight in the fridge before cooking.
- To cook, heat a large nonstick frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through.
- Serve on toasted buns with toppings of your choice.
Nutrition
FAQ
Absolutely! Use 100% ground beef (80-85% lean). The pork adds extra juiciness and flavor, but all-beef works great too.
They have a nice kick but aren’t overwhelmingly spicy, especially if you remove the jalapeño seeds. You control the heat level based on how many jalapeños you use and whether you keep the seeds.
You can, but freshly grated cheese melts much better. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents that prevent proper melting inside the burger.
No! The cheese actually helps bind the mixture. Adding fillers makes the burgers less juicy and more meatloaf-like.
Since they contain pork, cook to 160°F internal temperature for food safety. Use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
Yes! Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they reach 160°F internal temperature.
Don’t overmix the meat, handle gently when forming patties, and flip only once during cooking. The cheese helps bind everything together!