Jalapeño cheddar burgers with an herby grilled patty, melted sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy spicy jalapeno ranch sauce. Perfect for summer grilling or cooking indoors throughout the year.
During the summer I love to grill (and eat!) burgers, and these jalapeno cheddar burgers will be recurring with their herby, cheesy, spicy vibes. I think I’ll try them with ground turkey and even test out a veggie version.
You can add more jalapenos to these burgers, or even add chopped fresh jalapenos to the burger mixture, depending on the level of heat you’re looking for.
Packed with dried herbs, the patty mixture has tons of flavor. Combined with the creamy jalapeno ranch sauce and melty cheddar cheese this jalapeno cheddar burger recipe will become a family favorite in no time.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- ground beef: You’ll need 1 lb lean ground beef
- burger seasoning: the burger patty is seasoned with typical ranch flavors like dried parsley, dried chives, and dried dill with nutritional yeast as a savory boost of flavor. Season with salt and black pepper. Panko breadcrumbs and an egg bind the burger together.
- hamburger buns: I recommend my brioche buns because they are my favorite but you can definitely use whatever your favorite bun is.
- burger toppings: I like sharp cheddar cheese for bold flavor, shredded romaine lettuce for bite and freshness, and pickled jalapeno slices for another little kick of spice.
- burger sauce: my jalapeno ranch sauce is the perfect blend of creamy, herby, and spicy.
Substitutions
- beef: try ground chicken or ground turkey instead. I also think this burger would be good with Beyond Beef (which I love).
- other burger topping ideas: try adding sliced tomato, sliced red onion, pickles, or another green like spinach or arugula.
- cheese: try another melting cheese like Monterey Jack.
Leave a divot in the center of the prepared patty, using your thumb. While the burgers cook the centers will puff up, but if you add a divot first, the patty will cook flat.
Instructions
Prep Tips
- First, make the burger mixture. Add the ground meat, and all of the other burger patty ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well.
- Divide the meat mixture into 4 quarters.
- Roll each quarter into a large ball in your hands and then flatten it. Press a divot in the center of the patty.
- Add the patties to a preheated grill pan over medium heat.
Cook the patties for 5-7 per side, flipping once, until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Add the shredded cheese in a mound on top of each patty.
- Add about 2-3 tablespoons of water to the center of the pan and quickly add a lid.
- This creates steam and helps the cheese melt. Transfer the cooked patties to a plate to rest and toast the buns. Once the buns are toasted, transfer the buns to another plate.
- To prepare the burger, set a toasted bottom bun on a plate. Spread it with jalapeno ranch sauce.
- Add the burger patty, followed by extra pickled jalapeno slices if you like heat.
- Add the lettuce and then add sauce to the top bun before adding it on top of the lettuce to close the burger.
Tips for making burgers
- For juicy burgers avoid pressing down on them with a spatula or poking them open. This releases their moisture and can result in dry burgers.
- A toasted bun adds more texture and flavor to burgers.
- Control the heat level by adding more or less jalapeno to your burger. You can add chopped pickled jalapenos to the patty mixture for a spicier burger.
- Customize the burger by adding additional toppings like fresh tomato slices or pickles.
What to serve with jalapeno cheddar burgers
Sides are the most fun part of burger night, and I like the classic burger and fries combo. If you’re the same, try garlic Parmesan fries, Greek fries, or air fryer sweet potato wedges.
If you want something lighter on the side, try grilled elote, a southwest corn salad, or a cabbage crunch salad.
Love burgers? Try a Greek turkey burger with Tzatziki sauce, curry burger, crispy chicken burger with avocado sauce, a Blackstone smash burger, or a chipotle black bean burger next.
Storage
Store any leftover patties in the fridge, tightly wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container for abut 3 days.
FAQs
Yes, swap out the ground beef for ground turkey for a twist on a jalapeno cheddar burger.
Jalapeño Cheddar Burgers
Ingredients
For the patties
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
For the jalapeño ranch sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional *see notes
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 6-8 pickled jalapeño slices
For the burger
- 2 oz shredded white cheddar
- 4 hamburger buns
- romaine lettuce shredded
Instructions
For the patties
- Add all of the patty ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
- Divide the mixture into 4. Roll each quarter into a ball and then flatten into a burger patty, leaving an indent in the center so the burger cooks flat instead of puffing up.
- Heat a grill pan over medium or medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 5-7 minutes per side or until cooked through, until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C).
- Add the shredded cheese in mounds on top of the patties. Stream in a tablespoon or two of water to the center of the pan and quickly add a lid. Let the cheese steam for a minute or two to melt. Set the patties aside on a plate.
- Add the buns to the grill pan to toast for 2-4 minutes.
For the sauce
- Add the yogurt, mayo, and milk in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine.
For the burger
- Add sauce to the bottom bun. Add the cheesy patty, followed by pickled jalapeño slices (if using), and shredded lettuce. Add sauce to the top bun and add it to the burger to close. Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
SHARE THIS RECIPE
Rating, commenting, and sharing my recipes really helps. Thanks for taking the time! Mention @pipercooksblog on Instagram.
I see nutritional yeast in the photos of how to make but its not in the ingredient list and does not show how much to put in. How much do I use and also is it necessary. So excited to try these!
Hi Faith!
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’ve updated the recipe card and added the nutritional yeast where it should be, along with updating the notes for the recipe. You can omit the nutritional yeast if you don’t want to buy a whole bag – it’s here because a lot of store-bought ranch dressings use buttermilk powder for extra flavor, so it kind of tries to replicate a ‘cheesy’ type of tangy flavor. It’s not an exact substitute, so you can decide whether or not you want to include it. I hope you enjoy these burgers!
Jacqueline