Spicy Jalapeño Cheeseburgers

By
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches
Derrick Riches is a grilling and barbecue expert. He has written two cookbooks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 03/21/22
Jalapeno cheeseburger

John E. Kelly/Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 8 mins
Total: 18 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 6 cheeseburgers

A well-flavored beef burger covered with melted cheese can be considered perfection on a bun, but may be missing a little something for those who like a bit of heat at their cookouts. This deliciously spicy cheeseburger gets its kick from finely chopped jalapeño peppers, and when combined with the onion soup mix, steak seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce, you get one flavorful hamburger—especially when it is topped off with cheese.

This cheeseburger recipe calls for American cheese, but you can use other types of cheese as well; sharp cheddar is a good choice, but if you want to kick up the spice even more, place a slice of pepper jack cheese on top. Feel free to adjust the number of jalapeño to suit you and your family's or guests' particular palate. 

The toppings can be kept simple here as this cheeseburger can stand on its own, but the flavors also work well with a strip of cooked bacon and crispy or caramelized onions on top. And instead of mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup, consider slathering a homemade ranch dressing on the toasted buns.

Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 pickled jalapeño peppers, finely chopped, plus extra for topping if desired

  • 1/2 package dried onion soup mix

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons steak seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or sea salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

  • 3 pounds ground beef

  • 6 slices American cheese, or cheese of choice

  • 6 hamburger buns, toasted

  • Condiments, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, optional

  • Toppings of your choice, such as lettuce, tomato, onion, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Mix the jalapenos, soup mix, steak seasoning, salt, and Worcestershire sauce with the ground beef in a large mixing bowl.

  3. Form the mixture into six 1/2-inch-thick patties. Preheat the grill to high heat.

  4. Place the burgers on the grill and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the desired level of doneness is achieved. During the last minute of cooking, place 1 slice of cheese on each burger.

  5. Once the burgers are cooked through and the cheese is melted, remove from the grill and place on the toasted hamburger buns. Top with additional sliced jalapenos, if desired, and condiments and toppings.

  6. Enjoy.

The Right Beef for Burgers

Although we are constantly told to cut back on the fat, when it comes to making homemade burgers it is important that you buy ground beef with a decent percentage of fat. Otherwise, the burgers won't be juicy and flavorful and will end up dry and somewhat tasteless. A good ratio to look for is 80/20, meaning there is 20 percent fat in the ground beef. By USDA's standards, beef must have less than 22 1/2 percent fat to be labeled as lean, so an 80/20 chuck is still considered lean ground meat.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
833 Calories
45g Fat
33g Carbs
69g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 833
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 57%
Saturated Fat 17g 86%
Cholesterol 213mg 71%
Sodium 1423mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 69g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 370mg 28%
Iron 9mg 51%
Potassium 1109mg 24%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)