Cooking Burgers? Add One Cup Of This To Your Mixture For A Flavor Blast

One of the best things about a homemade burger is that there are no rules. You can make it as big or as small as you want, cook it just the way you like it, and include as many additions as you like. Making your own burgers means you can experiment with flavors and ingredients that you might not find at a restaurant. If you're looking for a burger with a real umami punch and extra texture, try mixing crispy fried onions into your ground beef.

You don't want the crispy fried onions to overwhelm the burger, but you don't want them to get lost either. Try mixing one cup of the onions into one pound of ground beef. You can add additional seasoning as you like, but remember that if you add too many strong flavors, the onion taste might get lost in the process. If you like a simpler burger, you don't need to add anything else at this point. You can just season the patties once you have them on the grill with some salt and pepper.

Whether grilled or pan-fried in a cast iron skillet, the onions on the outside of the burger will stay crisp as the meat browns, while the onions inside become softer and more flavorful. The recipe is very reminiscent of the vintage Oklahoma onion burger, but using crispy fried onions gives it a textural boost as well as adding some amped up onion flavor.

Onion and beef are a classic flavor combination. If you really love a richer, more complex and sweet onion flavor, then you might want to try swapping fried onions for these foolproof caramelized onions. This version of the recipe takes more time because you can't rush caramelized onions. If you rush them, you'll end up with sauteed onions, which are still delicious but lack a deep flavor. It's always a good idea to make a large batch of caramelized onions when you take the time to cook them properly, allowing you to freeze the leftovers and save time later.

For caramelized onion burgers, you want your onions diced. Use about one cup of onion for one pound of ground beef. You can add in seasoning at this point or just leave it as is. Fold the onions into the beef to get them mixed evenly. You don't want to overmix your beef, just enough to incorporate the onions. Then divide the beef mixture into balls before shaping them into patties. Thicker burgers will be much juicier on the inside thanks to the onions. If you go for smash burgers, you can get a good sear that boosts the natural flavor of both the onion and the beef. Don't forget to salt and pepper your patty right before you put it on the grill.

Topped with cheese and bacon, any version of these onion burgers offers a ton of flavor. The onions help extend the beef so you can get more burgers for your buck, too. It's a real win-win.