Skip The Bun And Give Burgers A Mexican-Style Twist With This Crispier Alternative

Burgers are already close to the perfect food, but there aren't many things that won't benefit from getting a crispy upgrade. Normally, the texture in a burger only comes from the toppings, like lettuce, or maybe toasting the bun. But those are small contrasts to a meal that's mostly soft, tender, and juicy. That's why you need to think beyond the bun. Swapping that out for crispy bread is part of what sets a patty melt apart, or you could go one step further and make one Mexican-style with a quesadilla burger.

You don't need to think too hard to imagine why this simple mash-up works. Our quesadilla burger recipe puts all the emphasis on the meat and cheese, while providing an ultra-crispy counterpoint on both sides without any squishy bread getting in the way and making up half of every bite. Once you've cooked up a burger however you like, stovetop, grilled, whatever, it just gets sandwiched in between two good store-bought flour tortillas, held together by melty cheese, with whatever toppings you like. Frying it just like a normal quesadilla produces flaky flatbreads that are all crunch, providing the kind of balanced bite that keeps you coming back for more.

The only thing that might trip you up on this is treating the toppings like a normal burger. The same options certainly work, but you'll want to use a lighter hand. This is a quesadilla as much as a burger, and the cheese needs to hold everything together, so pile the toppings too high, and you're looking at a mess.

Our quesadilla burger uses a chipotle mayo and pico de gallo as toppings to add a little more Mexican flavor, but there are plenty more choices that go great with this recipe. A classic of Mexican taco stands is a mixture of charred onions and chiles, and that sharp, smokey combo makes a fantastic burger topping as well. Or you could make a parallel move into New Mexico with green chile sauce and cheddar.

Because you have those crispy tortillas, it also makes it easier to add other smooth toppings without the whole thing getting too gloopy, which makes this a great place to add some guacamole. Its cool flavor is a nice counterpoint to all the heavy flavors, and you can balance out the extra richness it brings with pickled jalapeños or red onions.

You don't have to limit yourself to toppings that go great with burgers either. Think a little outside the box and try some black beans with a red chile sauce. Combined with the burger, it becomes almost like eating a chili quesadilla. For a slightly sweeter contrast to the burger, try corn salsas like a cowboy caviar too. They add crunch, freshness, and acid from the tomatoes and tangy sauce. Burgers are already amazingly versatile, and the texture of a crunchy fried quesadilla only helps with that. It's never going to replace a classic hamburger, but it's always great to find a fun alternative to an old standby.

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