You have the standard toppings of ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, and tomato, but have you ever thought about something different you could use? Something out of the ordinary? Have you ever thought about any unique burger toppings?
We have too! So we are going to take a look at some different types of toppings for that all-important burger and see how they stack up! You should think about the types of cuisine you like to eat – anything can be put into burger form!
How About a PB or Chocolate Addition?
Peanut Butter: peanut butter is not just for a PBJ. You could use it as a spread on your burger, or make a sauce with it. You could spice it up with say chili powder or red chilies, or go the sweet route and add some jelly to it. Try this as a replacement to mayo adding a whole new flavor profile to your burger.
Hot Fudge: why not mix sweet and savory as a unique burger topping. It’s done in so many different ways, why not on a burger. It adds a smooth texture and enhances the flavor of the beef. If you like a spicy rub, add some unsweetened cocoa powder to the rub. The spicy flavors will be enhanced by the bitterness of the chocolate.
Nutella: to go along with the chocolate idea, why not Nutella? It also gives you that hazelnut flavor. Adding chocolate gives the hamburger a different dimension of flavor. That’s why it works so well when adding it to the spiciness flavor of chili.
Cream Cheese: cream cheese is so . . . creamy! Why not give it a try instead of your regular cheese. There are different flavors you can choose from to change up the flavor of your burger. This would be great on beef or your chicken burger.
Toppings from Different Types of Cuisine
We think of Chinese or Mexican or Italian food as just the cuisines they are. But these could definitely be some unique burger toppings!
Chinese
If you love beef and broccoli, how about the sauce used to make the dish. Use your own recipe or there are many available that can be used. The main ingredients include garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, and corn starch so make sure you have these on hand.
Love fried rice? Try adding a spoonful of fried rice as a topping for your burger. A basic recipe will give you the salt and pepper addition, plus the extra saltiness of the soy sauce. Adding the texture of the rice to the burger gives you that beef or chicken (depending on your burger) fried rice taste.
Want to add some veggies to your burger other than lettuce or tomato? Then try an Asian inspired veggie medley with cabbage, water chestnuts, and snow peas. Add in your favorite sauce and you have a crunchy addition to your burger. Healthier than chips!
How about some Lo Mein noodles? You don’t need to have all of the veggies that are in this traditional dish, but you can use the sauce! A quick and easy sauce would be just 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce and 2 teaspoons sugar. Cook the egg noodles according to the package, mix, and you have a nice topping for your burger.
Love a good peanut sauce? You can easily pick up a jar of sauce at your local grocer. Use it instead of the traditional sauces you might think of putting on your burger. This will add a nice nutty flavor to your burger.
Mexican
For those of you who love spice and the Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine, there are so many options you can find to add to your burger.
You probably know about so many of the different types of Mexican toppings and sauces, but are only thinking of them in your taco or burrito. But what is the main meat in them? Beef? Yes, so why wouldn’t they work on a burger?
Here are some ideas:
- Pico de Gallo: made up of mostly tomatoes, garlic, onion and spices of your choice, you can find many recipes for this great dip and topping or make up your own. What a wonderful tomato addition to top a burger.
- Salsa Verde: this salsa has more of a tangy, spicy kick to it made with tomatillos instead of tomatoes. A tomatillo is mostly used in salsas as they have a fruity and tart flavor. They do have a thick skin. Make the salsa Verde with garlic, of course, onion and for an extra kick jalapeno and green chiles. Adding this as a topping to your burger will really give it a spicy kick that would surprise your guests.
- Guacamole: the root ingredient in this favorite is, of course, avocado. So if you like the soft, smooth texture of this you would love to add guac to your burger for a topping. There are so many versions of guacamole you just have to find your favorite. Try making it by just adding to salsa, make it creamier with mayonnaise, or spice it up with jalapenos. No matter what, this will be a great addition to a burger.
Italian
So many of us love the kinds of pasta and sauces from Italian cuisine. How about using some of those to make some unique burger toppings? Some of the tomatoes used in these sauces would be the same as those you would top your burger with. If you love a certain flavor of tomato, these variations might just be for you. Check them out!
- The Classic Marinara: the most widely used and loved red sauce is the marinara we use on spaghetti. It is perfectly fine to use a jar sauce – just make it thick – or you can make your own. There are very few ingredients; tomatoes, onion, garlic; oil, oregano – or whatever you use in your recipe. This tangy, tomatoey sauce would be a great change from just adding a plain tomato with some garlic sprinkled on.
- Carbonara: this creamy wonder is loved in so many pasta dishes. Made in different variations with the main ingredients being eggs, pancetta if you can find it, or bacon, peas, and parmesan cheese. With the pancetta ingredient, it will give your burger that bacon flavor along with your burger. You can find many versions of this sauce and one that will be to your taste.
- Bolognese Sauce: this classic sauce, mostly with spaghetti, would be a great tomatoey addition to your burger. It is believed to be the same as your classic meat sauce, but it is a thicker and creamier sauce made with milk and actually just a little tomato. Ingredients included in Bolognese are onions, carrots, garlic, and pancetta among others. This sauce would add another depth of tomato flavor to the burger.
- Alfredo: this wonderful creamy sauce made with milk or cream, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese and added spices such as basil and garlic, would add a creamy smooth flavor to the burger, and a nice added garlic flavor.
- Marsala: this is something that probably wouldn’t be thought of regularly. But made with the Marsala wine it would add a sweet flavor to the burger. Included is garlic, of course, onion, and a regular Marsala sauce has mushrooms included. This sauce with some mushrooms would be a mushroom topping as an addition to the mushrooms and soy sauce mixture you would use on a mushroom/Swiss burger.
Conclusion
These ideas are just the beginning of some unique burger toppings for the ultimate different burger. And these toppings aren’t just for the beef burger. Many of these cuisines are made with chicken, so just think what a chicken burger would taste like with some of these wonderful toppings!!
If you are looking for some crazier ideas, check out this article from mentalfloss.com. We didn’t believe some of them!!
Let us know if you have ever tried some of these and what you thought. We love to hear about your burger experiences!