My Spicy Sriracha Burger Recipe is served with a tangy Lime Aioli and caramelized onions. Just one bite will knock your socks off!
I think "epic" sums up this Spicy Sriracha Burger recipe perfectly. In my humble opinion, of course. 😉
Imagine perfectly spiced meat with a handful of Asian flavors, topped with caramelized, sweet onions, and drizzled with a creamy, delicious Lime Aioli.
Now imagine all of this between two soft, toasted buns. It simply doesn't get better!
What's in them?
- ground beef - I like to use ground beef with about a 15% fat content to keep the burgers juicy. You can substitute the beef with ground turkey, chicken or lamb.
- Sriracha sauce - This hot sauce is more or less what this burger is all about. If you need to substitute it however, you can use Sambal Oelek chili paste.
- low sodium soy sauce - Use Tamari if you need an alternative. (Both are available gluten-free if necessary.)
- fresh garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old and likely bitter. (Pro tip: if there are green shoots in your garlic cloves, slice them in half, lengthwise, and remove the green root with the tip of a knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
- fresh ginger root - This adds a warm spicy flavor. Choose fresh ginger roots that are firm and feel heavy for their size.
- honey - Just a bit. It's delicious with the heat form the Sriracha and ginger.
- red onion - Red onions are my favorite for this because they're both sharp and sweet. You can also use shallots, which are a tad more mild, or white and brown onions will work too.
- Mayonnaise - This is the base for an incredible Lime Aioli sauce that we'll spoon over the burger.
- lime juice - For the Lime Aioli, of course.
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
How to Make Them
- Coat the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with a neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, grapeseed) and place it over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring a bit, until they are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season them to taste with salt and pepper. Set the onions aside and do not wash the pan.
- In a small bowl, use a whisk or a fork to combine the Sriracha, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and salt.
- Add the beef to a large mixing bowl and pour in the Sriracha mixture. Use your hands or a large spoon, to mix everything together. Only mix until it's combined. Shape the meat into 6 evenly sized burgers.
- Heat the same pan where you cooked the onions, and add a little more grapeseed oil. When the pan is very hot, add the burgers. You should hear a sizzling sound — if you don’t, wait! You won’t get a nice “crust” on the burger if it’s not hot enough. Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip the burgers over and reduce the heat to medium-low. For medium rare, cook for about another 5 minutes or until it's the way you like it.
- Place the cooked burgers on a plate and cover with foil.
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
- To serve, set up a burger bar. Put the burgers and burger buns on platters. (Toast the buns if you'd like.) Arrange the lettuce, avocado and tomato slices on another platter. Spoon the Lime Aioli into a small bowl and put the onions in another. Add serving utensils and the bar is set up.
The Burger Bar is the best way to ensure everyone gets exactly what they want, and it's fun.
Variations
- For a more mild version. Use less Sriracha and/or fresh ginger.
- You can can change up the Lime Aioli we're making for the burger by using lemon or orange instead.
Recipe Tips for Spicy Sriracha Burgers
- The instructions explain how to use a cast iron skillet to make the burgers. I love making these on cast iron or a grill because I really like the smoky char flavor they impart. You can make them in any skillet, though.
- If you're making the burgers on a grill, you can slice the onions thicker, and throw them on, too.
- For both the burgers and the Lime Aioli, the best way to "mince" the ginger and garlic is with a microplane zester.
Serving Suggestions
We all tend to love burgers at summer barbecues, but they are just as much a hit any time of year. They're great for a busy weeknight dinner or weekend dinner party.
As with most burgers, corn, salads and French fries are excellent sides. I especially love the Sriracha Burger with Lemon-Pepper Grilled Corn, Asian Slaw with Basil and Daikon Radish French Fries.
More Delicious Recipes with Sriracha Sauce
- Honey-Glazed Sriracha Tofu and Broccoli
- Spicy Sriracha Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Honey Sriracha Stir Fry
I hope you love this Spicy Sriracha Burger recipe and the Lime Aioli as much as I do!
Spicy Sriracha Burger Recipe
Ingredients
For the onions
- grapeseed or avocado oil for the pan
- 1½ cups red onion, thinly sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the burgers
- 3 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 pounds ground beef
- grapeseed or avocado oil
For the Lime Aioil
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2¼ teaspoons fresh garlic, minced
- ⅔ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 2¼ teaspoons lime juice
- ¾ teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Add-ons
- large leaves of crispy lettuce (like Iceberg)
- cilantro leaves roughly chopped
- tomatoes, thinly sliced
- avocado, sliced thinly
- your favorite hamburger buns
Instructions
For the onions
- Coat the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with grapeseed oil and place it over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring a bit, until they are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Season them to taste with salt and pepper. Set the onions aside and do not wash the pan.
For the burgers
- In a small bowl, use a whisk or a fork to combine the Sriracha, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and salt. Add the beef to a large mixing bowl and pour in the Sriracha mixture. Use your hands or a large spoon, to mix everything together. Only mix until it's combined.
- Shape the meat into 4 evenly sized burgers.
- Heat the same pan where you cooked the onions, and add a little more grapeseed oil. When the pan is very hot, add the burgers. You should hear a sizzling sound — if you don’t, wait! You won’t get a nice “crust” on the burger if it’s not hot enough. Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip the burgers over and reduce the heat to medium-low. For medium rare, cook for about another 5 minutes or until the desired doneness. Place the cooked burgers on a plate and cover with foil.
For the Lime Aioli
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- To serve, set up a burger bar. Put the burgers and burger buns on platters. (Toast the buns if you'd like.) Arrange the lettuce, avocado and tomato slices on another platter. Spoon the Lime Aioli into a small bowl and put the onions in another. Add serving utelsils and the bar is set up.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Jen
These look fantastic!
Soni
Gorgeous looking burgers and I love the spicy flavors here :)Your aioli sounds delish!!
valentina
Thanks so much, Soni!
sippitysup
it's burger weekend all across the US! GREG
Craig
I made these tonight for my family. Everyone thought the first bite or two was pretty spicy, then they settled down and enjoyed them. I was skeptical about putting the cilantro on, but you called that one right. The flavor bled was terrific. They were easy to make and really tasty.
valentina
Craig, so happy to hear your family enjoyed the burgers! Thanks so much for sharing! 😀
angiesrecipes
This looks absolutely droolworthy! O man, I want those caramelized onions so badly!
valentina
Thank you, Angie. I hope you try it, and happy new year! 🙂 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef
I have to admit that I'm a big fan of ketchup on a burger, but I would happily forego it in favor of lime aioli! That sounds amazing!
valentina
Many thanks, Jeff. Hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kim Lange
That burger! My kids and husband love sriracha! They would definitely be over the moon with this drool-worthy burger! Happy New Year Valentina! Pinned!
valentina
Happy New Yer to you, Kim. Hope the burger is a hit! 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced
Oh man, I love burgers! I seriously think I could eat a burger almost every night of the week. 🙂 And your description of 'epic' here is perfect. These really are epic burgers! I love all of the layers of flavor. I'm thinking I might even have to shovel a path to the grill so I can make a batch of these soon!
valentina
Shovel!?!? I forget about the snow in other parts of the world. Enjoy when you can.l 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
Spicy. Zesty. Zingy! This sounds wonderful and I can make them with my GF sambal oelek. (Funny how my GF is different from your GF!) Happy New Year! ❤️
valentina
Thanks, David. I love that you can get GF Sambal Oelek! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
I do love the spicy kick from siracha! I've never tried it in a burger before and I can't wait to give these a try! They look fabulous!
valentina
I hope you love them, Kathy! Thank you. 🙂 ~Valentina
mimi rippee
wow! I love these! I wasn't expecting all of the Asian flavors, just the sriracha! Love everything, the aioli, the burger.... I might enjoy these without buns! By the way I keep forgetting to tell you what a great photo you have! It makes me smile every time I pop over here! Happy New Year!
valentina
Mimi, you're so sweet to say that about my photo. I'm flattered and so happy to bring you a smile! Happy New Year to you! 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha
This recipe sounds very tasty fun - must take it inti the kitchen atop the 'next-to-make' pile !! Burger bars ? Am laughing ! I had two daughters sat the same school where it was the usual to invite the whole class on the nearest Saturday for a noisy, happy bash ! To be honest - I was hugely popular . . . would write all the possible ingredients for a burger on a huge sheet of cardboard . . . on the square were all the guests' names . . . each could tick off exactly what they wanted on THEIR burger and each naturally said theirs was the bestest !!!Some were cluey enough to put a second name down and cheekily turn up for number two !!! I offered all different kinds of parties and got 'screamed' down . . . "Hamburgers Mrs Sarv' !!! (OK - two marriages >) !)
valentina
Eha, I really love this! I'm sure your were indeed wildly popular. What a brilliant idea for them to have you make custom burgers with their favorite ingredients. I be that was a smashing success! 😀 ~Valentina