The Ultimate Guide to Burger Toppings and Flavor Combinations

Toppings do three jobs on a burger: they balance the fat with acid, add textures the patty and bun don't have, and give the burger a clear identity. Choose them with those jobs in mind, stack them in the right order, and stop before the burger falls apart. This guide covers the classics and why they work, combinations worth trying, assembly order and the most common ways toppings go wrong.

The classics, and the job each one does

• Cheese: creamy richness that melts into the beef and adds salt and fat. American cheese is the standard for traditional burgers because it melts smoothly and adds tang without crowding other flavors. Cheddar is sharper, Swiss is nutty and pepper jack brings heat.
• Lettuce: crunch against the soft bun and meat, and a fresh contrast to beef and cheese. Iceberg stays crisp longer than delicate greens, which is why most restaurants use it. In the right spot it also shields the bottom bun from juice (see the assembly order below).
• Tomato: juiciness and bright acidity that cut through the fat. The same juice can make a burger soggy, so use firm, ripe tomatoes sliced about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
• Onion: raw onion adds crunch and a sharp bite; grilled or caramelized onion is sweet and mellow. If raw onion is too strong for you, soak the slices in ice water for 10 minutes; they keep their crunch and lose some of their bite.
• Pickles: acid and brine that cut richness and reset your palate between bites. Dill is traditional, bread-and-butter pickles are sweeter, and pickled jalapeños add heat along with the acid.

Together they cover salty, sweet, sour, savory and bitter, with several textures. Knowing which job each one does makes it easy to substitute.

Condiments

Sauce often defines a burger's character more than anything else on it.

• Special sauce: most versions are mayo, ketchup, sweet pickle relish, vinegar and seasoning: creamy, sweet and tangy, and it goes with nearly everything.
• Aioli: made from garlic, oil and egg yolk, it coats the palate and carries flavor through each bite. Plain garlic is the start; truffle aioli is earthy, chipotle aioli smoky and hot, roasted red pepper aioli sweet.
• Barbecue sauce: Kansas City style brings molasses sweetness and tangy tomato; Carolina mustard sauces are sharper and more vinegary. Guava BBQ sauce adds a Caribbean-style fruitiness.
• Mayo: a thin layer on the bun adds richness and acts as a moisture barrier. Japanese Kewpie mayo, slightly sweet with more umami, shows up on many Asian-inspired burgers.
• Mustard: yellow is classic American, Dijon is sharper, whole grain adds texture and spicy brown adds heat. Its vinegar base cuts fatty beef well.

Use a thin, even layer. Too much sauce makes the burger slippery, and everything slides.

Sweet against savory

Sweetness makes savory things taste more savory, and the contrast keeps each bite interesting.

• Bacon jam: bacon simmered with brown sugar, molasses, cider vinegar, sherry and spices until thick and spreadable. Pair it with sharp cheddar or blue cheese.
• Grilled pineapple: the grill concentrates its sugar and adds char. It works best with teriyaki sauce and pepper jack.
• Fig jam with blue cheese and arugula: honeyed fig against sharp, funky cheese, with bitter greens to cut the richness.
• Caramelized onions: slow cooking turns a sharp onion mellow and almost candy-sweet. Try them with Gruyère and mushrooms, or with brie and roasted garlic aioli for a French-style burger. The French Onion Soup Burger is built around them.
• Blueberry jalapeño salsa: blueberries, jalapeño, red onion, lime juice and cilantro. The sweetness plays off the heat, and the lime and herbs keep it fresh.

Gourmet toppings

For a special-occasion burger, pick one or two of these and keep everything else simple. A foie gras burger doesn't need six other toppings.

• Foie gras mousse with shaved black truffle: the foie gras melts over the hot patty and the truffle adds an earthy aroma.
• Bone marrow: mix roasted marrow with butter, fresh herbs and a little lemon zest and let it melt over the patty, or spread roasted marrow straight onto the bun. Either way it adds deep, meaty richness.
• Lobster or crab: a surf-and-turf burger. The sweet shellfish works with a lemon brown butter aioli and a fresh corn and peach salsa.
• Truffle pecorino or another aged hard cheese: sharp and salty, so a little goes far. Shave it thin over the hot burger so it softens slightly.
• Pimento cheese: extra-sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mayo, chopped pimentos and hot sauce. Pair it with crispy bacon and bread-and-butter pickles for a Southern-style burger.

Flavors from around the world

Commit to one theme. A single foreign ingredient on an otherwise standard burger can taste confused, while a burger built entirely around one cuisine feels intentional.

• Chimichurri: the Argentine sauce of parsley, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, vinegar and oil. Bright and herbal; good with grilled peppers and onions.
• Kimchi: spicy, funky, fermented crunch. Add gochujang mayo and a fried egg for a Korean-style burger.
• Tzatziki: Greek yogurt, cucumber and garlic, cool against lamb or beef. Add feta, red onion and tomato.
• Harissa: North African chili paste, smoky, earthy and slightly sweet. Mix it into mayo or spread it on the bun; it's especially good with merguez sausage mixed into the beef, pickled red onion and fresh mint.
• Banh mi style: sriracha mayo, pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro and crispy fried shallots. Or try peanut sauce with kimchi and cucumber.

Texture

The best burgers have at least three textures in every bite.

• Crispy (shatters): bacon, fried onions, onion rings, potato chips, fried jalapeños, crispy prosciutto.
• Creamy (coats the palate and carries flavor): cheese, mayo, avocado, burrata, cream cheese, even nut butters.
• Crunchy (firm resistance): fresh lettuce, raw onion, pickles, bell pepper, radish.
• Juicy (moisture): tomato, grilled pineapple, pickled vegetables, the patty itself. Too much of this category and the burger falls apart.

A plain cheeseburger with pickles and crisp lettuce already gets four: soft bun and cheese, tender meat, crisp lettuce and crunchy pickles.

Assembly order

Loading everything on top of the patty makes a top-heavy burger that collapses at the first bite. Split the toppings above and below it, from the bottom up:

1. Bottom bun, toasted. The crisp surface resists sogginess.
2. Mayo or aioli. Fat-based sauce forms a moisture barrier between juice and bread.
3. Lettuce. A second barrier, and it stays crisp because it isn't touching the hot patty.
4. Tomato. Slippery slices are less likely to slide out down here, and the lettuce gives them a stable base.
5. Patty with melted cheese. Melt the cheese on during cooking.
6. Onions. Raw, grilled or caramelized; the cheese helps hold them in place.
7. Pickles. Set them inside the onion rings, which keep them from sliding out the sides.
8. Crispy toppings. Bacon or fried onions, close to the top bun so they stay crisp.
9. Top condiments. Ketchup, mustard or special sauce, spread on the top bun.
10. Top bun, toasted.

A fried egg goes on top of the cheese, where the yolk runs down through the burger. Avocado also belongs above the patty, where it's less likely to slide.

Four builds that work

Decide on a direction first (classic, spicy, sweet and savory, gourmet), then choose 3 to 5 toppings that support it.

• Classic cheeseburger: American cheese, pickles, raw onion, lettuce, tomato, special sauce.
• BBQ bacon burger: cheddar, crispy bacon, BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions, pickles. The sweet sauce and onions balance smoky bacon and sharp cheese.
• Mushroom Swiss: Gruyère, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, arugula.
• Spicy Southwest: pepper jack, jalapeños, guacamole, chipotle mayo, crispy tortilla strips. Heat from several sources, with creamy elements for relief.

Proportion matters as much as choice. One thin slice of tomato is plenty, three thick ones make the burger impossible to bite; two strips of bacon add flavor, six bury everything else.

Where toppings go wrong

• Too much sauce. About a tablespoon per bun half, in an even layer.
• Thick, wet tomato. Slice it no more than 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, and for very juicy tomatoes, salt the slices lightly and drain them on paper towels for 5 minutes.
• Too many toppings. If you can't taste each one, cut back to 3 to 5 that each have a purpose.
• Fridge-cold toppings. Cheese at room temperature melts better, and tomatoes taste of more when they aren't ice-cold.
• Delicate greens. Spring mix wilts on a hot burger. Use sturdy lettuce like iceberg or romaine.
• Building a dozen untested. Before a cookout, make one burger and taste it, then adjust before you assemble the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which toppings go best with which cheese?

American cheese suits the classics: pickles, onions, ketchup and mustard. Cheddar goes with bacon, BBQ sauce and crispy onions. Blue cheese pairs well with caramelized onions and bacon jam. Gruyère suits mushrooms and caramelized onions. Pepper jack needs something cooling, such as avocado or ranch, to balance its heat.

How do you use more than one sauce without making a mess?

Choose one main sauce and one accent rather than three or four, and spread both in thin, even layers instead of a blob in the middle. Mixing two complementary sauces together before you spread them gives more even coverage.

Can burger toppings be prepared ahead of time?

Yes. Caramelize onions, make sauces, cook bacon and wash and slice most vegetables hours or a day ahead, and store them separately in the fridge. Take them out shortly before you assemble, and don't leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Slice tomatoes and avocado just before serving so they don't weep or brown.

What toppings work best on sliders?

Keep sliders simple, since there's less room: two or three toppings at most, such as cheese, pickles and special sauce. Full-size burgers have the space and structure for four or five.