The air fryer is quite a device. It can transform soggy, limp leftovers into crisp, crunchy delights, cook excellent wings, salmon, steaks and chicken breasts, and even make "hard-boiled" eggs. So, of course, why wouldn't you also turn to the air fryer for your homemade burger needs?
I love a good burger (I also love the movie franchise "Good Burger," but that’s a conversation for another day). There's something inherently crave-worthy about a classic cheeseburger — complete with slightly melted yellow cheese, crisp lettuce, thick slices of ruby-red tomato, and a few sharp rings of red onion.
Also worth noting: I won my grade-wide spelling bee in first grade by correctly spelling "hamburger." Clearly, I’ve had a fondness for the word (and the food, let’s be honest) ever since.
Cheeseburgers were one of my dad's absolute favorites. Whenever we were out as a family — or even ordering in — if he wasn’t excited about the restaurant or unsure what to order, he’d almost always land on a good ol’ cheeseburger. In the summertime, he was known for manning the grill poolside, at least until I graduated from culinary school and decided I needed to take over all household cooking duties.
Burgers contain multitudes. From the thin, boxy White Castle sliders to the quesadilla burger from Applebee’s that I adored in high school, to backyard barbecue burgers grilled hot and fresh in the summer sun, a "burger" can mean so many things. Some people are Big Mac devotees (can you believe I’ve never had one?), while others swear by turkey burgers with provolone and avocado or are devoted to veggie burgers.
One of my favorite burger experiences involves an ultra-thin beef patty topped with chili sauce and white American cheese on a plush bun. I’d devour these at The Hot Grill, a truly iconic local spot where I often went with my dad and brother growing up. The Hot Grill was so beloved that we’d take visiting family members there—it was a family tradition.
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About a decade ago, I became obsessed with April Bloomfield’s short-lived NYC eatery, Salvation Burger. I went back again and again with whoever I could convince to join me, eager to devour their superb burgers, sides, desserts and milkshakes. The namesake burger was the pinnacle of my burger experience at that time: two thin, perfectly charred beef patties, housemade American cheese, a special sauce, crisp pickles and a beef tallow-toasted sesame bun. It was burger perfection. I loved the crisp edges, the way the sauce and cheese melded together, and — importantly — the structural integrity that kept it from falling apart (a pet peeve of mine). Sadly, Salvation Burger closed in 2017, but it lives on fondly in my memories.
But what about making burgers at home — especially when grilling isn’t an option? Are you forming patties from scratch or using frozen ones? Cooking a burger in the oven feels odd, and pan-searing on high heat risks setting off the smoke detector.
The solution? You guessed it: the air fryer.
The patty
Do you season your meat thoroughly or just form it into a puck, sprinkle some salt and pepper and cook? I’ve never been a fan of the latter. If you season meatballs or meatloaf, why not burgers? Sometimes I’ve experimented with finely minced, sautéed garlic and onion mixed into the ground meat, but that can be distracting — most people prefer onions on top of a burger, not inside it. So, for this recipe, I’m keeping things minimalist.
Balance is key. Even a perfectly seasoned patty can get lost among the toppings, garnishes, and condiments.
Choosing your protein
Classic beef is always a solid choice, but pork or a beef-pork-veal blend works too. If you’re using turkey, chicken, or a plant-based alternative, you’ll need to compensate for the lack of fat and moisture by adding flavor or extra toppings. Ground turkey and chicken have a way of neutralizing seasoning, no matter how aggressively you flavor them.
Beef also offers flexibility — you can cook it to your preferred temperature, adding another layer of nuance to the final burger. With poultry or plant-based patties, you need to ensure they don’t turn out dry or bland.
Cooking in the air fryer
For air-fried burgers, flatten your patties as much as possible and press an indentation in the center to prevent them from puffing up. If your air fryer has a slotted basket, use it for beef or pork to allow excess fat to drain away. Give the basket a spritz of cooking spray and a final sprinkle of salt before cooking.
Set the air fryer to 350°F or higher and cook the patties for about 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Oh, and I have to confess: I’m not really a French fry guy. I know, I know — controversial opinion. But I think the burger deserves the spotlight. If you’re craving fries, feel free to grab some McDonald’s fries on the way home or pair your burger with a simple salad. It’s your meal, after all.
I hope this burger recipe helps you find your way to burger nirvana — at least until grilling season returns.
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Ingredients
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of ground protein of your choosing (beef, pork, veal, chicken, turkey, plant-based or a mixture)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Additional spices (cumin, coriander, sumac, dried herbs, cayenne, paprika, chili powder, etc.)
Condiment of your choosing (fish sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, stock or broth, a touch of cream or half-and-half, vinegars, Worcestershire, etc.)
Beef tallow, cooking spray or unsalted butter
Toppings of your choosing (crispy leeks, fried shallots, pickled onions, raw fennel, raw onions, iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, avocado slices, grilled onions, etc.)
Cheese (American, provolone, mozzarella, manchego, gruyere, gouda, Cheddar, etc.)
Spreads (mayonnaise or aioli, mustard, ketchup, turkey bacon marmalade, relish, romesco, etc.)
Seeded, split bun
Directions
- In a bowl, mix together ground protein with the spices and seasonings you're opting for. I'll be doing ground chicken with salt, garlic and onion powders, a touch of cumin and a hit each of Worcestershire and sherry vinegar. Mix until just combined (don't over-work it) and then portion into burgers. I opted for 4 but you can also aim for sliders or even gigantic Mondo burgers circa Good Burger.
- Be sure to shape and round your burgers well, remembering to include a divot in the middle, pressing down a bit so that the very center of the patty is thinner than the meat around it. I'm also a sucker for crispy edges, so to achieve that, you can also go around and flatten the very edges all the way around the patty.
- Season your burgers well with salt before transferring to your air fryer basket. At this point, either brush your burgers with beef tallow, spritz with cooking spray or add a pat of butter to the tops of each. You can also brush with melted butter, if you prefer.
- Slide into air fryer and begin cooking. I opted for 375 degrees for 14 minutes, flipping once in between and adding another pat of butter to the other side of the burger.
- Cook to whatever temperature you like, but of course, make sure you're cooking any poultry protein until it's fully cooked through.
- Depending on if you'd like cheese or not, add your cheese in the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking. I opted for manchego.
- Remove from air fryer. I then added mine to a toasted bun with a touch of mayonnaise on the top half and some romesco on the bottom half. I then topped my cheeseburger with crispy leeks.
- Serve immediately. I am a dipper, so I always serve ketchup alongside instead of on the burger itself.
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