Once I came across this recipe, I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to pick up the ingredients and make them at home but there was one problem: this recipe was for turkey burgers. Now I’ve always wanted to try turkey burgers since it’s such a healthier alternative but when it came down to it, I couldn’t give up the beef! It’s like Joey Tribbiani says: “If you’re gonna do something wrong, do it right!” So even if the turkey burgers had a gazillion less calories (okay maybe 100 less calories), I wanted a legit burger with real beef.

Was it worth it? Yes. The burgers were perfectly grilled to medium rare and had so much flavor in every bite. The Swiss cheese went perfectly with the Asian flavorings and the spicy lime mayo tipped the burger to absolute perfection. I’ll be sure to make this again and again, with ground beef of course.

Asian Burgers (adapted from How Sweet It Is):

Yields 4 servings

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • 1 pound ground beef (I used 80/20)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 4 slices Swiss cheese
  • 4 split brioche rolls
  • Spinach, for serving
  • Sliced tomatoes, for serving

To make the spicy lime mayo, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, lime zest and lime juice in a small bowl; set aside.

To make the burgers, combine the ground beef, garlic, ginger, green onions, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a large bowl. (It’s best to use your hands for this.)

Divide the ground beef mixture into 4 balls; press each lightly to form 1/4-inch-thick patties.

Heat olive oil in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Grill the patties for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare or 4-5 minutes for medium, flipping only once.

In the last minute of cooking, top each patty with 1 slice of Swiss cheese, covering to melt.

Serve burgers on rolls with spicy lime mayo, spinach and tomatoes, if desired.