A certain fast-food chain may have gotten a lot of mileage out of letting you “have it your way.” But if you really want to ensure you get a burger just to your liking, your best bet is to make it at home.
Here’s a rundown of the various options from our archives, which you can, of course, supplement with your favorite store-bought items.
Patties
There’s a protein for any kind of burger lover here, with or without meat.
Cheddar and Bacon Burger, above. Instead of putting them on top, cheddar and bacon go into the beef mix, giving you pops of smoky flavor and bits of crispy cheese.
Perfect Smash Cheeseburgers. A cast-iron skillet on the grill helps achieve crispy, quick-cooking burgers.
Buffalo Chicken Burgers, at top. These spicy, juicy burgers from Carla Hall made with white meat chicken or turkey channel the spirit of a favorite bar food into a substantial meal.
Shrimp Burgers With Kimchi. Ginger, scallions, cilantro and kimchi bring bright, sharp flavors to this seafood burger.
Superiority Burgers. Try the famous veggie burger from New York chef Brooks Headley at home.
BGR Veggie Burgers. Baking helps keep these vegetarian patties from falling apart. They’re bulked up with sweet potato, rice, beans and meatless sausage. To make them vegan, use agave instead of honey.
Sriracha Pork Burgers. The hot sauce goes into both the meat and a spiked mayo for serving. You won’t be singed with heat, but feel free to adjust the amount as needed.
Buns
If you want to move away from bagged bread, consider one of these serving possibilities.
Cookout Burger and Hot Dog Buns, above. Readers regularly rave about this recipe that can be shaped for burgers or hot dogs.
Brioche Buns. Milk, eggs and butter enrich the dough for these buns that will soak up all those delectable burger juices.
Beranbaum’s Best Buns. This recipe from baking authority Rose Levy Beranbaum involves relatively little hands-on time.
Toppings
When you want texture and flavor, try adding a tempting topping.
Quick-Pickled Jalapeños, above. You only need to let these rest overnight in the fridge before using them to add kick to your burger.
Quick-Pickled Onions. Burgers are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how many different ways you’ll find to use pickled onions.
Red Onion Marmalade. If you prefer your onions on the sweeter side, try this low-and-slow-cooked marmalade.
Pico de Gallo. This fresh salsa is a particularly good possibility for veggie burgers.
‘Hamburger’ Dill Pickle Chips. Make sure you get pickling cucumbers, often called Kirbys, for this recipe.
12-Hour Tomatoes. Consider stockpiling these when you have a tomato bounty this summer.
Condiments
Making your own burger sauce? Now that’s extra.
Russian Dressing, above. It takes only a few minutes to bring this together in the food processor.
Fresh Tomato Ketchup. Here’s Fannie Farmer’s version of the classic condiment.
Blue Cheese Dressing. The dressing will go just as well with a burger as it does the steak salad it was designed for.
Herbed Tofu Mayonnaise. This egg-free recipe is ideal for vegan burgers.
Sides
Here are some ideas if you’re looking for something to fill out the rest of your plate.
Cold-Fried French Fries, above. Burgers and fries. 'Nough said.
Smoked Paprika Potato Chips With Yogurt Ranch Dip. If you prefer chips over fries, check out these baked beauties.
New Classic Coleslaw. This lighter, mayo-free slaw uses Greek yogurt for creaminess.
Grilled Corn Four Ways. One of most popular recipes of all time lets you pick your grilling method.
Lunchbox Pasta Salad. Keep the cookout vibes going with this vegetable-loaded recipe.
