This Hawaiian Burger recipe brings together an incredible combination of juicy beef hamburgers with the sweet tang of grilled pineapple, drizzled with delicious homemade teriyaki sauce. Up your burger game with this easy recipe that will give your tastebuds a tropical vacation!
Table of Contents
Every bite of these juicy Hawaiian burgers has a blend of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors that’s quite unlike any other burger. They are a fusion of American burger culture and Hawaiian-style grilling, making these Hawaiian teriyaki burgers offer a unique and gourmet twist on the classic beef hamburger.
The addition of crispy bacon, grilled pineapple, teriyaki sauce, and other island-inspired ingredients transforms the humble beef burger into a tropical sensation. Serve it with some Hawaiian Macaroni Salad and you’ve got a fantastic dinner!
For more juicy burger recipes, check out my Juicy Lucy Burgers, Cilantro Bomb Burger, Soy-Glazed Mushroom Swiss Burgers, and my Red, White, and Blueberry Bacon Burger!
Why We Love This Recipe
- This Hawaiian burger recipe creates a wonderful balance of textures, from the crunchiness of the lettuce to the softness of the brioche buns, and the juiciness of the burger itself.
- They’re perfect for a summer BBQ or a cozy indoor gathering, with the Hawaiian-style topping offering a taste of the tropics any time of the year.
- For those who love to experiment, there’s endless room to change up the recipe, by using your favorite cheese and burger sauces.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Ground Beef – Use good quality beef if you can; we prefer 80/20 or 85/15 for burgers as this ensures a juicy, flavorful patty.
- Salt & Pepper – Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are essential seasonings to enhance the beef’s natural flavors.
- Pineapple Rings – The star of the Hawaiian Burger. They can be fresh or canned for this recipe, adding a sweet and tangy taste.
- Teriyaki Sauce – For a signature Hawaiian flair with sweet and savory notes. Use a combination of soy sauce, light brown sugar, honey, vinegar (rice or apple cider), sesame seeds, sesame oil, fresh ginger (or ground ginger), minced garlic, cornstarch, and cold water. You can use a store-bought sauce if you prefer or need to save time.
- Bacon – To top the burgers with a deliciously smoky flavor.
- Cheese – I like to use provolone cheese slices here as they melt beautifully, adding a creamy texture.
- Red Onion – Adds a sharp, slightly sweet crunch on top of the burgers.
- Green Leaf Lettuce – For freshness and a bit of crunch.
- Brioche Buns – Soft and slightly sweet, these buns complement the burger perfectly. Use my Homemade Brioche Hamburger Buns Recipe, or another kind of burger buns if you wish.
- Mayo – To add a creamy component to the burger. Use regular, flavored, or spicy mayo for an extra kick.
How to Make Hawaiian Burgers
Making the Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine, heat, and thicken. Excluding the cornstarch and cold water, combine all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Mix the cornstarch and cold water and drizzle this into the mixture. Cook the sauce until it thickens, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Grilling Hawaiian Burger and Assembly Instructions
- Make the patties. Divide your ground beef into 4-5 portions, depending on how large you like your burgers. Shape them into patties and make an indent in the center of each burger patty with your thumb so they grill evenly. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Prep, toast, and grill. Prepare all the toppings for the burgers, then toast the burger buns. Grill the pineapple for 4-5 minutes per side if using fresh pineapple slices, or 2-3 minutes per side if using canned pineapple, and grill the burger patties.
- Baste patties and add cheese. After 3-5 minutes, flip the burger patties and baste them with the teriyaki sauce on the second side. Top each burger patty with a slice of provolone cheese so that the cheese melts before removing the patties from the grill.
- Assemble the burgers. You can assemble your burgers however you please, but if you’d like to follow what I did in this recipe, then start by spreading a little bit of mayo onto the bottom bun on a plate. Then add a bed of lettuce to place the grilled burger on (keeps the burger juices from making the bottom bun soggy) with the cheese-side up. Place a slice or two of grilled pineapple on the cheese, then add some red onion and grilled bacon. Use a spoon to drizzle some extra teriyaki sauce over the bacon and you can even spread some sauce onto the top bun—more mayo, teriyaki, or a little bit of BBQ sauce are all great choices. Then gently press the toasted bun on top and dig in.
Recipe FAQ’s
Absolutely! Use a grill pan or a regular skillet over medium-high heat to cook the burgers and pineapple rings.
Ensure your grill is hot before placing the burgers on it. This helps in getting those sought-after grill marks. Let the burgers cook undisturbed for a few minutes on each side to develop a good sear.
Swap the beef patties with grilled portobello mushrooms or your favorite veggie burger patties.
Make sure not to over-handle the ground beef when shaping the patties and only flip them once on the grill.
You can serve the burger without the bun or use a lettuce wrap as a low-carb alternative.
Yes, you can prepare it in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Store any leftover sauce in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator. Homemade teriyaki sauce can last up to a week in the fridge. The sauce can be used as a glaze for other dishes and I find it also works amazingly well as a dip!
Store the patties, pineapple rings, and buns separately to maintain their texture. Allow the cooked burgers to cool to room temperature and wrap them in aluminum foil or place them in an airtight container. Leftover burgers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven preheated to 350°F until warmed through, or use a skillet over medium heat to reheat the patties, adding a splash of water to keep them moist. You can microwave the patties for a quicker option, but this may affect their texture.
Yes! Place the cooled patties in freezer-safe bags, and separate the patties with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together if stacking them. Cooked and frozen burger patties can last up to 3 months.
Tips for Success
- Handling the ground beef too much can make the patties tough, so only mix it just enough to form the patties.
- Make a small indent in the center of each patty to help the burgers cook evenly and prevent them from puffing up in the middle.
- To ensure even cooking, let the ground beef patties sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling.
- Season the patties generously before cooking; don’t be shy with the salt and pepper!
- If using canned pineapple, pat the rings dry before grilling, as this will help with better caramelization.
- A good-quality bun, like a brioche, can make a big difference in your burger experience.
How Long Do I Grill Burgers For?
Here’s a guide for how long to grill your burgers, depending on the level of doneness you’re aiming for, at medium-high to high heat, which is around 375 to 400°F. For more information, check out my complete guide on Burgers 101: How To Grill Burgers!
Rare: 5–6 minutes total
Medium-rare: 6–7 minutes total
Medium: 8–9 minutes total
Medium-well to well-done: 9+ minutes total
Substitutions and Variations
- You can swap the beef patties for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option, use plant-based burger patties for a meatless version, or even try experimenting with a seafood patty, like a tuna or salmon burger, for a unique twist.
- Although Provolone Cheese is my go-to for burgers, Havarti, Cheddar, or Swiss cheese will add different flavors.
- Skip the bun and use large lettuce leaves as a low-carb and gluten-free alternative.
- If you like a bit of heat then make some sriracha mayo by adding a couple of drops of hot sauce to your mayonnaise.
- Try using some other sauces to add other flavors. My Onion Blooming Outback Sauce, Kansas City BBQ Sauce, and this Alabama White BBQ Sauce are all tried and approved in our house!
- Burgers are one of the most versatile snacks so swap and add to the toppings as you desire! A few pickle slices would give a tart contrast to the sweetness of this burger, while slices of fresh tomato would add a juicy, garden-fresh element. Try my Crispy Fried Onion Strings for a crunchy addition too! For a spicy Hawaiian burger, pineapple and jalapeños with BBQ sauce is one of my favorite combinations.
More Gourmet Burger Recipes
- Juicy Bison Burgers
- Burgers 101: How to Grill Burgers
- Bacon Jam Burgers
- Juicy Grilled Turkey Burgers
- Grilled Poblano Pepper Southwest Burgers
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Hawaiian Burgers Recipe (Grilled Teriyaki Pineapple Burgers)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ground beef (we prefer 80/20 or 85/15 for burgers)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 pineapple rings fresh or canned
- teriyaki sauce
- 8 slices of bacon cooked until crispy
- 4 slices provolone cheese (or havarti, swiss, or cheddar)
- ½ red onion, sliced
- 8 green leaf lettuce leaves washed and patted dry
- 4 brioche buns
- ½ cup mayo divided
Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
Making the Teriyaki Sauce
- Excluding the cornstarch and cold water, combine all ingredients for the teriyaki sauce in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Mix the cornstarch and cold water and drizzle this into the mixture. Cook the sauce until it thickens.½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons honey, 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ cup cold water
Grilling and Assembly Instructions
- Divide your ground beef into 4-5 portions, depending on how large you like your burgers. Shape them into patties and make an indent in the center of each burger patty with your thumb so they grill evenly. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.1½ pounds ground beef, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Prep all toppings for the burgers then toast the burger buns. Grill the pineapple for 4-5 minutes per side if using fresh pineapple slices, or 2-3 minutes per side if using canned pineapple, and grill the burger patties.8 pineapple rings
- After flipping the burger patties, baste them with teriyaki sauce on the second side. Top each burger patty with a slice of provolone cheese so that the cheese melts before removing the patties from the grill.teriyaki sauce, 4 slices provolone cheese
- You can assemble your burgers however you please, but if you'd like to follow what I did in this recipe then start by spreading a little bit of mayo onto the bottom bun on a plate. Then add a bed of lettuce to place the grilled burger onto, cheese-side up. Place a slice or two of grilled pineapple onto the cheese, then add some red onion and grilled bacon. Use a spoon to drizzle some extra teriyaki sauce over the bacon, and spread some sauce onto the top bun – more mayo, teriyaki, or a little bit of BBQ sauce are all great choices. Then gently press the toasted bun on top and dig in.8 slices of bacon, ½ red onion,, 8 green leaf lettuce leaves, 4 brioche buns, ½ cup mayo
Notes
- Store: Store patties, pineapple rings, and buns separately. Allow burgers to cool to room temperature, wrap in aluminum foil, or place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F until warmed through, or use a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to keep them moist. You can use the microwave but this may affect their texture.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled patties in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months. Separate layers with parchment paper if stacking.
- Teriyaki Sauce: Store leftover sauce in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
These were sooo good. I modified it a little using King’s Hawaiian rolls because that is the size buns I had on hand, and made sliders. I cooked them on the stovetop, along with the pineapple rings, and basted them with the teriaki sauce which carmelized it. I didn’t add the bacon or cheese as the sliders were already stacked up high, but I will use a full sized bun and add everything the next time I make these. I added another pinch of sugar than called for and a little crushed red pepper, and that teriaki sauce was fantastic. I didn’t think the mayo was necessary, but I added it anyway, and I do think it enhanced the burger. Shredded up some iceberg lettuce, and cut the pineapple rings to fit, so it was a bit messy, but so delicious. This beat any burger I’ve ordered in a restaurant. This is a keeper!!! Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome! I’m so glad you loved them!
Followed your recipe exactly and my family of 3 loved every bite! Also per your suggestion I made the fried vidalia onion strings and the awesome blossom sauce. Thank you for sharing as our Red Robin Restaurant closed and we missed their bonzai burger and your recipe was “spot on!”
Great! I am glad your family enjoyed the burgers so much! The onion strings add such a delicious crunch!