Bacon Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burgers Recipe (Best Grilled Burgers!)

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Um. You guys - the easiest Bacon Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burger recipe!!! Yes, it's a thing, & yes, we are doing it today because they're is SO freaking good!!!! These bacocheddarburgers are 5-ingredient, 30-minute summertime dinner magic. You can meal prep the burger patties in advance for an even easier weeknight dinner, or to make feeding a crowd at bbqs & parties this summer a total breeze. Seriously the best grilled burgers you'll ever make for yourself at home!

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bacon cheddar stuffed burger served on a bun with french fries next to another plated burger, plated burger toppings & a ice cold beer.

Would the PWWB Grilling Series really be complete without the most amazing (& foolproof!!) homemade bacon cheeseburger you’ve ever had?? Obviously not, so that’s exactly what we’re doing today. & I honestly couldn’t be more excited.

{ICYMI: Plays Well With Butter is all about helping you find the confidence to really own your spot behind the grill this summer! You can learn more about our grilling series here.

The backstory (…& things are about to get a little controversial!): in all honesty, this bacon cheddar burger recipe began as a mission to create a juicy lucy burger I’d actually like.

If you’re wondering what a juicy lucy is, it’s a burger with cheese stuffed in the middle. They’re extreeemely popular here in Minnesota, but I think I’m the only Minnesotan who really just doesn’t get the hype. You order a juicy lucy expecting the most outrageously ooey, gooey cheeseburger you’ve ever had in your life, with perfectly melty cheese oozing into every single bite. Sounds amazing, right?

In reality, though, all that gooey cheese somehow disappears! The cheese squirts out after you take your first bite, leaving you with a hamburger that’s miraculously both tough & greasy at the same time. & Also! There’s a giant hole in the middle of it. Um…no thanks.

After trying to make (several) juicy lucy-esque burgers for PWWB, I realized it’s SO much better to simply mix the ingredients together into the patty rather than wrapping the burger patty around a hunk of cheese. The texture of the burger itself ends up being so much better, there’s no fussiness involved in forming the patties, & there’s a 0% chance that your burger will explode on the grill (which, unfortunately, is a thing when you juicy lucy).

So, by happy accident, that’s exactly how we got here. Bacon Cheddar Cheese Stuffed burgers: the BEST burgers i’ve ever made!

Bacon cheddar cheese stuffed burgers:

The easiest 5-ingredient bacon cheeseburgers, every single bite oozing with gooey, melty cheese & juicy, smoky bacon. Seriously, what more could you want?!

I’m seriously so obsessed with these burgers, & I think the main reason I love them so much is because, really, they’re so simple to make, but MAN, all of the flavors come together SO well. Serious flavor bomb!

Rather than topping these burgers off with a couple of slices of cheese & bacon, you mix some grated cheddar & parcooked bacon bits right into the burger meat (along with my super secret burger ingredient – more on that in a sec!). The bacon bits render into the burger from the inside out, infusing the burgers with smoky bacon flavor & so much extra juiciness. OMG. It’s so good! & that cheese? It melts right into the burger, creating ooey, gooey puddles of cheese in every single bite.

It’s everything I’ve ever wanted out of a juicy lucy burger, with the added benefit that they’re so much easier to make & so much more cost-effective than going out to a fancy burger joint for $15 burgers. Bacocheddarburgers = weeknight dinner magic. ✨ 

(& I mean…you could still totally top them off with a couple of slices of cheese & bacon. No one here is gonna judge!)

How to make this bacon cheddar cheese stuffed burgers recipe:

bacon cheddar stuffed burger ingredients (hamburger, bacon, cheddar cheese, worcestershire sauce, salt) arranged on a white backdrop.

These bacon cheddar burgers come together in 3 seriously easy steps:

  1. Parcook the bacon. We want the fat to render, but it doesn’t need to cook completely as it will finish cooking in the burgers. You can do this up to 3 days in advance if you’re trying to meal prep!
  2. Form the bacon burger patties: add all five ingredients to a mixing bowl, & mix it all together! You want to evenly disperse the ingredients, but don’t overmix the meat, since that’ll result in a tough burger. Form the mixture into 4 patties (I have more deets on exactly how I like to do that below!). Again, if you’re into meal prepping or you’re prepping for a big summer party you can form your patties up to 3 days in advance. & You’re ready to hit the grill!
  3. Grill the burgers over direct heat, 3 minutes per side.

So easy, right??

5 tips for making the best grilled burgers:

Grilling up burgers isn’t exactly hard, but there is definitely some technique involved in grilling up a good burger, like the kind of burger you’d order at a restaurant. Here are a few of my favorite “better burger” tips & secrets!

  1. Use high-quality beef with good fat content: while I always grab leaner ground meat for my everyday cooking, when it comes to burgers you really want burger meat with a good meat:fat ratio. It’s what makes the burgers so juicy! I like 85%/15% for these bacon cheddar burgers because the bacon inside the burger patties also adds a little extra juciness.
  2. & Make sure it’s room temperature! Room temp beef is a lot easier to work with & grills much more evenly than cold ground beef. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to start grilling up dinner, simply pull your ground beef from the fridge to give it the chance to come up to room temp. Easy!
  3. Worcestershire sauce. This is my secret ingredient for any homemade burgers! It adds such richness & depth of flavor to the ground beef, & somehow makes it taste even beefier. Sounds crazy, I know, but it’s a thing & it’s so, so good.
  4. A burger press. You can read more about this below, I feel really strongly about using one!
  5. & Please, please, please, do not press down on your burgers while they grill! I don’t know why there’s such a tendency to press down on burger patties with a spatula while they’re on the grill, but DANG the temptation is real & you gotta do your best to avoid it. By pressing down on the burgers while they cook, you’re actually pushing out all of their juices! It almost guarantees that your burgers will end up dry, & is there anything sadder than a dry little hockey puck of a burger?

How to make the best burger patty:

If you want to make the best burger patty, you’ve got to use a burger press or ring mold to form them!

I’m so not the type of person who believes in having tons of single-use kitchen gadgets lying around, but a burger press or ring mold will take your homemade burger game to the next level. You can press the burger patties more compactly, resulting in restaurant-quality texture and the best grilled burgers. I absolutely swear by it!

4 bacon cheddar stuffed burger patties on small sheet pan after being grilled.

*More Grilling Tips and Tricks

Grilling doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating, we’ll show you how!

We’ve created a completely FREE 5 Day Grilling Series dedicated to help you be your most confident self behind the grill this summer. We’ll guide you through Grilling 101 Tips and Tricks (and as a bonus, we’ll send you our BONUS 15 Grilling Marinades download right away!). Sign up now!

Let’s make this your best grilling season yet! 🙌🏼 🔥

Toppings for bacon cheddar cheese stuffed burgers recipe:

bacon cheddar stuffed burger on small plate with french fries & cherry tomatoes after bite is taken out of it.

Bacon cheddar cheese stuffed burgers are so good they don’t need much, so I stick with the classics when it comes to toppings. Here are some of my favorite apps, snacks, and side dish recipes to serve on the side!

  • toasted hamburger buns
  • leafy lettuce
  • sliced tomato
  • sliced onion
  • ketchup
  • mustard
  • or…chipotle mayo!

I love that leafy lettuce adds some freshness & crunch in every bite, & there really isn’t anything better than a couple of juicy summer tomatoes on a grilled burger!

If you want to take things to the next level, toast up your burger buns in the little bit of rendered fat from parcooking the bacon & schmear ’em with some chipotle mayo. This is the kind I’m obsessed with, but you can easily make some homemade by stirring minced chipotle pepper & a little lime juice into your fave mayo. The smokiness of the chipotles complement the smokiness of the grilled bacon burgers so well, plus the little bit of mayo adds a nice creamy, cool element to these burgers.

It’s pretty much summertime perfection, if you ask me!

a woman's hand holding up stuffed bacon cheddar burger after a few bites have been taken out of it.

Be sure to give this Bacon Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burgers recipe a try soon, & leave a comment &/or give this recipe a rating below whenever you do! & of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Above all, I love hearing from you & looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my absolute favorite thing.

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bacon cheddar stuffed burger served on a bun with french fries next to another plated burger, plated burger toppings & a ice cold beer.

Bacon Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burgers Recipe (Best Grilled Burgers!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 Minutes
  • Total Time: 30 Minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Main Dish, Sandwiches & Burgers
  • Method: Grilling & Smoking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Learn how to make this Bacon Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Burgers recipe (aka the best grilled burgers you can make at home). They take just 5 ingredients & 30 minutes!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • for serving: toasted hamburger buns, leafy lettuce, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, mustard, chipotle mayo, etc.

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill or a grill pan to medium heat, about 500 degrees F.
  2. Parcook the bacon: Add the bacon to a skillet over medium heat (on the stove, not the grill). Cook 2-3 minutes per side, until the bacon begins to render but is not totally crispy. The goal is to par-cook the bacon since it’ll finish cooking in the stuffed burger patties. Remove from the heat. Once cool enough to handle, finely chop into small pieces.
  3. Form the bacon cheddar stuffed burger patties: Add the chopped bacon to bowl with the ground beef, shredded cheddar, Worcestershire, & ground black pepper. Using your hands, combine the mixture until the bacon and cheddar are evenly dispersed. Be careful not to overmix. Using a burger press or mold, form into 4 equally sized burger patties (see Recipe Notes).
  4. Grill the stuffed burgers over direct heat for 6 minutes, flipping halfway through for medium doneness. The burgers should have beautiful grill marks & tons of melty cheese oozing out!
  5. Serve as desired, on toasted buns with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, & condiments. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Burger press or ring moldAs someone who isn’t into keeping tons of kitchen gadgets on hand, use of a burger press or mold is key for taking your homemade burger game to the next level. The press/mold will help you be able to pack each patty very compactly, making for a much more enjoyable texture in your burgers. This one is $10 and has awesome reviews!
  • Meal prep tip! These burgers are super meal prep friendly. A couple of options…
    • 10-minute meal prep: Parcook the bacon according to Step 2 of Recipe Directions. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. At dinnertime, all you have to do is press out your burger patties & grill them up.
    • 20-minute meal prep: Form the burger patties according to Steps 1-2 of Recipe Directions. Store, layered with parchment, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. At dinnertime, all you have to do is toss them on the grill.

Ready to Hit the Grill?

If this all still feels new to you, I encourage you to head over to Grilling 101, a compilation of tips and tricks for all of the grilling basics – everything from how to light your grill to how to clean your grill.

All this talk about grilling have you feelin’ ready to hit the grill? Me too! Be sure to check out this post for my 15 go-to marinades you need this grilling season. At our house, a good marinade is at the heart of grilling season. I’m positive these marinades will be on repeat at your house this summer! For even more grilled goodness, be sure to check out all of our Grilling and Smoking recipes.

And lastly! Be sure to give @playswellwithbutter a follow on Instagram – I’ll be teaching you how to grill up some goodness all summer long, and we have so much fun on Instagram!

Want more grilling tips and recipes?

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Follow along with Plays Well With Butter on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest for more unfussy recipes that pack a big punch of flavor!

Hi there, I'm Jess!

If there’s 1 thing to know about me, it’s this: I am head-over-heels in love with food. I’m on a mission to make weeknight cooking flavorful, fast, & fun for other foodies, & PWWB is where I share foolproof recipes that deliver major flavor with minimal effort. Other true loves: pretty shoes, puppies, Grey’s Anatomy, & my cozy kitchen in Minneapolis, MN.

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Comments

  1. 11.4.23
    MrM said:

    Unlike steak, a burger should be super cold before grilling.






    • 11.8.23
      Emma @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi MrM, great tip! We’ve found that grilling these burgers from room temperature works really well and still yields great, juicy results when you want a burger fast! The use of a burger mold helps these cheese-stuffed burgers maintain their shape, too. Of course, you’re welcome to take the time to chill them before grilling as well 🙂

  2. 2.27.23
    DD said:

    Can these be put together and frozen without cooking them first?

    • 3.13.23
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi DD! We have never tried assembling the patties & freezing ahead of time but it should work. Let us know if you give it a try! 🙂

  3. 5.9.21
    Brooklyn said:

    Tried this recipe the burgers were juicy but they were falling apart on the grill how can i stop that from happening again






    • 5.10.21

      Hi Brooklyn – So sorry to hear this recipe gave you trouble. Because of the cheese & the bacon, the burger patties need to be really tightly formed. I find it’s easiest to use a ring mold or burger mold, like this or this. A wide-mouth lid of a mason jar will also do the trick. Hope you can try again!

  4. 3.13.21
    Kathy Charbula said:

    I made these burgers for dinner tonight and they were delicious! Prep was incredibly easy!

  5. 2.19.21
    Bridget k fosse said:

    Amazing! My hubby is hooked on this burger now. Needs no toppings imho!






    • 3.8.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Bridget! Thanks for the review, can’t go wrong with bacon & cheddar (especially when it is inside the burger!!). So glad you enjoyed it!

  6. 10.27.20
    Samantha said:

    I’ve made these several times now and they are such a treat! Super easy to throw together, but special enough that my husband requested for his birthday dinner. I also love an excuse to keep bacon on hand!






    • 5.28.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Samantha! Love that these burgers are a bday request at your household! Keep an eye out for even more delicious PWWB Grilling Recipes this summer & thank you so much for sharing!

  7. 10.10.20
    Elling Hofland said:

    these are our go-to burgers anytime we are hosting for a bbq






    • 3.10.21
      Erin @ Plays Well With Butter said:

      Hi Elling! We are so glad to hear that, thank you for sharing your comment & for sharing with others at your BBQs!

  8. 12.21.19
    Shannon said:

    Had these last night; they were a hit! The shredded cheese distributes the cheese well!






  9. 11.12.19
    Alice said:

    These are so juicy and delicious- even if you accidentally overcook them- they’re still good!!






    • 11.12.19
      jess said:

      yesssss!!! so glad you love them as much as we do, Alice! xx

  10. 11.12.19
    Alicr said:

    These are so juicy and delicious- even if you accidentally overcook them- they’re still good!!