Tennessee Onion Burgers are the best grilled burgers piled high with a cheesy homemade onion casserole made of thinly sliced sweet onions baked with butter and cheese. This burger is a staple at Southern diners and roadside burger joints.
If you’re a lover of unique hamburgers, try our recipes for Jucy Lucy Burgers, Maple Bourbon Burgers and Bacon Bit Burgers with Gouda and Smothered Onions.
The Tennessee Onion Burger is similar to an Oklahoma Onion Burger. The Oklahoma version involves smashing a ground beef patty into chopped onions on a griddle. In the Tennessee version, the onions are prepared separately until they are tender and gooey, and then they’re served on top of the burgers. It fits right in with the rest of the Southern comfort food favorites like shrimp and grits and chicken fried steak.
Ingredients Needed:
- Tennessee Onions: Use this recipe.
- Ground Beef: I like to use 80/20 for burgers. Not too lean!
- Garlic and Worcestershire Sauce: These will add flavor.
- Salt and Pepper
- Cheese: I like cheddar.
- Hamburger Buns: Your favorite buns.
- Butter: This is used to butter the buns. Don’t skip! Butter toasted buns are awesome.
- Desired Condiments: See suggestions below.
How to make Tennessee Onion Burgers:
The complete, printable recipe is in the recipe card below. Here’s a brief overview.
- Pre-cook your Tennessee Onions.
- Mix the burger meat.
- Grill the burgers.
- Butter the buns and toast those on the grill too.
- Assemble your burgers with plenty of Tennessee Onions piled on top and add your desired condiments.
Recipe Tips
- It’s okay to make the Tennessee Onions ahead of time. Make them the day before, and then just heat them up when ready to serve!
- It’s okay to flip the burgers a couple of times while grilling, but don’t press down on the burger with your spatula. You’ll squeeze all of the juices out of it!
- Use whatever cheese you’d like, and use whatever hamburgers buns you’d like!
Burger Topping Suggestions:
- The basics: lettuce, tomato and pickles.
- Ketchup and mustard.
- Go bold and make homemade burger sauce.
- Homemade pickles are pretty delicious too.
- Bacon!
What are the best things to serve with Tennessee Onion Burgers:
Serve your burgers with fries, tater tots, cole slaw, baked beans and/or sweet tea. If you really want comfort food, serve them with homestyle baked macaroni and cheese! Serve peach cobbler, banana pudding or ice cream sandwiches for dessert.
What You’ll Love About These Burgers:
- They are super easy to adapt to your personal taste. Set up a burger bars where everyone can add their favorites!
- We’ve technically added a side dish (Tennessee Onions) to this burger. So it’s all in one!
- There is a ton of flavor in these Tennessee Onion Burgers with the addition of the sweet, caramelized cheesy onions. They’re perfect.
Tennessee Onion Burgers
Ingredients
ONIONS:
- Tennessee Onions Use the recipe from RecipeGirl.com
BURGERS:
- 2½ pounds 80/20 ground beef (cold)
- 1½ tablespoons minced garlic
- 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
- 8 hamburger buns
- 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
CONDIMENTS:
- desired condiments: ketchup, mustard, pickles, sliced tomato and lettuce
Instructions
PREPARE THE TENNESSEE ONIONS:
- Follow the instructions for making the Tennessee Onions at the link provided.
PREPARE THE BURGERS:
- Add the ground beef to a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the other ingredients on top. Fold the meat over a few times to get everything incorporated (about 30 seconds). Don’t over-mix.
- Divide the meat into 8 equal parts. Form each portion into a patty that is 4-inches across with 1-inch sides. Push down the center of each patty slightly.Cover the patties with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you preheat your grill and butter your buns.
- Place the burger patties on the grill. Cook to your desired doneness:For medium-rare burgers, cook for 5 minutes total (135°F)For medium burgers, cook for 6 to 7 minutes total (145°F)For well-done burgers, cook for 8 to 9 minutes total (160°F)Flip the burgers at least once during cooking.
- At the end of cooking time, add the cheese to the burgers and the buttered buns to the grill over indirect heat.
ASSEMBLE:
- Add the grilled burgers to the toasted buns, and add any desired condiments. Top with a generous amount of Tennessee Onions!
