Turn up the heat on your next burger night with these juicy bacon cheeseburgers topped with melty gouda cheese and a sweet, yet spicy, habanero-lime blueberry compote. Garnished with fresh jalapeños, diced red onion and baby spinach, these burgers are bursting with color and flavor.
Grilling season is officially here! That means you’ll find me outside more often than inside and cooking on the grill. One of my favorite meals to cook outside all summer long are cheeseburgers. While a classic burger topped with American cheese, pickles and mustard is always a delicious dinner option, I also love dreaming up inventive burger toppings throughout the summer.
Today’s burger is a hot one, so I hope you have a frosty drink beside you. Topped with a habanero-lime blueberry compote, bacon, sliced fresh jalapeños, baby spinach and melty Gouda cheese, these burgers are one of my new favorites.
The best part is that you don’t have to really do anything too special to make these bad boys. Most of the toppings are pretty standard fridge and pantry burger staples and the blueberry compote comes together in less than 15 minutes. It can even be made several days in advance and kept in the fridge too.
Now, you may be thinking, blueberries?! On my burger?! No thanks. Trust me, the sweet blueberries, tart lime and spicy habanero add a wonderful fruity kick to what’s otherwise a fairly standard bacon cheeseburger. I’ve also put this on turkey burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches too. I want to try it on a salmon burger next—yum!
To make the compote, begin by adding a diced habanero pepper to a small saucepan with a little olive oil. Sauce for a minute or two over medium heat and then add the whole blueberries, lime juice, lime zest and sugar. Let everything cook for 5-8 minutes until the blueberries begin to soften and release their juices. Finally, add a pinch of salt and the cornstarch and stir until the compote thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
I really love that this is one of those sauces where the heat hits you later, in the back of the throat, and doesn’t linger on the tongue. It lets you enjoy every bite of these juicy burgers without needing to take a swig of water every two seconds. However, if you’re leery of habaneros and think they may be too hot for you, feel free to swap for jalapeños or serrano peppers. Conversely, if you love heat, feel free to add an extra habanero pepper (or two). The compote can be is easily customized to your heat preferences.
For reference, I used two big habanero peppers in my latest batch and the blueberries and lime juice did a great job balancing the heat. Even my husband, who is pretty timid when it comes to heat, didn’t shed a tear when eating his burger. With that being said, I think it’s important to note, however, that all peppers are not created equal. On the Scoville scale, a habanero can range from 100,000 – 350,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units) meaning the level of heat from batch to batch could vary significantly. So tread lightly, friends!
If you try out this habanero-lime blueberry compote on your burgers, please give the recipe a rating and let me know what you think below in the comments. Also, don’t forget to tag me on social media. It’s @frydaeblog (#frydaeblog) absolutely everywhere. I love to see what you’re cooking up in your kitchen with me! As always, thank you so much for stopping by and happy Frydae!
Habanero-Lime Blueberry Bacon Cheeseburgers
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 habanero peppers, diced finely
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/4 pounds ground beef
- 4 slices gouda cheese
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, fully cooked
- 4 brioche buns, toasted
- 2 jalapenos, sliced
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup baby spinach and/or kale
Method
- To prepare the burgers, form the meat into 4 equal size patties. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and then set aside until ready to cook.To make the habanero-lime blueberry compote, place the finely diced habanero pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Saute for 1-2 minutes until the peppers begin to soften.Next, add the whole blueberries, lime zest, lime juice and sugar. Let cook for 5-8 minutes until blueberries soften and begin to release their juices. Finally, add a pinch of salt and the cornstarch. Stir to combine and let cook until compote begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool completely before serving.Meanwhile, get your grill going outside or a place a grill pan over medium-high heat. When the grill is ready, cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare or longer if you prefer more doneness. Add the Gouda cheese during the last minute of cooking.
To assemble the burgers, spread a little mayo over the bottom of each toasted bun. Then place a cooked burger patty on each and top with a generous amount of the blueberry compote. Layer with bacon, jalapeno sliced, diced red onion, and baby spinach and then add the top bun on each burger. Serve warm with a side of fries and enjoy.
Notes
To toast buns, spread a little butter over the cut sides of the buns. Then, lay facedown on a skillet over medium heat. Toast for 1-2 minutes or until golden.