This juicy and flavorful paleo burger is a perfect wholesome meal for busy weeknights. Made with sauteed mushrooms and simple, paleo-friendly seasonings, it’s a quick and easy recipe that cooks up on the grill in under 10 minutes. My family craves this delicious beef hamburger and yours will too.
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Hamburgers are classic grilling food, and during the summer I probably grill burgers every week.
Whether it’s these paleo hamburgers, some ground chicken burgers, or something burger adjacent like this smoked meatloaf, we are a family that leans heavily on ground meat. If you are too, I got you.
This recipe in particular is one of my family’s favorite burger recipes, and I love that it’s pretty darn easy to make. It strikes the right balance of ingredients that are packed with flavor (like mushrooms and fish sauce) without being overly complicated.
I will tell you, the last time I made these burgers I had to grab a napkin and wipe my chin, they are that juicy.
This post is going to give you all the tips and tricks you need to successfully make paleo burgers – and bonus, these hamburgers are Whole30 compatible as well. So read on for all the info you need and get ready to bite into some burgers!
Grab these ingredients!
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Ground beef: I typically use ground beef with an 85/15 beef-to-fat ratio for these burgers, but an 80/20 would also work. I wouldn’t recommend going lower than a 90/10 ratio as you want some fat as that will help keep the burgers juicy.
- Coconut aminos: this is a staple in most paleo kitchens – just double check that you didn’t get soy aminos or liquid aminos on accident as I’ve done that before!
- Fish sauce: while this isn’t a typical ingredient in hamburgers, it really helps deliver a lovely savory flavor. Don’t skip this.
- Mushrooms: shiitake mushrooms are my go-to for burgers, but oyster mushrooms would also work well. In a pinch, you could use baby bella mushrooms though those are slightly less flavorful. Button mushrooms are very mild and aren’t going to add the same amount of flavor as others so get a different kind if you can.
- Garlic powder: make sure it’s fresh as it will have more flavor this way. If your garlic powder has been sitting in the back of your pantry for months on end it’s time to go get some new spices.
- Almond flour: get super fine almond flour as you want it to blend well into the meat to help act as a binder.
- Kosher salt: I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt in this recipe. If you are using a different type of salt (kosher or otherwise), you’ll want to use this salt conversion chart from Epicurious to determine how much salt to use.
- Mayo: yes, you want mayo in this burger. In addition to the almond flour, this helps bind the burger together and adds some extra juiciness as well. Make sure it’s a paleo mayo – my favorite is Primal Kitchen avocado mayo.
- Lettuce (or other bun option): I like to get a small head of lettuce and cut the two ends off then use those as my bun. You could also just wrap your burger in lettuce leaves or eat your burger on top of chopped greens. Or if you have a paleo burger bun that works too.
- Toppings: ketchup, mustard, avocado, tomato, pickles – whatever you like on your burger. If it’s ketchup, just make sure it doesn’t have added sugar! We like True Made Ketchup.
How to make paleo burgers
(Note: please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete written instructions.)
There are just a few simple steps when making these burgers:
- Saute the mushrooms
- Make the patties
- Grill the burgers
Saute the mushrooms
Before you cook your mushrooms, make sure they’re clean. I like to use a damp paper towel to wipe any dirt off.
Make the patties
While the mushrooms are cooking, prep the seasoning mixture for the burgers.
Do you need to put a thumbprint in a burger?
I hardly ever put a thumbprint in my burgers, and as you can see from the pictures I didn’t for this recipe. I’ll be honest and say I’m not sure if it’s because the meat I use is typically frozen and compact, so it doesn’t have the chance to shrink up as much, or if it’s something else.
If you find that whenever you cook a burger it puffs up in the middle, then I would make a shallow indentation in the center of each patty with your thumb before you put your burgers on the grill.
Grilling the burgers
Heat up your grill to between 400F and 425F before putting the raw patties on. Once it’s heated up, you’re good to go!
To press or not to press?
People seem to like to press their burgers down on the grill with their spatula. But don’t do this! It releases all the juices from the patty and you’re left with a compact, dry burger.
Put your burger on the grill and flip it only once. Other than that, leave it alone and let it do its thing.
We LOVE our Thermoworks Thermapen ONE meat thermometer to quickly and easily check the internal temperatures of meats. We’ve used a Thermapen for years and they are AMAZING. Get one for yourself here.
Recipe tips
Here are some tips to help you make some truly delicious paleo burgers!
- This recipe is best with a flavorful mushroom, like shiitake or oyster. Baby bella mushrooms will work, but aren’t quite as good. Don’t use white button mushrooms as they don’t lend enough flavor.
- Place the uncooked patties on wax paper (or plastic wrap) as you’re forming them. This serves two purposes – they’re easier to place on the grill and you don’t dirty the pan or platter you’ve set them on, which you can then use to place the cooked burgers on when they’re done. If you put the uncooked patties directly on the pan or platter they can be hard to get off and you’ll likely ruin the nice round shape you’ve made them into.
- You can easily double, or even triple, this recipe by doubling (or tripling) the ingredients. Just make sure to use a bigger pan to saute the mushrooms and a bigger bowl to combine the meat mixture together.
- To make this recipe ahead of time, make the mixture and form the patties. Pile them on a plate with plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper in between each patty so they don’t stick together. Wrap them all up with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to grill them.
Ready to develop your grilling skills?
Tune in and listen to the newly launched Grill Like a Mother podcast from Hot Pan Kitchen author Taryn Solie.
What sides go with burgers?
Of course the pairing of burgers and (sweet potato) fries is the standard, but there are plenty of other options too!
- Some crunchy slaw, like this pineapple coleslaw;
- Grilled veggies, like grilled asparagus or zucchini; or
- A crisp green salad, such as this spring green salad.
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If you make this Whole30 burger recipe, then don’t forget to leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Juicy Grilled Paleo Burger
Equipment
- A small food processor
- A small saute pan
- A wooden spoon or other cooking utensil
- A sheet pan or platter
- Wax paper or plastic wrap
- A grilling spatula
Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
- 3 oz mushrooms shiitake or oyster, or baby bella in a pinch
- ¼ tsp oil
For the patties:
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 1 tbsp mayo
- 1 lb ground meat
For the burgers:
- lettuce for wrapping or a paleo bun
- toppings
Instructions
- Saute the mushrooms first. Place a medium sized saute pan on the stovetop over medium heat add the oil in it to warm. Remove the stems of the mushrooms and place the caps in a small food processor. Pulse them until they’re finely chopped, then add the minced mushrooms to the pan with the oil. Stir and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, take out a medium sized bowl to make the patty mixture in. Use measuring spoons to measure out all the patty ingredients except for the ground meat and add it into the bowl. Use a small whisk to thoroughly mix everything together and set aside.
- When the mushrooms are done cooking, remove them from the heat to let them cool for 3 or 4 minutes, then pour them into the mixing bowl with the seasonings for the patty. Add the ground beef and use your hands to combine everything together. You don’t want to work the meat too hard as it will make it spongey when you cook up your burgers, but you want to make sure the mushrooms and other seasonings are fully incorporated with the ground beef.
- Separate the beef mixture into four equal portions in the bowl, then wash your hands and take out a sheet pan or platter that’s big enough to fit all four hamburgers on it. Place 4 pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap big enough to fit the patties on them onto the sheet pan. Take one portion of the meat mixture into your hands and roll it into a ball, then gently start flattening it with your fingers, working your way around the sides and pressing where needed to get a round shape. Make your patty roughly ¼ inch thick, then place it on one of the pieces of wax paper and repeat the process with the other three portions of meat, washing your hands after you’re done.
- Once all the patties are formed, heat up your grill to between 400F and 425F. Pick the patties up by the wax paper and flip them over onto the grill. Close the lid and cook for 4 minutes, then open the lid and use a spatula to flip the burgers over onto the other side. Cook for another 4 minutes, then check the internal temperature. Remove the hamburgers from the grill once they reach an internal temperature of 160F. Let them rest for 5 minutes then serve wrapped in lettuce and with whatever toppings you like!
Notes
-
This recipe is best with a flavorful mushroom, like shiitake or oyster. Baby bella mushrooms will work, but aren’t quite as good. Don’t use white button mushrooms as they don’t lend enough flavor.
-
Place the uncooked patties on wax paper (or plastic wrap) as you’re forming them. This serves two purposes – they’re easier to place on the grill and you don’t dirty the pan or platter you’ve set them on, which you can then use to place the cooked burgers on when they’re done. If you put the uncooked patties directly on the pan or platter they can be hard to get off and you’ll likely ruin the nice round shape you’ve made them into.
-
If you find that your burgers typically puff up in the middle, you can make a shallow indentation in the middle of each burger with your thumb to help keep them flat as they cook.
-
Don’t press into your burgers with your spatula when they’re on the grill! They lose their juices and you end up with a dry burger. Once you put them on, flip them once then leave them alone to do their thing!
-
You can easily double, or even triple, this recipe by doubling (or tripling) the ingredients. Just make sure to use a bigger pan to saute the mushrooms and a bigger bowl to combine the meat mixture together.
-
To make this recipe ahead of time, make the mixture and form the patties. Pile them on a plate with plastic wrap, wax paper, or parchment paper in between each patty so they don’t stick together. Wrap them all up with plastic wrap and put them in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before you’re ready to grill them.
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Measure the temperature of your burgers with a meat thermometer! If you don’t have one, check out the Thermapen – it’s the one we’ve used and loved for years!
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