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A great burger comes down to two things: how you grill the patty, and what you pile on top of it. We’ve already covered how to grill the best burgers, so this one is all about the toppings, the part that turns a good burger into the one people remember.
Instead of throwing a flat list of ingredients at you, we’re breaking toppings into three tiers: classic, elevated, and regional styles inspired by different corners of the US. Build within a tier, or mix across them. Either way, you’ll end up with a burger built for the mood you’re actually in.
🍔 Classic Combinations
These are the toppings that show up on backyard burgers for a reason: they work, every time.
Lettuce, tomato, onion. The baseline. Crisp iceberg or romaine adds crunch, a ripe tomato adds juiciness, and thinly sliced raw or lightly grilled onion adds bite. Simple, but it’s simple because it’s correct.
Cheese. Cheddar brings sharpness, American melts into that classic diner-style pull, and Swiss adds a milder, nuttier note if you want something a little different. Melt it in the last minute on the grill so it’s properly gooey, not just warm.
Pickles. Dill pickle chips cut through the richness of the beef and cheese. Don’t skip them, they’re doing more work than people give them credit for.
Condiments. Ketchup, mustard, and mayo (or a simple burger sauce blend of all three) round things out. If you season your patties well before grilling, our burger seasoning blends guide is worth a look before you even get to the toppings stage.
✨ Elevated Toppings
Once you’ve got the classics down, these are the additions that take a burger from “good weeknight dinner” to “why is everyone still standing around the grill.”
Caramelized onions. Slow-cooked until deep golden and sweet, they add a completely different flavour than raw onion. Worth the extra 20 minutes if you’re not in a rush.
Pickled jalapeños. Bright, tangy heat that cuts through rich toppings like cheese and bacon without overwhelming the burger.
Fried egg. A runny yolk burger topping sounds like a lot, but it adds a richness that ties the whole thing together, especially on a burger that’s otherwise fairly simple.
Specialty sauces. Aioli, chipotle mayo, or a smoky burger sauce built around barbecue flavours. If you want a quick homemade option with real depth, our homemade tomato salsa also works surprisingly well as a fresh, bright burger topping, not just a chip dip.
🌎 Regional Styles
These aren’t claiming to be the definitive version of any regional burger, more inspired-by takes that borrow the flavours each style is known for.
California-style. Avocado, sprouts, and often a milder cheese. Fresh, a little lighter, built around the produce California is known for.
Southwest-style. Chipotle mayo, pepper jack cheese, and sometimes a scoop of fresh salsa or pico de gallo. Smoky heat is the whole point here.
Smash-style. Thin, crispy-edged patties, griddled onions cooked right into the meat, and American cheese melted over the top. This is less about extra toppings and more about technique, a proper cast iron griddle or a smash press gets you those crispy edges that make smash burgers so popular right now. If you’ve already grilled blue cheese and avocado burgers, you’ve technically already dipped into elevated regional-style territory without realizing it.
Smash-style has genuinely taken over a lot of backyard grilling in the last couple of years, and it’s easy to see why: the crispy, caramelized edges you get from smashing the patty flat against a hot surface give you way more surface area for that deep, savory crust than a standard thick patty ever will.
🧂 Building Your Own Combo
You don’t have to pick one tier and stay there. Some of the best burgers borrow from all three: a classic lettuce-tomato base, an elevated caramelized onion, and a Southwest-style pepper jack and chipotle mayo finish. A few pairing notes to keep in mind:
- Rich + bright: if you’re going heavy on cheese or a fried egg, add something acidic like pickles or salsa to balance it out.
- Heat + cool: pickled jalapeños pair well with avocado or a milder cheese to keep the heat from overwhelming the whole bite.
- Crunch + soft: raw onion or lettuce against a soft caramelized onion or a runny egg gives you texture contrast in every bite.
There’s no single “right” burger. Start with a tier that matches what you’re craving, then build outward from there.
