Four cheap mouth-watering burger recipes

National burger day is here and to celebrate this momentous foodie occasion, I’m bringing you four super easy, gourmet restaurant worthy, budget friendly burger ideas that are a little different to your average (but still very delicious) cheeseburgers.

Ranging from as little as 95p per burger, each recipe will feed a family of 4 and we have a variation of vegan, vegetarian and meat burgers to suit everyone.

I personally love a burger on a brioche bun, which you can also get vegan versions of in your supermarket, but you can cut the costs down even further by buying a plain or seeded bun.

I hope you enjoy and get a chance to try one of these soon!

1. Indian spiced chickpea burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Price: £3.80 (£0.95 per burger)

Ingredients:

• 4 x burger buns
• Can of chickpeas
• 2 x carrots
• 1 tbsp masala spices
• Handful of fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp mango chutney
• Cucumber
• 100g Yoghurt
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 x sprigs of mint
• 2 x poppadoms
• Tomato
• Lettuce
• Crispy onions

Method:

1. In a bowl, add your drained can of chickpeas and mash with a potato masher. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t smooth, chunks add to the texture of the patty.
2. Grate your carrot and squeeze out as much moisture as possible out of them.
3. Add your masala spices, salt and pepper, mango chutney, flour and 2 crushed poppadoms. Mix well.
4. Divide the mixture into four and gently press into a burger patty.
5. Heat some oil in a pan, add your burgers and fry, pressing gently down with a spatula each side until golden for around 8 - 10 mins.
6. Meanwhile, mix together the yoghurt, some small cucumber chunks, a couple of sprigs of freshly chopped mint and some salt and pepper - this is your raita.
7. Toast your burger bun, add the raita to the lid, your chickpea patty, lettuce, a tomato slice, crispy onions, a little coriander and enjoy!

2. Crispy buffalo halloumi burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Price: £5.64 (£1.41 per burger)

Ingredients:

• 4 x burger buns
• 225g halloumi
• 35g panko breadcrumbs
• 25g butter
• 50ml Franks Hot Sauce
• 1tsp garlic powder
• 1tsp white vinegar
• Lettuce
• Pickles
• 50ml pre-made blue cheese dressing

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a low heat.
2. Mix the hot sauce, garlic powder and vinegar together. Then add the melted butter to this mixture. This is your cheat buffalo sauce.
3. Slice your halloumi block into 4, so they are large slices.
4. Pour the panko breadcrumbs onto a plate and season with salt and pepper.
5. Pour a couple of tablespoons of the buffalo sauce into a separate bowl and leave to one side.
6. Now dip each halloumi slice into the buffalo sauce, then onto the panko plate and press and coat well.
7. Pop some sunflower oil in a pan (or you can use your air fryer) and start to fry your halloumi, both sides for a few minutes until nice golden and crispy.
8. Remove the halloumi and put to one side, clean the pan, pop back onto the heat, then slightly toast the burger buns in the pan for a few seconds.
9. Add lettuce and pickles to your toasted bun, add your crispy halloumi, a drizzle of remaining hot sauce and a little drizzle of blue cheese sauce and enjoy.

3. Teriyaki & sesame beef burgers

Makes 4 portions

Price: £6.96 (£1.74 per burger)

Ingredients:

• 4 x burger buns
• Half a bunch of spring onions
• Handful of crispy onions
• Packet of teriyaki sauce
• 2 or 3 grated carrots (depending on your preference)
• ¼ of a whole shredded cabbage
• Sesame oil
• 1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice
• Sesame seeds (white/black)
• 2 caps of white vinegar
• 2 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 400g beef mince
• Mayo

Method:

1. In a bowl, add your beef mince, Chinese 5 spice, garlic, a drizzle of sesame oil, salt, pepper, and a handful of sesame seeds and divide mixture into 4 burger patties.
2. Pop on a pan with some oil and press the burger patties into the pan and cook for a few minutes each side until cooked through.
3. Whilst this is cooking, make your Asian slaw. To a bowl add cabbage, carrots, spring onions, vinegar, drizzle of sesame oil, salt, pepper, crispy onions and a few more sesame seeds and if you like some heat you can add some finely chopped red chilli or chilli flakes. Leave to one side.
4. When the burgers are nearly cooked, drizzle over a quarter packet of the teriyaki sauce and cook for a further minute, turning in the sauce so they are nice and juicy.
5. In a bowl, add the mayo and a couple teaspoons of the teriyaki sauce and mix well.
6. Toast the burger buns, add the teriyaki mayo to the lid, your Asian slaw to the base and your burger patty on top, drizzle over a little more teriyaki sauce and enjoy!

4. Chicken parmigiana style burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Price: £6.12 (£1.53 per burger)

Ingredients:

• 4 x burger buns
• 2 x chicken breast (you need half a chicken breast per burger)
• 8 tbsp flour
• 2 x eggs (half an egg per burger)
• 100g panko breadcrumbs
• 20g pesto
• 30g mayo
• Half a lemon
• 100g passata
• ½ tsp oregano
• Ball of mozzarella cut into 4 slices
• Lettuce

Method:

1. Get 2 chicken breasts, individually wrap them both in cling film, place on a chopping board, then get a rolling pin or meat cleaver and bash them a few times until they are flat.
2. Whisk the eggs in one bowl, add the flour to another and seasoned panko breadcrumbs to a third.
3. Heat up a pan with a generous amount of sunflower oil (or heat up your air fryer).
4. To bread the chicken, firstly coat in the flour then add to the egg bowl, with your other hand, move this and drop into the panko bowl and press firmly to coat well.
5. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the breaded chicken into the hot oil on a low to medium heat and fry until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through and the batter is golden and crispy, remove to one side.
6. Heat up your passata and add in your dried oregano, salt and pepper (you can also add some Parmesan cheese if you have some) leave to one side.
7. Slice your mozzarella ball into 4 thin slices.
8. In a small bowl, add your mayo, lemon and pesto, stir.
9. Toast your bun in a dry pan then add a generous amount of the pesto mayo to one side of the bun.
10. Add some lettuce, your crispy chicken, then your mozzarella slice, here you can use a handheld torch to melt the mozzarella or pop in the grill/air fryer until melted.
11. Drizzle on some of the passata sauce and enjoy.