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Aloha Burger

The Aloha Burger is a delicious meal that can be whipped up in no time. It's a perfect way to add an island flair to your usual burger routine, and it packs an amazing flavor punch.

Made with grilled pineapple, teriyaki glaze, and topped with cheese, the Aloha Burger is sure to be a hit at any gathering. This easy-to-follow recipe will have you serving up juicy burgers that are guaranteed to leave everyone asking for more!

Do you enjoy a good burger night with friends and family? Then you must add this Aloha Burger to your menu and see how much everyone enjoys their first bite of these tasty Hawaiian burgers.

Crispy fried chicken sandwich with melted cheese and carrot radish slaw

Why You Need These Burgers

  • The Aloha Burger is quick and easy to make
  • Its tropical flavors add an exotic touch to your typical burger night
  • Pineapple gives it an amazing sweet-and-sour taste that's sure to be a hit with everyone. 
  • Toppings like teriyaki glaze and cheese add even more flavor and ensure each bite is as juicy as the last. 
  • This recipe is simple enough for anyone to follow, so even novice cooks can make an incredible Aloha Burger every time! 
  • You won't find anything else quite like this burger - its unique flavor will leave your guests wanting more! 
Aloha burger, topped with grilled pineapple, Aloha sauce and spicy mayo on Hawaiian sweet roll

Ingredients for the best burger

Get more info at the bottom of the post.

  •  ground beef
  • pineapple, fresh or canned
  • minced garlic 
  • molasses
  •  rice wine vinegar
  • soy sauce
  • brown sugar
  • ground ginger
  • onion powder
  • ground black pepper 
  • Hoisin sauce, optional
  • Hawaiian hamburger buns
  • mayonnaise
  • sriracha sauce, optional
  • pineapple slices or pineapple rings, for topping
  • cheddar cheese, for topping
  • lettuce, tomato, and onion for toppings

How to Make an Aloha Burger

It should be well noted that The USDA recommends that all ground meat should be cooked to a minimum of 160F. Basically, they recommend a slightly overcooked medium burger or one that has been cooked longer to ensure safety. If you like a medium rare or rare burger, that will go against suggested cooking temperatures and you should eat at your own risk.

  1. Combine pineapple, garlic, molasses, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, onion powder, pepper and Hoisin sauce together until smooth, using a food processor or blender. Place in a medium bowl and store covered in the fridge until ready to use on your burger.
  2. Using your hands, form ground beef into 6 equal burger patties. Lightly salt and pepper and let sit at room temperature until ready to cook. 
  3. On a hot grill, or in a fully heated cast iron skillet, cook burger patties on one side for 5-7 minutes, basting 2-3 times with sauce from the fridge before flipping the patties over and cooking on the other side and basting again 2-3 times with some of the remaining teriyaki sauce mixture. 
  4. Remove the patties from the grill or skillet and place on a plate. Immediately top them with cheese so it melts. 
  5. Place pineapple rings on the grill for just a minute per side to get a little char on each side fo the ring. 
  6. Toast buns on the grill or in skillet until edges are dark brown. 
  7. If using, in a small bowl, combine mayo and sriracha to create a spicy mayo for your burger.
  8. Serve burger buns with mayo, a basted burger topped with melted cheese, grilled pineapple ring, and lettuce, tomato, and onion.
crispy fried chicken topped with cheese and carrot radish slaw on brioche hamburger bun

Storage

Leftover Aloha Burgers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheating should be done in a skillet or grill until heated through. 

If you prefer a crispier finish on your burger, you can reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Store burger patties separate from toppings and buns. 

What other toppings can I add? 

Want some more yummy toppings to try on your burger, try these ideas: 

  • ​crispy bacon bits
  • drizzle on some barbecue sauce instead of the spicy mayo for another tasty flavor profile
  • sautee your onions before adding them to your pineapple burgers

What temperature should my burger be? 

When cooking beef burgers, use a meat thermometer to make sure your burgers are cooked through and juicy. Always check the temperature in the thickest part of the burger patty and let it rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. 

What temperature is a well done burger?

A well done burger should have an internal temperature of 170°F (77°C). A well done burger will have very little pink in the center. 

What temperature is a medium well done burger? 

A medium well done burger should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). The center will have a hint of pink, but not much. 

What temperature is a medium done burger? 

A medium done burger should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155°F (68°C). The center will have a slight pink hue, but still mostly be cooked through. 

What temperature is a medium rare done burger?

A medium rare done burger should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). The center will be pink with a hint of red. 

What temperature is a rare burger? 

A rare burger should be cooked to an internal temperature of 130°F (54°C). The center will be red and slightly cool.

Aloha burger with grilled pineapple ring, onion and Aloha sauce on a bun

What is the best way to shape a burger patty? 

The best way to shape a burger patty is to form it into a flattened disc about ½ inch thick and 4 inches in diameter. Make sure the edges are sealed together with your hands so that the patty holds its shape during cooking.

To prevent shrinkage, make an indentation in the center of the patty with your thumb – this will give it more surface area for contact with the heat source and will help keep it from bulging up when cooked. 

This method will also help ensure that your burger remains juicy on the inside while being cooked to perfection on the outside. 

Can I make the sauce ahead of time? 

Certainly! If made and stored properly, you can store this unique Hawaiian burger sauce in the fridge for up to a week. 

beef patty basted in pineapple teriyaki sauce topped with grilled pineapple, lettuce, onion and spicy mayo on a Hawaiian bun

Tips and Notes

  • If using the canned pineapple rings, once you've used some for grilling to add as toppings, be sure to keep drain pineapple juice and use it in your basting sauce to really set that sauce up a level.
  • To prevent contamination, it's crucial to use a separate basting brush for any sauces that have been in contact with raw beef for this unique Hawaiian pineapple burger recipe.
  • Discard marinade for the burger once you've finished making it. Don't keep it once it has touched the raw burger meat. 
  • If you don't want to use cheddar cheese, swiss cheese would be a yummy alternative.

This Aloha burger recipe is so simple and incredibly delicious with it's fruity, Hawaiian flavor. Serve these tasty burgers when you need a nice change of pace on burger night. 

📖 Recipe

beef patty basted in pineapple teriyaki sauce topped with grilled pineapple, lettuce, onion and spicy mayo on a Hawaiian bun

Aloha burger

Grilled beef burgers with a saucy, teriyaki pineapple basting sauce, topped with melted cheddar, grilled pineapple, and a spicy mayo; piled onto a Hawaiian bun with lettuce, tomato and onion. 
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: aloha burger, maui burger, teryaki burger
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 769kcal
Author: Erin
Cost: $4.40

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
  • 1 cup pineapple fresh or canned
  • 2 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 cloves
  • cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • cup soy sauce
  • cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce optional
  • For Serving
  • 6 Hawaiian hamburger buns
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsps sriracha sauce optional, for kick
  • 6 pineapple rings for topping
  • 6 slices cheddar cheese for topping
  • lettuce tomato and onion

Instructions

  • In a good blender or food processor combine pineapple, garlic, molasses, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, onion powder, pepper and Hoisin sauce until smooth. (Store covered, in fridge until ready to use.)
  • Form completely thawed beef into 6 equal patties. Salt and pepper lightly.
  • On a hot grill, or cast iron skillet (wait until fully heated) cook patties on one side for 5-7 minutes, basting 2-3 times with sauce before flipping over and cooking on the other side and basting again 2-3 times. 
  • Remove patties to a plate and immediately top with cheese so that it melts. 
  • Lay down additional pineapple rings for just a minute per side to get a little char. 
  • Toast buns until edges are dark brown. 
  • Combine mayo and sriracha (for spicy mayo).
  • Serve buns with mayo, basted burger topped with melted cheese, grilled pineapple ring, and lettuce, tomato and onion.

Notes

  1. Refer to post chart for burger temperature chart for doneness. 
  2. If using canned pineapple rings, reserve some rings for grilling, and use the rest plus the juice in the Aloha basting sauce.
  3. Store any previously made sauce in the fridge up to one week (it can be made in advance).
  4. Make sure to separate any sauce used with a basting brush that has come into contact with raw beef.

Nutrition

Calories: 769kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1629mg | Potassium: 761mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 258IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 312mg | Iron: 6mg
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