Perfectly seasoned ground beef is pan-seared to absolute perfection and topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms, thick sweet sizzled pineapple slices, and gooey melted provolone. Delicious alone or served with your favorite condiments on a bun. You don’t even need a grill.

A pineapple burger with a bite taken out. — *Juicy burgers topped with caramelized pineapple and melty cheese, bringing just the right balance of smoky, savory, and sweet.*

Pineapple Burgers without a Grill

While grilled burgers are pretty awesome, there are times, when that’s just not possible – rain, snow, or just no access to a grill. You could go with a thin smash burger, or bbq sliders, but if you want a big and juicy burger, you can still get that with a skillet.

For even more flavor for your juicy burgers, try adding a softened pineapple slice with some onions and mushrooms, all cooked in the same skillet so clean up’s a breeze.

These have a bit of a Hawaiian flare with the fresh pineapple slices which add a slight sweetness to the burgers. By cooking the slices in the skillet it seals in the juices and softens them making it easier to eat than a fresh slice of pineapple.

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I initially made these for my pineapple loving daughter who loves pineapple on pizza so I knew these would be a hit. We’ve tweeked the recipe until we got everything just the right consistency so that you get a bite of pineapple without the whole slice coming out.

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“Tried this about 2 months ago but forgot to pin to my favorites… It is EASY to prepare and the family ate every bite!
Got to thinking about dinner at 5PM. It was ready to eat by a little after 6PM. Most of the extra time was getting interrupted by the grandkids!”

“
Dan

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A pineapple burger on a plate with a bun.

You start the process by cooking the burgers in a skillet. Then you remove them and cook the mushrooms and onions until they are golden and have so much flavor. You’ll just scooch them to the side of the skillet and add the pineapple slices.

When the pineapple has softened you’ll put the burgers on top of each slice, cover with onions and mushrooms and add a slice of provolone. As it melts, it holds the mushrooms and onions in place so they don’t slide off.

The final result is the juiciest sweet and savory burger. It’s so good you can just eat it with a fork, but it will stay together to put on your favorite bun, no other condiments are even needed.

Just like when I make burgers with peach bacon jam, these Hawaiian burgers have the perfect balance of sweet and savory. There’s no outdoor grill necessary, which means no matter the season, weather, or location, you can enjoy a juicy burger.

How do you get the juiciest burgers?

To get a juicy burger, use ground beef that has an 85/15 fat content. The fat will give it more flavor and keep it from drying out as it cooks.

Make sure your cooking surface is good and hot before you place your meat onto it. This gives you an instant sear that seals the exterior of the meat, trapping in more juice.

And finally, resist the urge to push down on your burgers as you cook them. While it seems like your helping the meat cook faster, this actually forces the juices out of burger.

A spatula removing a burger from a skillet.

What to Serve with Juicy Burgers

There’s nothing like some Southern baked beans, and mac and cheese, for some classic burger sides. Add some macaroni salad or something light like, red cabbage coleslaw.

For dessert, anything goes with a burger, but with the pineapple flavor I would steer toward something chocolaty, like chocolate cobbler or Derby pie.

Give these burgers a try and you’ll quickly see why it’s one of our favorite ways to make burgers indoors.

Ingredients Notes

The ingredients for pineapple burgers. — Gather the ingredients.

Ground beef – Choose a mixture of at least 15% fat content for the juiciest burger.
Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire adds so much flavor to beef and balances out the sweetness of the pineapple.
Soy sauce – This provides a salty, savory flavor. A splash of teriyaki sauce will also work.
Panko breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs help your burgers bind together, providing texture and moisture.
Egg yolk – Eggs soak into the breadcrumbs and help give your burger plenty of moisture, plus they work as a binding agent.
Sweet onion and mushrooms – You can technically leave these out, but they give your burgers so much savory flavor and texture.
Fresh pineapple – You can cut your own pineapple or use canned pineapple rings.
Provolone cheese – Mozzarella will work but I love the creamy, salty, flavor of provolone with the pineapple.
Pantry Staples – garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper

How To Make the Best Grilled Pineapple Burger

Step 1: Make your hamburger patties.

Combine the ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, bread crumbs, egg yolk, and seasoning. Don’t overmix, using your hands works best. Form the beef into four patties.

The ingredients for burgers in a glass bowl. — Combine the hamburger, seasoning, egg and panko.

Four hamburger patties in a skillet. — From into patties.

Step 2: Cook your burgers.

Grab a large skillet and set it on your stovetop on medium-high heat. Place the burgers in the hot skillet and cook until they’re almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Don’t overcook them. It’s ok if the center isn’t quite done yet. Set them on a plate and cover them with foil.

Burgers should be cooked to around 160º per the FDA which will result in a burger that is brown all the way through. These will continue to cook after they are removed from the skillet, so keep that in mind.

Step 3: Cook your veggies and pineapple.

If your pan looks a bit dry, add a touch of olive oil and saute the onions and mushrooms until cooked through and beginning to caramelize. Add the pineapple and cook on both sides until it’s slightly browned and softened.

Fresh mushrooms and onions in a skillet. — Saute the onions and mushrooms.

A skillet of cooked onions and mushrooms. — Cook until the onions are golden brown.

Pineapple slices in a skillet. — Cook the pineapple until it is soft and browned.

Step 4: Finish assembling the burgers.

Set your hamburger patties on the pineapple slices in the pan. Spoon the onion and mushrooms over the top of each burger. Top with a slice of cheese and cover the pan. Once the cheese becomes gooey and melted remove.

Burger patties on top of pineapple slices. — Place the burgers on top of the pineapple and cover with onions and mushrooms.

Burgers covered with provolone. — Cover with provolone and place lid on top.

Cheese melted on pineapple burgers. — Let the cheese melt.

A Few Recipe Notes

Over mixing your ground beef can lead to dry, tough burgers and loss of juiciness. Squeezing the meat too much breaks down the proteins in the meat, giving you less than desirable results. For the best results, just mix gently until the ingredients are distributed.
Slice your onions and mushrooms nice and thin for quicker cooking and that yummy caramelized flavor.

How to Store Leftover Burgers

Let the burgers cool completely then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They will stay fresh for 4-5 days.

To reheat: Cover with tinfoil and warm in the oven. For best results, let them come to room temperature first.

You can also freeze burgers in an airtight container for about 2 months.

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