This is the best gluten free burgers recipe! Better than any burger restaurant or fast food burger, these hamburgers are so juicy, tender, and full of favour. They are healthy and easy to make with lean ground beef, onion, almond flour and ketchup. No matter how you like to cook your burgers I’ve included grilling, frying and air fryer directions.
Growing up my dad made THE BEST burgers. They are so good that our friends even named them – Dougie burgers – and would always request Dougie burgers whenever they came over. But, after I went gluten free I could no longer eat those famous burgers. However, I was determined to come up with a gluten free version, and I finally perfected them! I can’t wait for you to try these hamburgers. They are seriously the best burgers ever! This post is dedicated to you dad!
Why you will love this recipe:
- Move over Jamie Oliver, this is the best gluten free hamburgers recipe! These burgers are juicy and tender and loaded with flavour.
- They are easy to make and only take a few minutes to assemble.
- These healthy burgers make great leftovers and are perfect for meal prep.
- These burger patties can be frozen and used at a later date.
- Besides being gluten free these burgers are also paleo, dairy free, keto, low carb and can be made Whole30 too!
- Instead of going to McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s or A&W, you can make your own burgers that are way better than any fast food restaurant.
- You can make these burgers any way you prefer – I’ve included grilling, air fryer and pan frying instructions.
- Want a fun twist on a classic burger? Try these gluten free duck burgers or gluten free turkey burgers instead!
Key ingredients and substitutions:
- Ground beef – I recommend using lean ground beef for these burger patties. Even better, if you can get grass fed and grass finished beef. That’s what I personally use in my kitchen.
- Onion – chopped white onion adds both flavour and texture to these burgers. You could use a yellow or red onion instead to change up the flavour.
- Ketchup – ketchup is used to give these burgers flavour and moisture. You could also swap the ketchup for your favourite bbq sauce. Just be sure whichever you choose is gluten free.
- Gluten free soy sauce – use your favourite gluten free soy sauce or gluten free soy sauce replacement such as either coconut aminos or gluten free tamari.
- Almond flour – almond flour is used as the binder in these burgers. If you don’t have almond flour you could use crushed gluten free crackers or gluten free breadcrumbs instead. I don’t recommend using almond meal, the texture is too course.
- Eggs – to add moisture and help bind the ingredients in these delicious, juicy burgers.
Recipe variations:
- Instead of almond flour you could use gluten free bread crumbs or gluten free crushed crackers for this paleo burger recipe.
- To make these burgers paleo: use a paleo friendly ketchup or bbq sauce and coconut aminos and serve on a lettuce bun or as a burger salad.
- To make these burgers Whole30 compliant: use a Whole30 ketchup or Whole30 bbq sauce and serve on a lettuce bun or as a hamburger salad.
- You can use either ketchup or bbq sauce to make these burgers. Just be sure whichever type you choose is gluten free.
How to make this recipe:
To grill these burgers:
Step one:
First, place all of the ingredients in a bowl and using your hands, mix until the ingredients are combined.
Step two:
Then form the meat mix into eight patties about 1-1 1/2 inches thick. Use your thumb to make an indent in the centre of each one. This helps them stay together when you cook them.
Step three:
Next, place the patties on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
Step four:
Now heat your grill to medium heat. Cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes per side, until the desired internal temperature has been reached. Then serve and enjoy!
To pan fry the burgers:
Step one:
First, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is melted add the burger patties.
Step two:
Cook the patties for 3-4 minutes per side, until the desired internal temperature has been reached.
To make burgers in the air fryer:
Step one:
Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step two:
Now add the burger patties to the basket or tray of your air fryer. Cook them for 10-13 minutes, flipping the patties half way through, until they reach the internal temperature you prefer. Depending on the size of your air fryer you might need to cook the burgers in batches (you don’t want to overlap the patties when you cook them).
Serving ideas:
- If you tolerate dairy add a couple slices of your favourite cheese to the tops of these burgers before they are done cooking and let the cheese melt.
- Serve them on a gluten free bun or a lettuce bun.
- Pair these burgers with French fries, sweet potato fries, potato salad, broccoli salad or coleslaw.
- You can top these burgers with whatever you like including cooked bacon, lettuce, onion, tomato or pickles.
- Top them with your favourite condiments – ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce, relish or mayonnaise.
Tips:
- Mixing the meat with your hands works much better than mixing with a spoon.
- Be sure to put a thumb indent into each patty – this helps the patties stay together when they cook.
- Make sure you finely chop the onions. If the onion pieces are too big the burgers won’t hold together as well.
How to store:
Store any leftover cooked hamburgers in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to freeze burger patties:
If you want to freeze these burger patties I recommend taking the uncooked beef patties and freezing the patties in a freezer-safe, airtight container with layers separated by parchment paper. When you are ready to eat them, defrost the burgers overnight in the fridge and then cook them the way you prefer.
Frequently asked questions:
For ground meat, including hamburgers, the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 160˚ to 165˚ Fahrenheit as the minimum. This gives you a well-done beef burger, meaning there aren’t any signs of pink in the centre.
No. It is dangerous to eat raw or undercooked ground beef because it can contain harmful bacteria. The USDA recommends not eating or tasting raw or undercooked ground beef. To be sure all bacteria are destroyed, cook ground meat and hamburgers to a minimum temperature of 160°F. You want your hamburgers to be fully cooked, with no pink remaining in the centre.
McDonalds beef patties, grilled chicken patties and fries do not contain gluten. However, McDonalds does not guarantee that any of their products are gluten free as cross contamination between food items can occur.
Whether a burger is gluten free will depend on the ingredients it’s made with. All beef patties are naturally gluten free, but many burgers are made with added ingredients such as fillers or binders that are not gluten free, so be sure you read labels carefully.
Whether frozen burgers are gluten free will depend on the ingredients they’re made with. Frozen all beef patties are naturally gluten free, but many frozen burgers are made with other ingredients such as fillers or binders that are not gluten free, so make sure to read ingredient labels carefully.
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Gluten Free Burgers
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup ketchup (or bbq sauce)
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tsp sea salt (more or less to taste)
- 1 tsp garlic powder (more or less to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and using your hands, mix until the ingredients are combined.
- Form the meat into eight patties about 1-1 1/2 inches thick. Use your thumb to make an indent in the centre of each one. This helps them stay together when you cook them.
- Put the patties on a parchment-lined plate and refrigerate for ~30 minutes.
To grill
- Heat your grill to medium heat. Cook the burgers for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the desired internal temperature has been reached.
To pan fry
- Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is melted add the burger patties.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until the desired internal temperature has been reached.
To air fry
- Preheat your air fryer to 370F. Place the patties on your air fryer trays or in the basket and cook for 10-13 minutes, flipping half way through, until the desired internal temperature has been reached.
My 17 year old son isn’t a fan of burgers, even before his celiac diagnosis. Well tonight that all changed. He ate every bite and said “THIS is a GOOD burger!” High praise from him, a picky eater who’s generally not into food in general. Served on Udi’s gluten free bun. THANK YOU for the amazing recipe. We’ll finally be making burgers more often.
Oh this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much for letting me know!