Pizza Burger
by Sommer Collier — on Jun 25, 2025 
These crave-worthy pizza burgers combine pepperoni pizza and cheeseburgers for one delicious, satisfying and fun dinner! Customize this easy pizza burger recipe with your favorite toppings to make ‘za hamburgers the whole family will love.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
We are BIG fans of burger recipes around here! They bring a warm weather barbecue picnic-type vibe to any season and occasion, are super easy to make, and are SO great to dress up with all kinds tasty toppings. And although we love our classic best hamburger and smash burgers recipes, it’s fun to mix things up with interesting variations.
Today’s pizza burgers are hamburger patties combining flavorful ground beef and Italian sausage. Then we load them up with pizza sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni slices, and basil – plus sweet and spicy banana peppers on top for decadent pizza flavor and zesty appeal!
Why You’ll Love This Pizza Burgers Recipe
- Two classics in one – These cheeseburgers are the perfect combo of two iconic Americana foods, so you know this recipe is going to be a hit with adults and kids alike!
- Great to customize – There are so many ways to change things up here, from the type of burger patties to the pizza toppings and more.
- 30 minute meal – We cook these burgers on the stovetop for a quick and easy – yet exciting! – dinner that’s ready to serve in a snap.
Make these cheeseburgers for your next pizza night and watch everyone’s eyes light up! I’m sure they’ll instantly have a top spot on your family’s list of favorite meals.
Ingredients and Tips
- Hamburger patties – I use a combination of ground beef AND ground sausage to make the most juicy, flavorful burgers possible. That, plus breadcrumbs and a bit of salt, is all you need!
- Hamburger buns – Extra soft brioche buns are the best for burgers, in my opinion.
- Pizza sauce – You technically can use marinara pasta sauce, but the thickness and taste of a true ‘za sauce really bring the pizza party to this burger recipe.
- Mozzarella – Deli slices of mozzarella cheese melt better than traditional mozzarella logs or balls.
- Pizza toppings – We’re using pepperoni slices, pickled banana pepper rings, and fresh baby basil leaves. However, feel free to use whatever pizza toppings you prefer! We’ve got some suggestions below…
Recipe Variations
- Protein – You can leave out the pork and make all-beef hamburger patties. For a leaner burger, try swapping ground beef with ground turkey.
- Vegetarian – Cut the meat out entirely and make your pizza burgers with plant-based patties. Use your favorite non-dairy mozzarella replacement for a vegan version!
- Gluten-free – Just use your fave gluten-free breadcrumbs and buns. Easy!
Best Pizza Burger Toppings
Dress up your hamburgers with whatever pizza toppings you like! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Meat lovers – Add cooked bacon slices and/or Canadian bacon pieces for the ultimate carnivore hamburger!
- Veggies – Add slices of your favorite veggies, such as mushrooms, green bell peppers, onions, or fresh tomatoes.
- Extra goodies – Swap out or add more toppings like sun-dried tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, or roasted red peppers.
Or why not add on a pineapple ring along with Canadian bacon for a Hawaiian pizza burger?
How to Make Pizza Burgers
Tip for Success – The perfect order for building your personal pizza burger is as follows: Bottom bun, sauce (not too much!), burger patty with cheese and pepperoni, then your extra goodies like banana pepper slices. Add the freshest ingredients, like basil, last to keep the delicate greens far from the warm cheeseburger patty.
Find the full Pizza Burger recipe with detailed instructions, storage tips, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store the cooked cheeseburger patties in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – If you plan to freeze, I suggest freezing the cooked patties without cheese. Let them cool completely before wrapping each burger in plastic wrap, then store all together in a plastic ziploc bag. They’ll keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Reheating – Thaw frozen hamburgers in the fridge overnight. I recommend reheating burgers in the microwave… In a skillet on the stove or on a baking sheet in the oven will work, but these methods are more likely to dry them out.
Serving Suggestions
Pair these zesty cheeseburgers with classic potato-based burger side dishes like crinkle-cut or julienne french fries, potato wedges, or sweet potato fries.
Or lean into the Italian side and serve them with crunchy and ooey-gooey mozzarella cheese sticks with marinara sauce!
Like all good “bad” for you foods, I always recommend serving fresh veggies sides like Caesar salad (ok maybe not great for you…but there’s lettuce!), caprese-style panzanella salad, or tangy green bean salad with peppadew peppers.
Pizza Burger Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the Patties –
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- ¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Pizza Burgers –
- 6 hamburger buns
- 6 tablespoons pizza sauce
- 6 mozzarella slices sandwich-size (or provolone slices)
- 18 pepperoni slices
- 12-18 fresh basil leaves
- ¾ cup pickled banana peppers drained
Instructions
- Set out a mixing bowl. Combine the ground beef, ground sausage, Italian breadcrumbs, and salt. Mix the meat until well combined.
- Divide the meat mixture into six equal portions. Then shape each portion into a patty, 1 inch wider than the hamburger buns. Press a small indentation in the center of the patty. (This helps the patty stay flat while cooking.)
- Preheat a large cast-iron skillet to medium heat. Then preheat the broiler to 500°F. *You can also cook these burgers on the grill or a griddle at medium heat, around 350-400°F.
- Once hot, place the patties in the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the burgers and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- After 3 minutes on the flip-side, top each patty with a slice of cheese, and three pepperoni slices.
- Carefully move the skillet to the oven, on the top rack, under the broiler. Broil the patties for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese and crisp the pepperoni. Watch the patties carefully so you don’t burn the pepperonis!
- Place one tablespoon of pizza sauce on the bottom half of each hamburger bun. Place a hamburger patty on top of the pizza sauce. Top with banana pepper slices and fresh basil leaves. Add the top bun and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s easy to cook these pizza burgers on your outdoor grill, too! Preheat the grill to medium heat and cook the hamburgers for 5-6 minutes on each side, depending on how well done you prefer your beef. I prefer a nice, slight bit of pink in the middle, so I usually go with 5 minutes.
Yeah, I’d say so. Let’s be honest, cheeseburgers and pizza on their own are considered “junk” and if you pair them together you aren’t going to magically get a non-junk food dish.
That being said, OMG these pizza burgers are totally worth the calories! I just wouldn’t recommend eating them every day… as much as you might want to :)
The recipe was super easy to follow and turned out delicious! It’s a fun, creative spin on a classic burger that even my picky eaters devoured.
We made these for a backyard BBQ and they were a massive hit! Everyone loved the pizza twist – definitely adding this to our regular grilling lineup.
This is hands-down the most flavorful burger I’ve ever made! The combination of gooey cheese and crispy pepperoni is out of this world.