Spicy Cowboy Burger
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Aug 27, 2025 
These meaty, spicy cowboy burgers feature thick hamburger patties made with ground beef, jalapeños, and diced bacon, stacked with spicy cheese, and loaded with barbecue sauce, pickles, and fried onions!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Our family frequently grills up beefy, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth cheeseburgers for casual dinners. But Lt. Dan (my hubby) requests a good spicy burger regularly… It’s the best way for everyone to enjoy the burgers we love while Dad gets all of the spicy, carnivore-pleasing goodness he craves.
Why We Love A Cowboy Burger
Today’s Spicy Cowboy Burger recipe offers a brilliant blend of simple, yet perfectly balanced, ingredients like diced bacon and grated jalapeños blended right into the hamburger patty meat. The crispy fried onions on top provide just the right amount of crunch to contrast the tenderness of the patties.
Along with these tasty tidbits, you can keep loading on all of the favorite burger toppings you want – like melty cheese, BBQ sauce, and pickled jalapeños for even more heat. However, you choose to build the perfect burger, everyone (especially Dad!) will love the showstopper combination of rich, savory flavors mixed with spicy peppers and sweet barbecue sauce!
Ingredients You Need
- Ground Beef – I use premium organic grass-fed beef for the best flavor.
- Bacon – Buy thick-cut bacon so you have nice little cubes when you dice it.
- Jalapeños – I used fresh, but you could also use homemade sliced pickled jalapeños.
- Grill Seasoning – Use a seasoning blend meant for grilling.
- Hamburger Buns – I used soft brioche buns with shiny tops. Yet regular hamburger buns are fine as well.
Cowboy Burger Toppings
- Sliced Cheese – If you (or dad) can’t handle the heat, you can buy cheddar slices. Or spice it up with habanero or pepper jack cheese!
- Lettuce – Butter lettuce leaves.
- Tomato – Fresh ripe slices.
- Pickles – Dill pickles or homemade bread and butter pickles.
- Barbecue Sauce – Pick something sweet and smoky. I like Burman’s Texas-style BBQ sauce from ALDI.
- French Fried Onions – Salty, crunchy, and packed with onion flavor.
How to Make Cowboy Hamburgers
Find the full Spicy Cowboy Burger recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
- Burger Meat – Swap ground beef with ground turkey, or you can even use your favorite frozen meatless patty to make this a veggie cowboy burger recipe.
- Bacon – Use turkey bacon for a slightly leaner burger. Or feel free to omit the bacon entirely if you want.
- Cheese – We continue the spicy theme by using habanero jack cheese slices. But use whatever cheese you want, like extra sharp cheddar cheese or gouda, to make the cheeseburger of your dreams!
- Gluten-free – Use quality gluten-free hamburger buns.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cowboy burgers with all of your favorite sides like Air Fryer Onion Rings (Homemade), french fries, tater tots, sweet potato fries, or a side steakhouse salad!
The BBQ sauce makes the hamburgers fit right in with other cookout classics, too. Enjoy them alongside grilled corn on the cob, deviled egg potato salad, southern coleslaw, baked beans, or any comfort foods that make every day feel like a summer barbecue.
Can’t get enough spiciness? Well, then, you can’t go wrong with spicy beet pickled eggs, spicy collard greens, or jalapeño hushpuppies!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store any leftover spicy bacon burger patties separately from the other ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Wrap the patties individually in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for just a few seconds to reheat.
Yes, you can! After grilling, let the burgers cool entirely before wrapping each one in a layer of plastic wrap. Place all of the patties in an airtight ziploc bag together and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the burgers overnight in the fridge.
Sure, you can! Consider adding sliced avocado, pickled jalapeno peppers, pickled okra, alfalfa sprouts, queso, and even potato chips!
Looking for More Brilliant Burger Recipes?
Cowboy Burger Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Simply Nature Organic Grass Fed Ground Beef
- 8 ounce Appleton Farms Thick Sliced Bacon, diced
- 1-3 whole fresh jalapeños, grated
- 1 tablespoon Stonemill Amazing Burger Grill Seasoning
- 8 whole Specially Selected Brioche Buns
- 8 slices Happy Farms Preferred Habanero Jack Cheese (or Extra Sharp Cheddar)
- ½ cup Burman's Barbecue Sauce – Texas Style
- 1 cup Chef's Cupboard French Fried Onions
- 8 leaves butter lettuce
- 8-16 slices tomato
- 1 cup sliced dill pickles
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Set out a large bowl. Add the ground beef, diced bacon, grated jalapeños, and Burger Grill Seasoning. Mix by hand until well combined.
- Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions. Press each portion into a patty slightly wider than the buns.
- Place the patties on the grill. Cook for 5-6 minutes per side. The insides can be slightly pink in the middle, but not medium-rare because of the bacon. The moment the burgers come off the grill, place a slice of cheese over the top of each patty, so they start to melt.
- Stack the burgers on the buns with lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, barbecue sauce, and fried onions on top. Serve warm.
Best burger ever!
If you’re not being compensated by ALDI, you should be!
Everyone loved these burgers! Will be making them all summer long!
My husband loves anything spicy, so this was a huge hit for him!
These burgers were so juicy! My family devoured them!
When my husband asked for burgers for dinner again, I was so excited to find your recipe! These were delicious!! Got his approval, too.
I love when I can make a recipe with things from Aldi’s! These burgers look delicious, can’t wait to make them for our father’s day BBQ!