I love the flavor of fajitas: grilled steak, peppers, and onions…mmm! So I decided to throw those bold flavors into a burger one evening, and wow! Easy to prep ahead and freeze, these burgers will be ready anytime you want a classic burger with a zesty twist. I love topping these off with my favorite hot sauce; thank goodness there are lots of great gluten-free options available now!
1 TBSP (15 ml) coconut oil
¼ cup diced red onion
1/3 cup (720 ml) diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup (720 ml) diced green bell pepper
2 pounds (907 g) ground beef
1 egg (or 1 TBSP (15 ml) ground flax seeds mixed with 3 TBSP (45 ml) hot water; let it sit for a few minutes until it gels)
2 TBSP (30 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp cumin
1 tsp (5 ml) chili powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp granulated onion
¼ tsp granulated garlic
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Makes 6 burgers
Prep Day:
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil.
Add the onion and peppers, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until softened. Set them aside to cool.
In a large bowl, place the ground beef, egg, cilantro, garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, granulated garlic, sea salt, and pepper.
When the onion and peppers are cool enough to handle, spoon them into the bowl with the beef mixture.
Mix the beef and veggies gently with your hands to combine all the ingredients.
Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal parts, and shape them into patties with your hands.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Place the patties on the wax paper, making sure that they don’t touch one another. Place the baking sheet in the freezer.
When the burger patties are semi-frozen, place them in a freezer bag with small pieces of wax paper separating them, and freeze until needed.
Serving Day:
Remove either the whole bag or one patty at a time from the freezer, and allow the burger(s) to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to cook, fire up your grill to medium-high heat.
Grill the burger(s) for 4 minutes per side or until they have reached the desired doneness.
More Recipes You'll Love
Fajita Burgers wrap all the sizzling flavour of fajita night into one juicy patty. Red onion and bell peppers sauté soft, then fold through ground beef with cilantro, garlic, cumin, and chili powder for grill-ready burgers that need nothing but a lettuce wrap and salsa.
Pro Tips
- Sauté the onions and peppers until softened and let them cool completely before mixing into the beef — warm vegetables melt the fat and make the patties loose.
- The egg (or a flax egg) binds everything together, so the patties hold their shape on the grill despite all those chunky vegetables folded through.
- Mix the beef and vegetables gently with your hands; overworking makes dense, tough burgers instead of juicy ones.
- Divide into six equal patties and press a dimple into the centre of each so they cook flat instead of puffing into balls on the grill.
- Freeze the shaped patties flat on a wax-paper-lined sheet first, then bag them with paper separators — they'll thaw and cook perfectly on demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grill these from frozen?
Thaw them overnight in the fridge for the best texture. If grilling from frozen, cook over lower heat first to thaw through before searing the outside.
Are Fajita Burgers paleo?
Yes: ground beef, onion, peppers, egg, cilantro, and pure spices with no breadcrumb binders. Serve in lettuce wraps with guacamole and salsa.
Can I use ground turkey?
Ground turkey works with the same vegetables and spices. Add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the mix since turkey is much leaner than beef.
What should I top them with?
Classic fajita toppings — guacamole, salsa, fresh cilantro, and grilled onions — all keep it paleo and push the flavour even further.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut oil.
- Add the onion and peppers, and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until softened.
- Set them aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, place the ground beef, egg, cilantro, garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, granulated onion, granulated garlic, sea salt, and pepper.
- When the onion and peppers are cool enough to handle, spoon them into the bowl with the beef mixture.
- Mix the beef and veggies gently with your hands to combine all the ingredients.
- Divide the meat mixture into 6 equal parts, and shape them into patties with your hands.
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Place the patties on the wax paper, making sure that they don’t touch one another.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer.
- When the burger patties are semi-frozen, place them in a freezer bag with small pieces of wax paper separating them, and freeze until needed.
- Remove either the whole bag or one patty at a time from the freezer, and allow the burger(s) to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- When ready to cook, fire up your grill to medium-high heat.
- Grill the burger(s) for 4 minutes per side or until they have reached the desired doneness.
