Cowboy Burgers

By Becky Hardin

Updated Jun 2, 2026

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It doesn’t get better than Cowboy Burgers. I’ve taken everyday hamburgers and transformed them into something over-the-top delicious by adding cheese, bacon, avocado, onion rings, and spicy mayo. These loaded burgers are great for backyard BBQs, family gatherings, or a quick weeknight dinner.

The Ultimate Backyard BBQ Burger

Why have a plain ole’ burger when you could have a burger loaded with delicious ingredients, like this Cowboy Burger? I basically took all of my favorite ingredients- cheese, avocado, bacon, spicy mayo, and air fryer onion rings and threw them together to create this Loaded BBQ Burger recipe. Depending on the season, I’ll either prepare air fryer burgers or throw burgers on the grill and then load them up with the toppings.

This is a meal I can easily get on the table in about 30 minutes, and it never fails to please my family of 4. In a pinch, you could use frozen burgers, and the toppings are easily modifiable based on what you’ve got on hand and personal preferences. Now that winter is behind us, I think this is the best burger to celebrate summer!

Tips for Beginners

• Keep a stash of frozen burgers on hand. When I make burgers, I’ll often make a double batch and throw half in the freezer. That way, I can easily whip up these cowboy burgers when a craving hits.
• Play around with the toppings. Though I love this combination of toppings, they are not carved in stone. Choose your favorite combinations and enjoy.
• Make sure the patties are flat. Make a small indent in the center of each burger before cooking them so they cook up flat. This will ensure you have an even surface to layer on all the toppings.

Recipe Card

Loaded Cowboy Burgers

Difficulty: Easy

4.58 from 7 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 burgers

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

It doesn't get better than Cowboy Burgers, loaded with cheese, bacon, avocado, onion rings, and spicy mayo.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Spicy Mayo

• ▢ ¼ cup mayonnaise store-bought or homemade
• ▢ ¼ cup barbecue sauce store-bought or homemade
• ▢ 1 tbsp red pepper flakes*

For the Burgers

• ▢ 4 premium ground beef burgers prepared your favorite way or premade
• ▢ 4 slices cheddar cheese
• ▢ 4 burger buns
• ▢ 4 slices leaf lettuce
• ▢ 4 slices tomato
• ▢ 8 slices cooked bacon
• ▢ 8 slices avocado
• ▢ 8 onion rings

Video

Instructions 

• Combine the mayo, BBQ sauce, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
  ¼ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup barbecue sauce, 1 tbsp red pepper flakes*
• Place burgers on a hot grill and grill each side for approximately 3-4 minutes, or until burgers are cooked through.
  4 premium ground beef burgers
• At the last minute, add your cheese and allow it to melt down over the burgers.
  4 slices cheddar cheese
• To assemble your burgers, spread some of the spicy BBQ mayo on the inside of each bun. Top with lettuce, tomato, burger, 2 slices of bacon, 2 slices of avocado, 2 onion rings, and more BBQ mayo.
  4 burger buns, 4 slices leaf lettuce, 4 slices tomato, 8 slices cooked bacon, 8 slices avocado, 8 onion rings
• Serve and enjoy!

Equipment

• Grill

Becky’s Tips

*Red Pepper Flakes: The mayo is pretty spicy. Feel free to add as much or as little of the red pepper flakes as you like, or leave them out completely if you don’t want spicy burgers.

Check this burger temperature chart to cook the burgers to your preferred doneness.

Serving: 1burgerCalories: 1271kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 47gFat: 98gSaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 1085mgPotassium: 2106mgFiber: 21gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1640IUVitamin C: 33.5mgCalcium: 352mgIron: 6.7mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Store

Store leftovers separately. Any leftover sauce can be placed in an airtight container and stored for up to a week in the fridge. The lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados will last for a few days in the fridge as well, in an airtight container; though the avocados will turn brown, they will still be good to eat.

Cooked bacon and cooked burgers are good for 2-3 days in airtight containers. You could freeze the cooked bacon and burgers for up to 3 months and thaw them in the fridge before enjoying them again.

To reheat, warm the burgers in the oven or over the stove until warmed through and the cheese is melted again. You can add the toppings straight from the fridge or bring them to room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

There’s nothing I love more with my burger than a side of crispy French fries. As for the other dishes, I like to prepare creamy coleslaw and a classic Instant Pot potato salad. When local corn is in season, I like to take advantage and prepare this nicely spiced Mexican corn on the cob. This burger recipe is great for a Sunday night dinner with my family, but if I’m entertaining, I’ll make a double or triple batch.

More Burger Recipes To Try

• These decadent Wisconsin Butter Burgers are soaked in butter for the juiciest, most buttery burger.
• For these BBQ Burgers, I mix sweet and smoky BBQ sauce into the ground beef so there’s an extra pop of flavor in every bite.
• These hands-off Baked Hamburgers are quick to prepare and turn out juicy every single time.

more grilled recipes

Grilled Chicken Wings

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Grilled Peach Salad

Grilled Pork Chops Recipe