A great blue cheese burger is the kind of thing I'd order out and then wish I'd made at home for a third of the price. So now I do. A thick, tangy blue cheese sauce goes under the patty and over the top, so every bite is rich and a little sharp. It's the burger I reach for when I want to elevate burger night.
This blue cheese burger with blue cheese sauce builds its flavor into a thick, tangy sauce that goes on the bun and on top of the patty. Every bite is rich, funky, and a little sharp.
The sauce takes five minutes to whisk together and make it once and it has a way of becoming your house burger.
Which Blue Cheese to Buy
I use Gorgonzola Dolce. It's soft, creamy, and just funky enough without going too far. It’s also the blue cheese I reach for when I just want to put blue cheese on top of my burger, because it actually melts. (More on that later.)
Want more bite? Reach for Maytag, Stilton, or Danish blue. They're sharper, saltier, and more assertive. A little goes a long way, so taste the sauce before you commit to more.
Cooking for someone who's nervous about blue cheese? Stick with the Dolce. And, since it is just a sauce, they can always leave it off.
Making the Burgers
Weeknight Shortcut
Some nights you don't want to whisk a sauce. I get it. Here's the shortcut, and it's a good one.
Right after you flip the patties, pile crumbled blue cheese on top. Add a splash of water to the pan and cover it with a lid for the last minute. (Obviously the water trick doesn't work if you are grilling.)
One catch: not every blue cheese melts. Blue cheese crumbles won't! Gorgonzola Dolce melts, which is one more reason I use it here.
Want the blue cheese inside the patty?
If you'd rather fold the cheese into the meat, you can. I didn't write the recipe this way, because only one of my kids enjoy blue cheese and with it just in the sauce the two of us that do love it can still have it on burger night.
Crumble about 3 to 4 ounces of cold blue cheese for 2 pounds of beef Add it when you work in the Worcestershire and fold gently, just until it's distributed. Then form your patties as usual.
Two things to know. Blue cheese is salty, so go lighter on the added salt or you'll overshoot. And a patty with cheese mixed in is looser than a plain one, so handle it gently and don't flip it more than once. Cook it the same way, and skip stacking extra cheese on the bun unless you really want a blue cheese bomb.
Blue Cheese Burger Toppings
The sauce does most of the work, so you don't need to crowd the burger. But a couple of additions take it from great to memorable. My two go-to's:
From there, the classics all work: crispy thick-cut bacon, caramelized onions for sweetness, red onion, lettuce or a handful of peppery arugula to keep things from feeling heavy. If you want a second sauce, BBQ sauce is nice here.
For a side dish, my blue cheese coleslaw doubles down on the funk. Air Fryer Curly fries are also fabulous on the side.
Blue Cheese Burger with Blue Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Blue Cheese Sauce
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 ounces Gorgonzola Dolce crumbled (or other blue cheese)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon celery salt if you don’t have it use kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Burgers
- 2 pounds ground beef 80/20
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 burger buns toasted
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Place the meat in a bowl and gently work the Worcestershire sauce in, being careful not to overwork the meat.
- Form into 6 patties, about ½-inch thick. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of the patties. Season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast iron skillet, Blackstone griddle or grill to medium-high heat, about 375°F.
- Add the patties and cook for 5 minutes. Flip and cook another 4 to 6 minutes, to desired doneness.
- Spread the blue cheese sauce on the bottom bun and add the burger patty. Add more of the sauce on top of the patty. Add remaining toppings and bun top and serve immediately.
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