Fire & Ice Burger Bold (Printable version)

A bold burger featuring spicy peppers, melted cheese, crisp cucumber, and a cooling yogurt dip.

# What You'll Need:

→ Burger Patties

01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (or plant-based alternative)
02 - 1 small red chili pepper, finely chopped
03 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Cheese & Toppings

07 - 4 slices pepper-jack cheese
08 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
09 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
10 - 4 burger buns

→ Cooling Yogurt Dip

11 - 5.3 oz plain Greek yogurt
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
13 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 - 1 garlic clove, minced
15 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Optional

16 - Lettuce leaves
17 - Sliced red onion

# Directions:

01 - Combine ground beef, chopped chili pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix gently and shape into four equal patties.
02 - Preheat a grill or skillet to medium-high heat. Cook patties for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.
03 - Place a slice of pepper-jack cheese on each patty during the last minute of cooking to allow it to melt.
04 - In a small bowl, mix Greek yogurt, fresh dill, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth.
05 - Lightly toast burger buns if desired.
06 - Spread yogurt dip on the bottom bun, add cucumber slices, place the cheesy patty on top, layer with red bell pepper and optional lettuce or red onion, and cover with the top bun.
07 - Serve immediately with extra yogurt dip on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The heat builds slowly, then the cool yogurt slides in like a friend talking you down from the ledge.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve guests but honest enough to make on a Tuesday night.
  • You can prep everything in advance, which means less stress when people are actually hungry.
02 -
  • Don't cook your patties past medium; they dry out fast, and the whole balance falls apart when the beef is tough.
  • The yogurt dip needs time in the fridge to let the flavors meld together—even ten minutes makes a difference, so make it first if you can.
  • Room-temperature ingredients make a difference; cold yogurt straight from the fridge will seize up when mixed with warm spices, so let it sit out a bit.
03 -
  • If pepper-jack is hard to find, a sharp cheddar mixed with a tiny pinch of cayenne in the cheese itself gets you close to the same flavor territory.
  • The key to not ending up with a soggy burger is to assemble it just before eating; the warm patty will soften things slightly, but if you build it too early, the yogurt dip starts breaking down the bread structure.
Return