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This Tex Mex Burger stacks a juicy beef patty with homemade guacamole, fresh pico de gallo, and sliced jalapeños in 25 minutes. Works on the grill or in a skillet, and both toppings come together in under 10 minutes with simple ingredients.
This Tex Mex Burger is ready in 25 minutes and stacks a juicy beef patty with creamy homemade guacamole, fresh pico de gallo, and sliced jalapeños for a burger that hits every note, rich, fresh, and just the right amount of spicy. You can grill it outside or cook it in a skillet year-round.
What makes this one work is the combination of textures and temperatures in the topping stack. The cool, creamy guacamole balances the heat of the jalapeños, and the bright, acidic pico cuts through the richness of the beef and avocado. Both toppings are made from scratch in under 10 minutes and they genuinely taste different from anything store-bought. I make some version of this burger constantly through summer and it is one of those recipes that disappears fast at cookouts. If you love big, bold burger flavors, also try my Greek Burger Recipe with tzatziki or this Easy Avocado Burger.
Why This Recipe Works
Making both the guacamole and pico fresh is what sets this apart from a standard topped burger. The guacamole adds a rich, creamy layer that clings to the patty, while the pico brings brightness and acidity that cuts through the fat. Together they create a burger that tastes balanced rather than just heavy. Sliced raw jalapeños add a sharp, vegetal heat that is different from pickled or cooked jalapeños, the freshness matters here. And because this recipe works just as well in a cast iron skillet as on the grill, it is a legitimate weeknight option even in January.
Recipe Ingredients You’ll Need
- Burgers: You can use pre-made burgers or you can make your own using ground beef.
- Jalapeños: Sliced jalapeños are used to add some heat and spice to the burgers.
- Buns: You can use buns or even just use big piece of romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce to create a lettuce wrap burger.
- Guacamole: A homemade guacamole adds a creamy, savory flavor to the burger. You can also buy your favorite store-bought guacamole.
- Pico de Gallo: Fresh homemade pico de gallo is the perfect fishing touch for these burgers. The pico mixes red onion, tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro.
Ways to Modify these Burgers
- Cheese: Cheese is always a nice addition to a burger. I love pepper jack, sharp cheddar or cotija cheese on this burger.
- Vegetables: I love topping burgers with vegetables, especially grilled ones. If you have bell peppers, poblanos or sweet baby peppers on hand you should grill those up and add them to the burger. Other ideas are sliced radish, lettuce or tomato.
- Greens: Greens are always a nice addition. I especially like romaine lettuce, arugula or a mixture of greens.
- Salsa: Salsa is my favorite addition to this Tex Mex Burger. I love adding this Homemade Salsa, Mango and Black Bean Salsa, Avocado Tomatillo Salsa or this Easy Homemade Salsa Verde.
How do you Make These Easy Tex Mex Burgers
Step 1: Grill the Burgers: Heat the grill to medium high heat. Cook your burgers on the grill for about 6-7 minutes per side. The burgers are done when their internal temperature is 160 degrees F.
Step 2: Make Guacamole: Mix the avocado, lime juice, salt, tomatoes and cilantro in a medium bowl until the guacamole is creamy.
Step 3: Make the Pico: Combine the pico de gallo ingredients, mix and adjust seasoning.
Step 4: Assemble Burgers: Top the bottom of the bun with the burger, then the jalapeños, guacamole and then the pico de gallo.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using watery pico. If your pico sits too long before serving, the tomatoes release liquid and make the bun soggy. Salt the pico, let it rest for 5 minutes, then drain off any liquid before topping the burger.
- Adding guacamole while the burger is piping hot. Give the patty 2 minutes to rest off the heat before stacking. This keeps the guacamole from turning brown and oily on contact.
- Skipping seasoning on the patty. If you are using ground beef, season the outside of the patty generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin before it hits the grill. The toppings are bold — the patty needs to hold its own.
- Cutting jalapeños too thick. Thin slices distribute the heat more evenly across each bite. Thick rounds can make one bite mild and the next overwhelming.
- Overloading the guacamole with tomato. Too much tomato in the guacamole makes it watery. Keep tomato portions small and taste as you go.
What to Serve with these Burgers
- Potatoes: Potatoes are almost always served next to my burgers. I love these Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes, Gouda Smashed Potatoes or these Spicy Lebanese Potatoes.
- Vegetables: When I make burgers I like to serve a vegetable with it. I especially like these Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables, Simple Garlic Parmesan Green Beans or Turmeric Cauliflower.
- Salads: I love salads so I often serve at least two with my burgers. Some that I love are this Summer Orzo Pasta Salad, Mediterranean Bean Salad, Mexican Street Corn Salad or this Lemon Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts.
Storage Tips
- Store cooked burger patties separately from the toppings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat patties in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side or in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Store guacamole with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to limit air exposure. It keeps for up to 2 days in the refrigerator but is best eaten the day it is made. Pico de gallo keeps for up to 3 days in a sealed container; drain any accumulated liquid before serving.
- Do not assemble leftover burgers with the toppings, store everything separately and build fresh when ready to eat.
Recipe FAQ
A Tex Mex burger is a beef burger topped with ingredients from Tex Mex cuisine, typically some combination of guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa, jalapeños, and pepper jack or cotija cheese. The defining flavors are lime, cilantro, chili heat, and fresh tomato. This version uses homemade guacamole and pico for the most flavor.
Let the cooked burger rest for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the guacamole. Direct heat causes the avocado to oxidize quickly. You can also press a thin layer of lime juice over the guacamole right before serving to slow browning. Assemble burgers just before eating rather than building them ahead of time.
Yes. Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy non-stick pan over medium-high heat and cook the patties for 5 to 6 minutes per side until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. A cast iron skillet gives you a better sear than most other stovetop options and works well year-round.
Pepper jack is the best choice, it melts well and adds a mild heat that reinforces the jalapeño flavor without competing with the guacamole. Sharp cheddar is a good second option for a more classic flavor. Cotija crumbled on top adds a salty, crumbly finish that works especially well if you are skipping a melted cheese layer.
More Burger Recipes
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Tex Mex Burger
Ingredients
- 4 pre-made burgers or you can make them yourself with ground beef
- 2 jalapeños, sliced
- 4 buns
For the guacamole
- 3 Avocados, peeled, pitted, mashed
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup of diced red onion
- 2 small roma tomatoes, chopped
- Salt to taste
- 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped {optional}
For the pico de gallo
- 1 cup sweet onion or red onion, diced
- 4 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 small jalapeño, diced
- 1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped {about 1/2 of a bunch}
Instructions
- Heat the grill to medium-high heat. Cook your Original BUBBA burgers on the grill straight from the freezer (no thawing required). Grill for 5-6 minutes on each side. When the juices begin to rise to the top of the burger it is time to flip them. Burgers are done when they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Heat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Cook your Original BUBBA burgers on the skillet straight from the freezer (no thawing required). Cook for 5-6 minutes on each side. When the juices begin to rise to the top of the burger it is time to flip them. Burgers are done when they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- Mix the avocado, lime juice, salt, tomatoes and cilantro {optional} in a medium mixing bowl until a creamy guacamole is created.
- Combine the ingredients for the pico de gallo and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Place the bottom of the bun on a plate. Top with jalapenos, a couple spoonfuls of guacamole, pico de gallo and the top of the bun. Enjoy!
Notes
- If making your own patties, season the outside generously with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin before cooking. For best results use 80/20 ground beef — the fat content keeps the patty juicy.
- Burgers are done when they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Use an instant-read thermometer for accuracy.
- Let patties rest for 1 to 2 minutes before topping with guacamole to prevent the avocado from browning on contact with the heat.
- If your pico releases liquid after resting, drain it before topping the burger to avoid a soggy bun.
- Pepper jack, sharp cheddar, or cotija all work well on this burger. Add cheese in the last minute of cooking and cover with a lid to melt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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