Enjoy a juicy Keto Bacon Cheeseburger for under 7 net carbs! This low carb burger recipe can be made on the grill, in a skillet or in an air fryer!
Did you think you had to give up a good, classic juicy Bacon Cheeseburger when you started a low carb diet? Good news! You can still enjoy a delicious burger on a keto! This Keto Bacon Cheeseburger features an ultra juicy burger, crispy bacon, cold crisp lettuce and tomato on a soft, fluffy chaffle bun!
Pair this burger with some of our favorite low carb side dishes like salty Keto Fries, Crispy Zucchini fries or Air Fryer Green Bean Fries. Seriously, this is a low carb dinner you cannot miss!
Ingredients for a Keto Bacon Cheeseburger
- Chaffles: eggs, cheddar, almond flour and baking powder.
- Ground Beef: 80/20 makes a great, juicy burger, but you can use whatever cut you prefer.
- Bacon: thick cut bacon, of course!
- Cheese: cheddar, colby, American, provolone or whatever you prefer.
- Worcestershire sauce: adds great zing to the burgers
- Garlic: minced garlic
- Salt and pepper
How to Make a Juicy Burger
For this burger I recommend an 80/20 cut of ground beef. This ensures the burger is good and juicy, and never dry. You will also need Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, salt and pepper to make an ultra flavorful burger.
Simply combine the meat, sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and combine with your hands, being sure that you really work in the seasonings evenly. Split the mixture into three 1/3 pound patties. Use a burger press, your hands, or place the balls of meat between parchment paper and pat out evenly to about 1/2 inch thick. Season the outside of the burger with salt and pepper.
You can cook these burgers on the grill, in an air fryer, or in the skillet. You will find directions for all of these methods below:
How to grill a burger:
Heat a grill to high heat (400 degrees F). Place the prepared burger patties directly on clean, preheated grill grates. Cook 4 minutes, flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Check the patty for your desired doneness, add cheese and remove from the grill.
How to cook a burger in a cast iron skillet:
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon salted butter and tilt the pan so the butter covers the bottom of the pan. Add the prepared patties to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes and flip when the burger is nicely browned on the bottom. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until it has reached your desired tenderness. Add the cheese to the patties and remove the skillet from the heat. Let the patties sit in the skillet an additional minute to melt the cheese.
Can I make a cheeseburger in an air fryer?
Absolutely! We love air fryer burgers! Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Add the burger patties to the preheated air fryer and fry 5 minutes, flip and fry an additional 5-6 minutes. When the burger has reached your desired doneness add the cheese and close the air fryer. The heat will melt the cheese perfectly.
What temperature should a hamburger be cooked to?
When in doubt, use a meat thermometer. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of 160 degrees F for ground beef. This is the temperature that should destroy any bacteria that could be harmful.
How do I know when a burger is done?
Ultimately, all of my recipe times are to be used as guidelines. The exact cooking time will depend on how you like your burger, the type of equipment you are cooking on, how hot your grill or oven heats things, and how thick your patty is. Watch the burgers closely and remove them from the heat when they have reached your preferred temp.
How do you make a keto bun?
I use chaffles, also known as cheese waffles, for the buns. These are so quick and easy! You just need eggs, almond flour, cheese and baking powder. I prefer these to other types of keto bread for a bun because they are soft, fluffy and do not require much prep work.
To make a chaffle, combine the eggs, almond flour, shredded cheese and baking powder to make a thick batter. Add the batter to a preheated mini waffle maker and cook for 3 minutes, or until the steam stops.
What toppings can I add to a keto burger?
The great news is most of the things you probably enjoy on a burger are already keto-friendly.
- Lettuce: any variety, I love romaine or iceberg for crunch.
- Tomato: tomatoes do contain carbs, so just use in moderation.
- Red Onion or Grilled Onions: also contains carbs, so use in moderation.
- Pickle: also makes a great keto-friendly snack option!
- Bacon: crispy thin or thick cut bacon.
- Cheese: any variety you prefer.
- Jalapeños: fresh, sautéed or grilled peppers, or pickled jalapeños.
- Fried Egg: always keto-friendly.
- Condiments: mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup (be sure you look for a sugar free variety)
Keto Beef Recipes
- One Pan Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet
- Easy Keto Steak Rolls
- Cheeseburger Soup
- Low Carb Vegetable Beef Soup
Keto Bacon Cheeseburger
Ingredients
Chaffle Buns
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For the Burgers
- 80/20 Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Burger Toppings
- 3 slices cheese any variety
- 6 slices thick cut bacon
- 6 lettuce leaves romaine or iceberg
- 3 tomato slices
- 1/8 cup red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
For the Chaffle Buns
- Combine the eggs, shredded cheese, almond flour, baking powder in a mixing bowl until a thick batter forms.
- Heat a mini waffle maker according to the directions. Pour the batter in the waffle maker (a scant 1/4 cup) be sure not to overfill (recipe makes 6 waffles).
- Cook the waffles about 3 minutes, or until steam stops emitting.
For the Burgers
- Combine the beef, sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl until the seasonings have been worked in well. Divide the mixture into 3 equal portions.
- Use a burger press, or place the patties between parchement paper and flatten until it is about 1/2 inch thick.
- Season the outside of the burger with additional salt and pepper (or seasoned salt).
- How to grill a burger:
Heat a grill to high heat (400 degrees F). Place the prepared burger patties directly on clean, preheated grill grates. Cook 4 minutes, flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Check the patty for your desired doneness, add cheese and remove from the grill. - How to cook a burger in a cast iron skillet:
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot add 1 tablespoon salted butter and tilt the pan so the butter covers the bottom of the pan. Add the prepared patties to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes, flip when the burger is nicely browned on the bottom. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes until it has reached your desired tenderness. Add the cheese to the patties, and remove the skillet from the heat. Let the patties sit in the skillet an additional minute to melt the cheese. - Can I make a cheeseburger in an air fryer?
Absolutely! We love air fryer burgers! Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees. Add the burger patties to the preheated air fryer and fry 5 minutes, flip and fry an additional 5-6 minutes. When the burger has reached your desired doneness add the cheese and close the air fryer. The heat will melt the cheese perfectly.
To Assemble the Burgers
- Layer the cooked burger patty, cheese, crisp bacon, vegetables on the chaffle buns and enjoy!
