National Hamburger Month in May

National hamburger month in May celebrates the many types of burgers that have evolved over the years. Today we have many different recipes that use different toppings, vegetables, cheese, meats, and spices. It's a chance to make a new recipe or dine out to a local restaurant and try a new burger entree.

Burger Animation: Source Giphy/Meta Platforms

Trends For Hamburger in 2026

Smashburgers

Smashburger Photo Source Flicker/Aranami

Smashburgers debuted in restaurants and cafes. It is made by pressing a burger onto a hot griddle to make a crispy crust and sealing in the juices. This way of cooking hamburgers has become popular in home and restaurants. Many restaurants have smashburger on the menu and you can make them at home.

Regional Flavors and Creative Ingredients

Chefs are using regional ingredients in hamburger recipes and seasonal produce grown in their local region. Burgers are topped with chiles, avocados, and green tomatoes. They uses specialty cheese and variety of different types of bread and rolls making hamburgers a specialty item. Burgers are topped with Cole Slaw, salsa, fried onions, chili, and the list goes on and on.

Global Burgers

Ramen Burger from Japan Photo Source Maman Tambouile

Think of foreign countries and the unique recipes for burgers they developed. Mexican burgers are topped with chiles , refried beans, queso, bacon, and hot sauce. A Ramen burger is a Japanese burger with a beef patty between two fried Ramen noodle patties.

The Naan burger is from India a spiced lamb or chicken patty on Naan bread with pickled or crunchy vegetables, paneer cheese, and a blend of Indian spices. The Frita Cuban burger is a patty made of beef and chorizo topped with French fries with ketchup or spicy sauce on roll.

In France a French Onion Burger is a beef patty with caramelized onions, Comte cheese. and tangy mustard. A Greek beef burger comes with Tzatziki sauce, tomato, lettuce and green olives sliced with lemon added.

Miniature Burgers and Sliders

Bite sized burgers provide the chance to try more than one kind. Small plates are still popular in restaurants, Some serve several different type of burgers as appetizers or smaller plates. These can be shared with family and friends when dining out and small plate menus are here to stay.

Grass Fed Beef

Cows Raised Ethically in Pasture Free to Roam Photo Source: Local Wiki

Consumers want sustainable beef ethically raised on farms without using hormones and antibiotics. Regenerative and ethical farms that let the cows roam in pastures and eat a plant-based diet are becoming more in demand with restaurants.

Spicy Burgers

Mexican Burger Photo Source: Dude For Food Blogspot

More consumers and restaurant are adding spicy burger recipes to the menu. The have different types of hot peppers and spicy sauces. They are topped with jalapeno, spicy aioli, habanero sauce, and salsa. Cheese is often added to counteract the hot flavor of the recipe.

Burgers Made of Different Meats, Poultry and Turkey

Today burgers are made from T-bone steak, aged dry beef, rib eye, pork, chicken and turkey. They add herbs, sauces, vegetables and different spices to the recipe. Variety is definitely available with hamburger recipes today.

Plant Based Burgers

Impossible Burger a Vegan Burger Photo Source : Pechlucks Food Adventures

Plant based burgers use no meat, poultry, or fish. The recipes often use pea and soy protein to make them. Many recipes use coconut or canola oil for fat and utilize plant fiber like potato starch and rice starch. Many companies and recipes use beet extract for blood or bleeding effect.

Some sites have recipes consumers can make at home that use black beans, white beans walnuts, mushrooms, rolled oats, red onion, fresh herbs, lentils, or red beans, lentils, chickpeas and other spices.

Recipe Sites With Burger Recipes To Try At Home

Hamburger Animation Source Giphy/Meta Platforms

Below is a list of sites that have many different recipes for burgers to try at home.

Scratch Burgers Recipe by Laura Allen, Taste Better From Scratch, April 2026

Burgers From Around the World, Ruchika Agarwal, July 27, 2021, Tasty 2026

Top 39 Burger in the World, by Editorial Team, Taste Atlas, 2026

50 States 50 Burgers by Marlan Dequito, November 15, 2025 BBQ Host

23 of Our Favorite Veggie Burger Recipes. by Lisa Este, MS, Fork and Knives 2026

Wimpy Cartoon Animation: Source Giphy/Meta Platforms

References:

Top 15 Burger Trends: Burger Statistics and Trends 2026, by Jim McCormick, March 2, 2026, Toast 2026

2026 Trends to Make Your Burger Sophisticated, 6-13-2025 Mae Innovation. 2026

What Is a Plant Base Burger? Ingredients Explained Science Sights, March 14, 2026

10 Burger Trends From Around the World to Spark Innovation by Patricia Cole, October 3, 2025, Restaurant Business Online