This pico burger recipe has all the taco flavors you love, like savory taco seasoning, melted cheese, and fresh homemade pico, with a creamy, smoky sauce drizzled on top. It offers massive flavor yet has been designed to be high in protein, lower in fat, and topped with nutrient-packed pico de gallo, so it’ll fit anyone’s macros. Perfect for quick weeknight dinners or any night of the week!
Elysia’s Recipe Recap
Texture: Lots of contrast from the tender meat, crisp pico, and melty cheese
Taste: Smoky, spicy, tangy, and bright with savory beef
Ease: It takes a minute to shape the burgers and make the pico, but none of the tasks are actually hard. The flavor difference makes it so worth it!
Recommended: These are a fun swap for traditional burgers or even Taco Tuesday! Very versatile and totally delicious.
Would I make these again? These burgers give that fast food burger experience, but a healthier, homemade option. Great for kids and adults of all ages!
Why We Love These Pico De Gallo Burgers
- Infused with bold flavors in every bite
- Fun twist on traditional burgers
- Topped with fresh pico de gallo made from scratch
- Designed by a Registered Dietitian to be nutritionally balanced and lower in fat and calories
Ingredient Notes
For the burgers
- Lean ground beef: Great for keeping the protein high and the fat and calories low. Extra lean ground beef can be too lean which can result in a more dry burger, so aim for about 90/10.
- Reduced sodium taco seasoning: My homemade healthy taco seasoning blend is naturally lower in sodium and doesn’t require a trip to the store. Feel free to use your favorite brand, instead.
- Lime juice: Helps to tenderize the meat and adds an extra pop of flavor.
- Shredded Monterey Jack cheese: Crucial for that classic melted cheese moment.
- Pico de gallo: I love using my homemade easy pico de gallo. If you have a different recipe or favorite store-bought brand, feel free to use that instead!
- Hamburger buns: Serve these burger patties on buns or make a taco burger salad for a lower carb option.
For the sauce
- Plain 0% Greek yogurt: For plenty of creaminess with extra protein.
- Mayo: You need just a hint of mayo to get that classic tanginess. I’m partial to olive oil mayo, but any mayo will work.
- Adobo sauce: This is the liquid from canned chipotles in adobo sauce. It’s smoky, spicy, and adds tons of flavor.
- Lime juice: For a bright freshness to balance out the sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the beef to a large bowl with the taco seasoning and lime juice.
- Mix with your hands until seasoning has been evenly distributed. Form into four equal-sized patties. Press a dent into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent the patties from puffing up on the grill.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill the patties, about 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking.
- In the last two minutes of cooking, top each patty with 2 tablespoons of cheese; cover the grill to allow the cheese to melt.
- In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, mayo, adobo sauce, salt and lime juice for the sauce.
- To assemble the burgers, add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to the top and bottom of each bun, and then place one burger patty with cheese on each bun. Top with about ¼ cup pico de gallo, or serve the pico on the side.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Fresh homemade pico de gallo tastes best, but you can use store-bought if you don’t have time to prepare it yourself.
- Be sure to serve the pico with a slotted spoon to prevent too much liquid from transferring to the burger, which can cause the bun to get soggy.
- If you’ve got some extra pico de gallo to use up, use it on these Blackened Shrimp Tacos or Pico De Gallo Chicken!
Storage Guidelines
Leftover burger patties, sauce, and toppings can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat the burgers in a pan, and top with fresh garnishes.
Serving Suggestions
These pico burgers walk the line between tacos and burgers, and can be served with a wide range of sides.
Keep it classic with French fries or Air Fryer Zucchini Fries, or you’re serving them at a BBQ or potluck, pair them with Mexican-inspired flavors, like Mexican-Style Mixed Bean Salad with Avocado or Mexican Macaroni Salad with Corn.
I often opt for sides with extra veggies and beans since you get more fiber, plus bean and pasta salads can keep well in the fridge for several days.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different protein: Replace the ground beef with ground turkey or chicken.
- Heat it up: Add some hot sauce to the burger patties, use spicy jalapenos in the pico, and top the burgers with melty pepper jack cheese. You can also blend a chipotle pepper into the creamy sauce for extra heat. Similarly, you can mellow out the heat and use my Healthy Big Mac Sauce instead of the chipotle version.
- Play with garnishes: These taco burgers can be garnished in lots of different ways. Add sliced red onion, crispy lettuce, sour cream, or even a little guacamole. Just be careful not to add too many toppings, or they may slide off your bun!
More Healthy Burger Recipes
- Big Mac Tacos
- Worcestershire Sauce Burger Recipe
- Chicken Feta Burgers
- Gluten Free Turkey Burgers
- Pesto Chicken Burgers
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Pico De Gallo Burger Recipe
Ingredients
For the burgers
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons reduced sodium taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (can also use cheese slices instead)
- 1 cup prepared pico de gallo (homemade or store-bought)
- 4 hamburger buns (optional)
For the sauce
- 1/4 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used olive oil mayo)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotles in adobo sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Instructions
- Add the beef to a large bowl with the taco seasoning and lime juice.
- Mix with your hands until seasoning has been evenly distributed. Form into four equal-sized patties. Press a dent into the center of each patty with your thumb to prevent the patties from puffing up on the grill.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. Grill the patties, about 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked to your liking.
- In the last two minutes of cooking, top each patty with 2 tablespoons of cheese; cover the grill to allow the cheese to melt.
- In a small bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, mayo, adobo sauce, salt and lime juice for the sauce.
- To assemble the burgers, add 2 tablespoons of the sauce to the top and bottom of each bun, and then place one burger patty with cheese on each bun. Top with about ¼ cup pico de gallo, or serve the pico on the side.
Notes
- Fresh homemade pico de gallo tastes best, but you can use store-bought if you don’t have time to prepare it yourself.
- Be sure to serve the pico with a slotted spoon to prevent too much liquid from transferring to the burger, which can cause the bun to get soggy.
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