Upgrade a simple burger recipe and make it pop with an easy three-ingredient jalapeno cheese topping. Ground sirloin is lean ground beef made exclusively from the center loin cut and makes a super-tender burger. These days, more flavored cheddar cheeses (like jalapeno, chipotle or habanero) are filling up the specialty cheese section. But easy-to-find pepper jack works great in this recipe too.

Jalapeno Popper Burgers

Serves 4

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup shredded spicy cheese, such as chipotle cheddar or pepper jack

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 pound ground sirloin

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

1/4 cup ketchup

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.

2. Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and jalapeno in a medium bowl, stirring and mashing with a fork. Divide the mixture into four portions and form each into a 3-inch disk. Form sirloin into four patties about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt.

3. Grill the burgers until almost done, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place a cheese disk on each and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a burger registers 160 F and the cheese starts to melt, 1 to 2 minutes more. During the last few minutes, toast buns on the grill.

4. Top each burger with 1 tablespoon ketchup and serve on the buns.

Recipe nutrition per serving: 458 Calories, Total Fat: 24 g, Saturated Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 91 mg, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Fiber: 3 g, Total Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 33 g, Sodium: 749 mg, Potassium: 590 mg, Iron: 4 mg, Folate: 26 mcg, Calcium: 246 mg, Vitamin A: 488 IU, Vitamin C: 5 mg.

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(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)

©2025 Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.