Adding Fruit To Burgers Isn't As Weird As It Sounds

Everyone who's ordered a pizza before knows about the option to add pineapple. Some people are team, "Yes, pineapple belongs on pizza," while others say, "Why would you ruin a pizza by adding fruit?" Many in the latter group just can't fathom how mixing a sweet fruit with a savory food equates to a desirable flavor combination. Regardless of your team, you might have mixed feelings about a similar combo: fruit on hamburgers. 

The toppings that make a burger the perfect burger vary for each person. For some, it might be the cheese, bacon, secret recipe special sauce, caramelized onions, fried egg, pickles, or something else. For others, it might be a slice of sweet fruit. Red Robin and Chick-fil-A are among the restaurants that offer burgers with pineapple (Banzai Burger and Luau Burger, respectively), proving that at least some people dig the fruit flavor on their burgers. By the way, the Luau Burger is only available in Georgia. 

A TikToker took the fruit-on-a-burger concept a step further by adding strawberries to a burger before asking viewers, "Why does that really, really work?" A pair of cookbook authors answered that question with their personal opinions and some simple facts.

The TikToker demonstrated the strawberry burger recipe by simmering diced strawberries in a pan with sugar, water, and vanilla extract before adding them to a burger. He described the concoction as "dangerously delicious." Cookbook authors James McNair and Linda Dannenberg echoed this positive review in an article in The Christian Science Monitor.

Adding fruit to burgers and other meat became a popular culinary trend around the 80s and 90s. Several restaurants were known for adding fruit to burgers, including the Cherry Hut (cherries) and three of Donald Trump's restaurants (Granny Smith apples). McNair said adding some fruit to a burger "adds a little moisture and a nice texture and a little sweetness." Dannenberg, who routinely adds blueberries to her burgers, added, "It's the acidity that's a nice complement to the richness of the beef."

If adding a sweet fruit to a savory burger has piqued your curiosity, you can Google "fruit on a burger" to find various recipes and articles about the best-tasting fruits to try. Or, you can try the TikTok video route and start with strawberries, or go the more traditional route and add a sliced pineapple.