Spicy Pepper Jack Burgers with Pico De Gallo and Loaded Potato Wedges

These spicy Southwest-style burgers are packed with bold flavor. Juicy beef patties seasoned with a Southwest spice blend are topped with melty pepper jack cheese and a bright, fresh pico de gallo made with tomato, shallot, cilantro and lime. Served on toasted brioche buns with a smear of guacamole, every bite is a delicious combination of creamy, tangy and spicy.

On the side, crispy roasted potato wedges get the full treatment: a drizzle of tangy crema, a spoonful of guacamole and extra pico de gallo. It’s a complete meal that’s perfect for a fun weeknight dinner or a casual gathering. The best part? Everything comes together in about 30 minutes with simple, fresh ingredients.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 ounce PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Pepper Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit BroccoliView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Brioche BunsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 tablespoon GuacamoleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and adjust a rack to the top position. Wash and dry all produce. Cut the potatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges. Dice the tomato into ¼-inch pieces. Halve, peel and mince the shallot. Roughly chop the cilantro. Quarter the lime.
2. On a baking sheet, toss the potato wedges with a generous drizzle of cooking oil, half of the Southwest spice blend (reserve the rest), salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast on the top rack until golden brown and crispy, 20-25 minutes.
3. While the potatoes roast, make the pico de gallo: In a small bowl, combine the diced tomato, minced shallot, chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef with the remaining Southwest spice blend. Season with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into two patties (or four for 4 servings), each slightly wider than the burger buns.
5. Heat a drizzle of cooking oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until browned and cooked to your desired doneness, 3-5 minutes per side. During the last 1-2 minutes of cooking, top each patty with pepper jack cheese and cover the pan to melt the cheese.
6. While the patties cook, halve the brioche buns and toast them in the oven or a dry pan until golden brown. In a separate small bowl, prepare the crema by stirring the sour cream with water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a drizzling consistency.
7. Spread the top halves of the toasted buns with half of the guacamole. Place the cheesy patties on the bottom buns and top with as much pico de gallo as you like. Close the burgers.
8. Divide the burgers and roasted potato wedges between plates. Drizzle the crema over the potato wedges, then top with the remaining pico de gallo and the remaining guacamole. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of cheese?

Absolutely! Monterey Jack, cheddar or even a smoky gouda would work well in place of pepper jack.

How do I make the patties more moist?

Avoid overworking the meat when forming patties and don’t press down on them while cooking. Letting them rest for a minute after cooking also helps retain juices.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can prepare the pico de gallo and crema up to a day in advance. The potato wedges are best fresh, but you can reheat them in the oven at 400°F for a few minutes.