We love burgers. Warm weather and sunshine make these Teriyaki Bison Burgers feel just right. Bison is a delicious, lean alternative to ground beef—about 3 grams of fat per ounce—so you get rich, beefy flavor with far less fat, closer to lean poultry.
Rather than mixing teriyaki seasonings into the meat, I prefer to make plain patties and serve them with a separate teriyaki sauce. That approach works well for families: everyone can choose how much sauce or which toppings they want, which prevents complaints and keeps meals flexible.
One persistent debate in our house has always been mushrooms.
At first, only the Blue Dinosaur and I liked the sautéed mushrooms; offering a spoonful to the kids often sparked protests. Over the years the older children started to love them and now they disappear fast. The youngest, Quill, still turns up her nose, but the rest will polish off the mushrooms if we aren’t quick enough.
I sauté the mushrooms in olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and a splash of white wine. They brown nicely and develop great flavor. I usually make twice the amount called for in the recipe because everyone wants a generous helping.
I form the ground bison into patties without adding extra seasoning—just the meat. The teriyaki sauce provides all the flavor the burger needs.
Cook the patties in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for a juicy medium doneness. Grilling works too, but bison can overcook quickly on the grill and become dry, so watch them closely. I usually use a skillet because it’s faster and more reliable, and it lets us enjoy these burgers year-round—great in summer, comforting in winter when you crave sunshine flavors.
While the burgers cook, prepare the teriyaki sauce: soy sauce, sugar, grated ginger, sesame seeds and sesame oil, thickened slightly with cornstarch. Whisk the ingredients together and simmer until the mixture bubbles and thickens to a glossy sauce.
Spoon as much sauce as you like over each burger. Some people, of course, will still prefer plain ketchup and mustard—everyone gets to choose.
Assemble each burger starting with the bottom bun, then a lettuce leaf, the warm bison patty, about a tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, a tomato slice, a generous pile of golden sautéed mushrooms, a sprinkle of chopped green onions, and the top bun. The result is a flavorful, balanced burger that’s both hearty and relatively lean.
- 2 lbs. ground bison
- 8 hamburger buns
- 8 tomato slices
- 8 lettuce leaves
- Chopped green onions
- Sauteed Mushrooms:
- 1 lb. mushrooms
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1/2 c. white or red wine
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- Teriyaki Sauce:
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1/4 c. water
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 4 tsp. grated ginger root
- 1 T. toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- Sauté mushrooms in olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add wine, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine and mushroom juices evaporate and the mushrooms brown. Season with sea salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- Form the ground bison into eight patties. Pan-fry in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat to your preferred doneness.
- While the burgers cook, whisk the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce bubbles and thickens, then set aside and keep warm.
- Assemble burgers: bottom bun, lettuce leaf, bison patty, about 1 T. sauce, tomato slice, sautéed mushrooms, a sprinkle of green onions, and top bun. Serve immediately.