The Kitchen's Best Recipes on a Bun

See how co-hosts of The Kitchen build their best burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches on hearty buns.

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Sandwich Burger Hot Dog Restaurants Jeff Mauro Katie Lee Marcela Valladolid Sunny Anderson Geoffrey Zakarian The Kitchen

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Diablo, Diablo, Diablo Burger

There's two times the decadence of gooey cheese in Sunny Anderson's over-the-top burgers. Not only is the patty served on top of a slice of pepper Jack, but it's also stuffed with nacho cheese dip. One bite into these chile-laced patties and you'll experience the ultimate ooze factor when that nacho cheese dip drips out.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Diablo Diablo Diablo Burger

Lobster Roll

Succulent buttery lobster is overflowing from Geoffrey Zakarian's quick-fix rolls, which he dresses up with a drizzle of creamy Sriracha-laced mayonnaise before serving.

Get the Recipe: Lobster Roll

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Bacon Sliders

A cumin-scented marinade guarantees that Sunny's moist chicken gets packed with flavor from the beginning, while toppings like sweet caramelized onions and a bacon-avocado spread finish the sliders with even more richness and bite.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Grilled Chicken and Avocado Bacon Sliders

Smoked Pork Butt on the Grill

The secret to fork-tender pulled pork is smoking the meat slowly and at a low temperature. To infuse the pork with as much flavor as possible, let it marinate in a brown sugar-paprika rub, then baste it with a mustard vinaigrette as it cooks.

Get the Recipe: Smoked Pork Butt on the Grill

Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwiches

You don't have to be in Tennessee to enjoy Nashville's famous hot chicken. Just stick with Jeff Mauro's hearty recipe, boasting buttermilk-battered fried chicken dredged with a spicy flour mixture of cayenne, chile powder and granulated garlic. Follow Jeff's lead and build the sandwiches with bright pickles, cool iceberg lettuce and creamy mayonnaise to balance the heat of the chicken.

Get the Recipe: Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich

Shrimp Burgers with Old Bay Mayo

Not just for cocktail hors d'oeuvres, shrimp can be turned into a tender burger patty as well. Katie Lee keeps the filling simple, with breadcrumbs, bright lemon juice and garlic powder, then finishes the dish with a creamy mayonnaise spiked with Old Bay, a go-to seafood spice, and creamy avocado.

Get the Recipe: Shrimp Burgers with Old Bay Mayo

Ugly Burger

Don't let the name fool you. What this dish may lack in appearance, it more than makes up for in decadence. GZ's secret? Not overworking the meat, which means it doesn't become tough. He tops the burger with classic fixings like lettuce and tomato, plus a smear of his Special Sauce, featuring spiced ketchup, mayo and minced cornichons.

Get the Recipe: GZ's Ugly Burger

Fried Green Tomato Parm Sandwiches

Inspired by a classic Parmesan hero, Jeff's easy-to-make sandwiches feature golden, crispy fried tomatoes as the centerpiece. Instead of using traditional tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, follow Jeff's lead and opt for layers of caramelized tomatoes and Burrata instead; this milky-centered cheese ball is endlessly rich and creamy, and it'll take Jeff's sandwich to the next indulgent level.

Get the Recipe: Fried Green Tomato Parm Sandwiches

Spicy Oregano Burgers

Take it from Marcela Valladolid: This top-rated recipe does double duty. "This is one of my favorite Sunday dinner/Monday lunch recipes," she explains. "These burgers are great as a standalone dinner making six Spicy Oregano Burgers. If you want to plan for Monday's lunch, make only four burgers for Sunday's dinner and set aside 1 cup of the mixture to make my Mini Meatball-Stuffed Pitas the next day."

Get the Recipe: Marcela's Spicy Oregano Burgers

West Virginia-Style Hot Dog

Not your everyday dog slathered with ketchup, Katie's next-level version is inspired by the hot dogs she ate growing up in West Virginia. This one is topped with a beefy chili, cool coleslaw and yellow mustard for a tangy bite.

Get the Recipe: West Virginia Style Hot Dog

BLT Ranch Burger

Piled high with the trio of BLT essentials, Katie's 5-star burger gets it ranch flavor from a homemade dressing laced with buttermilk and fresh herbs.

Get the Recipe: BLT Ranch Burger

Soy-Da Glazed Pulled Pork

It's all about the sweet, tangy orange soda-soy sauce glaze that Jeff uses to shellac his juicy pork shoulder.

Get the Recipe: Soy-Da Glazed Pulled Pork

Grilled Chicken Burgers with Pasilla Aioli

An aioli is a fancy name for a mayonnaise sauce, and here Marcela's is spiked with a pasilla chile and a garlic clove. Along with crispy fried poblanos, this creamy spread transforms her chicken burger into a craveable favorite full of smoky taste and subtle spice.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Chicken Burgers with Pasilla Aioli

Beet Burger with Citrus-Caper Aioli

You want to cook with no meat? No problem. Jeff's 5-star burger boasts a beet-focused patty, made hefty and satisfying thanks to a filling of brown rice and walnuts. All it takes is cool lettuce and some of his sweet, tangy caper-studded mayonnaise to finish his vegetarian burgers.

Get the Recipe: Beet Burger with Citrus-Caper Aioli

Mexican-Style Hot Dog

Thanks to the mayonnaise, pickled jalapeno and potato chip toppings, there's no shortage of taste or texture in Marcela's fast-fix hot dogs. It's up to you to decide whether to steam or boil the hot dogs.

Get the Recipe: Mexican Style Hot Dog

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