These bunless burgers swap the bread for thick onion rounds stacked with circles of cheese, each parcel wrapped in bacon and baked at 180°C (350°F) for 15 minutes, and the flour dusting on the bacon is what makes them work. It dries the surface so the strip grips the stack and bakes into a crisp shell instead of going limp. A rack over the baking tray matters too: fat drips away and hot air reaches the underside, so the bacon crisps all round rather than stewing. Pull them out when the bacon is deep golden with no pale, soft patches.
Instructions
- 1
Slice onions into thick rounds. Cut cheese slices into circles the same size as the onion rounds. Stack cheese onto the onion rings.
- 2
Lightly coat bacon slices with flour — this helps everything hold together and gives crispier texture. Wrap each stacked onion-cheese round snugly with a strip of floured bacon.
- 3
Arrange on a rack over a baking tray. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 15 minutes until the bacon is perfectly crispy and golden.
15:00
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Notes from our kitchen
We match the cheese circles to the onion rounds so one bacon strip can pin both layers; a mismatch leaves a gap where melted cheese escapes onto the rack. Skip the flour dusting and the bacon slides loose as the fat renders, so the parcels start to unwrap mid-bake.
Our doneness cue is the bacon, not the clock: deep golden, fat gone quiet, usually right at the 15-minute mark. The step not to rush is the wrap. A loose spiral opens as it cooks, so pull each strip snug before the parcel goes on the rack.
Variations
- Air fryer method. These cook well at 180°C (350°F) in an air fryer for 12–15 minutes. Set them seam-side down so the bacon seals first, and add a toothpick if the wrap feels loose.
- Cheese choices. Any cheese that melts without running thin works well here. Cheddar gives a sharper bite, mozzarella a milder, stretchier middle. Cut the circles to match the onion so the bacon still closes around them.
- Sweeter onions. Sweet onions such as Vidalia mellow further in the oven and suit anyone who finds standard yellow onions sharp. Red onion works too and keeps a little more bite after 15 minutes.
- Make ahead and reheat. Stack the onion and cheese ahead and chill, covered, but flour and wrap the bacon just before baking so the coating stays dry. Reheat leftovers on a rack at 180°C (350°F) until the bacon crisps again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why dust the bacon with flour?
A light coating of flour helps the bacon grip the onion-and-cheese stack and crisps it up instead of going floppy, so the parcels hold their shape and stay crunchy when you bite in.
Why bake on a rack instead of straight on the tray?
A rack lets the bacon fat drip away and hot air circulate underneath, so the bacon crisps evenly all the way around rather than sitting and steaming in its own grease.
Can I cook these in an air fryer?
Yes. Air-fry at 180°C for about 12–15 minutes, seam-side down first, until the bacon is golden and crisp. Secure each parcel with a toothpick if the cheese tries to escape.
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