Low Carb Brunch Burger
⏲ ~27 min total · prep 13 · cook 4 · 4 servings
Lunch⏱ 45 min total🔥 8.8g net carbs⚡ ≈495 kcal/serving~3% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- 4 large eggs, divided
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 2 slices sharp cheddar
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp butter, for frying
Instructions
- Whisk 2 of the eggs with the mozzarella, almond flour, and a pinch of salt; let the batter sit 2 minutes so the flour hydrates.
- Meanwhile lay the bacon in a cold 10-inch skillet, set it over medium-low, and render 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until deeply crisp. Drain on paper towels and keep about 1 tbsp of fat in the pan.
- Cook the chaffles in a preheated waffle iron: pour in half the batter, close, and cook 3-4 minutes until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Repeat with the rest and hold them on a wire rack so steam doesn't soften the crust.
- Divide the beef into two 8-oz balls, press into 1-inch-thick patties, and dimple the centers. Season the outsides with salt and pepper, then cook in the bacon fat over medium-high 4 minutes per side for medium, to 160°F inside. Lay the cheddar on top for the last minute and cover the pan so it melts.
- Add the butter to the same skillet and fry the remaining 2 eggs about 2 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks still slosh.
- Build each burger: mayonnaise on a chaffle, then the cheesy patty, a fried egg, two bacon slices crossed, and fanned avocado, capped with the second chaffle. Serve immediately while the yolk is still a sauce.
Why this recipe works
- Chaffles as the bun Two eggs whisked with mozzarella and almond flour make four crisp waffles sturdy enough for a full stack. Held on a wire rack rather than a plate, the crust stays hard.
- Bacon fat pulls double duty Rendering the bacon first leaves a tablespoon of seasoned fat in the pan, and the patties cook in it. No extra oil is needed for the beef.
- The yolk is the sauce Two fried eggs with loose yolks sit between patty and bacon cap. Break them at the table and the yolk runs down through the layers.
Tips for making this recipe well
Start the bacon cold
Slices laid in a cold pan brought up to medium-low render slowly and evenly. Bacon started hot seizes, curls, and crisps unevenly.
Rest the chaffle batter
Two minutes lets the almond flour hydrate, which keeps the finished waffles from tasting gritty. The batter thickens slightly in that window and spreads less in the iron.
Dimple the patties
An eight-ounce ball pressed to an inch thick with a dimple in the middle cooks flat instead of doming. The dimple fills with cheddar as it melts.
160°F for ground beef
Four minutes a side over medium-high takes an inch-thick patty to the safe internal temperature for ground meat, reading medium. Cover the pan for the last minute so the cheddar melts.
Hold the chaffles on a rack
A hot chaffle softens its own crust sitting on a flat plate. The wire rack keeps steam moving while the patties finish.
Serving suggestions
Build both burgers at the counter and serve them immediately, while the yolk still runs. Mayonnaise on the bottom chaffle, then the cheesy patty, the fried egg, two bacon slices crossed, and the fanned avocado before the top waffle goes on. Each stack lands at 8.8 net carbs, honest work for a burger this size. A knife and fork are the sensible tools with a runny yolk in the stack, though nobody will stop you from trying it two-handed.
Storage and meal prep
This is a cook-and-eat dish, so plan leftovers by component. Chaffles refrigerate for three to four days and re-crisp in a toaster or a dry skillet; they also freeze for two to three months with parchment between them. Cooked bacon keeps its snap for several days in the fridge and reheats in minutes. Patties hold three to four days covered. Assemble fresh each time, because a built burger weeps into the chaffle overnight and the crust pays for it.
Variations worth trying
- One tall stack Halve the beef, cheese, and bacon for a single burger and keep both remaining eggs fried on top. It reads as a brunch plate more than a burger.
- Open-faced melt Serve it on one chaffle with extra mozzarella melted over the top under a pan lid. Same stack, half the waffles, easier to cut with a fork.
- Avocado off Leave the avocado out when yours are rock-hard. Mayonnaise and the runny yolk carry the richness instead.
- Turkey patties Ground turkey works with the same timing, cooked to 165°F rather than 160°F. Expect a leaner patty and season a pinch heavier.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a waffle iron?
For this version, yes. The iron's grid is what crisps the mozzarella batter into a bun-shaped waffle, and a pancake pour on a skillet gives a softer, different result.
Why does the batter rest two minutes?
Almond flour needs a moment to absorb the egg. Skipping the rest is what leaves a gritty texture in the finished chaffle.
Can the patties be thinner?
They can, and four minutes a side drops to roughly three. Pull them at temperature regardless, since thin patties climb fast.
How do I stop the avocado browning?
Slice it at assembly rather than earlier. If it must be prepped ahead, keep the slices against the pit and press plastic wrap onto the cut surface.
Is 160°F medium?
For ground beef, 160°F is the safe internal temperature, and four minutes a side usually lands an inch-thick patty right around there. It reads as medium, with a trace of pink at the center.
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