How to Use Burger Buns Beyond the Burger

It's summertime. You're cooking up a ton of burgers. You can keep extra ground beef in the freezer, extra ketchup in the fridge, but the buns? Sometimes you may find yourself with a few extra on hand. Sure, you could freeze them, but with all the other uses out there, why would you? There are so many ways to use buns besides for burgers.

When you've got Dave's Killer Bread buns on hand, you'll be looking for excuses to eat them beyond your standard patty. That's because the buns are made with organic, non-GMO ingredients by a business that gives a damn.

Brothers and cofounders Dave and Glenn Dahl grew up in a family of bakers. After serving 15 years in prison, Dave rejoined his brother in the family business and started tinkering with his own bread recipe. In 2005, he sold his first loaves of Dave's Killer Bread at the Portland Farmers Market, and a national icon was born. Since then, it's become a fan favorite all over the country, selling in all 50 states, and it's now America's number-one organic sliced bread.

Dave's Killer Bread takes the same integrity it upholds when sourcing quality grains as it does when making employment choices. The company not only hires and trains men and women with criminal histories to give them the second chance they need, but it also runs a foundation to help other businesses do the same. The success of the product speaks for itself, but the background might make it taste even better. So when you find yourself loading up on burger buns from Dave's Killer Bread, you can feel extra good about getting creative with different ways to enjoy them.

Here are seven ways to use burger buns beyond a burger.

Chorizo Sloppy Joes

A spicy and decidedly grown-up version of this childhood classic deserves an upgraded bun, too.

Get the recipe for chorizo sloppy joes.

Garlic Bread Buns

Garlic bread is great. Garlic buns are better. No really, hear us out. A hard-as-rock toasted baguette of garlic bread leaves chopped garlic and crumbs flying everywhere when you bite into it. A lightly toasted, fluffy bun does no such thing. More butter garlic in your mouth, not on the table.

Get the recipe for garlic bread buns.

Cuban Sandwiches

Burger buns make the perfect panini vessels. Skeptical? Try them on your next Cuban and see if the mustard-smeared buns don't perfectly hold that melted ham and cheese.

Get the recipe for Cuban sandwiches.

Breakfast Sandwiches

Speaking of perfect matches, burger buns plus fried eggs, bacon, and cheese? The fluffy interior of the bun soaks up the bacon fat and egg yolk while the volume of said bun protects your hands from getting greasy. That's a breakfast of champions.

Get the recipe for a bacon, ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich.

Po' Boys

Never thought to make a Po' Boy with a burger bun? But it makes so much sense. Sturdy yet soft buns hold up to the fried, crunchy filling without overwhelming the subtle but addictive flavors within.

Get the recipe for shrimp po' boys.

Vegan Tortas

Traditionally made with soft rolls, tortas are Mexican sandwiches that can come with an array of fillings. Whatever you choose for the inside, consider the hamburger bun a reliable stand-in for the outside. What is a burger bun if not a soft roll, after all?

Get the recipe for vegan tortas.

Pizza!

French bread pizza is uniquely satisfying, the heft of the bread standing up well to sauce, cheese, and toppings. But when you don't have a fresh loaf lying around, a burger bun is the answer. Think of it as a more sophisticated pizza bagel.

Get the recipe for French bread pizza.